The International Documentary Association (IDA) has announced nominees for the 36th annual IDA Documentary Awards.
Of 10 titles competing for Best Feature, three are directed or co-directed by women: “Time,” “Crip Camp,” and “Reunited.” Garrett Bradley’s “Time” is a portrait of a modern-day abolitionist’s decades-long fight to secure her husband’s release from prison. Directed by Nicole Newnham and Jim LeBrecht, “Crip Camp” tells the untold story of how a ramshackle summer camp for teenagers with disabilities located just down the road from Woodstock sparked a revolution. Mira Jargil’s “Reunited” follows a family torn apart by Syria’s civil war.
Bradley, Newnham, and LeBrecht also scored Best Director nominations: five features are being recognized in that category.
Women-directed offerings dominate the Best Short category, where seven of 10 titles nominated are helmed or co-helmed by women. Shorts in the running for the honor include Kate Novack’s “Hysterical Girl,” a re-imagining of Sigmund Freud’s analysis of Dora, a 17-year-old girl whose parents sent her to Freud when she accused a family friend of sexual assault, and Melanie Ho’s “sống ở đây,” a look into the lives of Vietnamese shrimpers and elderly farmers in New Orleans.
“The nominees are selected by independent committees of 191 documentary makers, curators, critics, and industry experts from 25 countries,” a press release details: “58% of the committee members are female while 59% of committee members are BIPOC. Additionally, 15% of members are LGBTQ+ and 4% are disabled.” The IDA received 1,056 submissions.
“The nominees present an inspiring and urgent range of stories from around the globe,” said Simon Kilmurry, executive director of the IDA. “The broad range of subjects and approaches to storytelling underscores that documentary is our most exciting form of cultural expression, a vital art form and a crucial element of democratic dialogue.”
The 2020 IDA Awards will take place in a virtual ceremony on January 16.
Head over to Deadline to check out the full list of nominees.
