Jon Batiste, Michael J. Fox Films Among Nomination Leaders Of 8th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards; Taylor Swift In Contention For Eras Tour Concert Movie:

Matthew Heineman’s documentary profiling Grammy and Oscar winning musician Jon Batiste and the medical struggles for his wife that have marked trying times in their marriage leads the pack of nominees for the 8th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards with six. The inspiring docu from Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground was picked up by Netflix after premiering and winning acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival last month. Not far behind are a trio of docus each with 5 mentions including 20 Days In Mariupol, Kokomo City, and Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie. And not to be ignored, this weekend’s boxoffice champ, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour which landed a nomination as Best Music Documentary. The CCDA nod marks the first awards recognition for the film (however it is not eligible for a Documentary Oscar) which only just had its first premiere screening on Wednesday of last week and came in just under the eligibility wire.

It was a big year for docus spotlighting familiar names as films about Mary Tyler Moore, Brooke Shields, Judy Blume, Sylvester Stallone, Carlos Santana, Little Richard, Donna Summer, Yogi Berra, Reggie Jackson, Stephen Curry, the 70’s rock group Blood Sweat & Tears, and John LeCarre were among movies popping up in the various categories.

The 10 films competing in the top category, Best Documentary Feature are 20 Days In Mariupol, American Symphony, Beyond Utopia, The Deepest Breath, The Eternal Memory, Judy Blume Forever, Kokomo City, The Mission, Stamped From The Beginning, and Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.

In addition to the 18 awards categories listed below, a prestigious honor, The Pennebaker Award (formerly known as the Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award), will be presented to esteemed documentarian Ross McElwee. The award is named for Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award winner D A Pennebaker, who passed away in 2019.

“We are thrilled with the number of exceptional documentaries released theatrically and on streaming this year and are very excited to introduce an overdue category honoring true crime films and series,” said Christopher Campbell, VP of Documentaries for CCA. “This event is about showcasing and celebrating the best in nonfiction, and I want to congratulate all of our nominees and thank them for making us see and think about the world in new ways.”

Co-President for the CCA Documentary Branch added, “We are also thrilled to witness a varied number of nominees spanning subjects represented across all genders (including Transgender Intersex) and genres, further solidifying the Critics Choice Documentary Awards’ commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the documentary landscape.”

The awards honor the finest achievements in documentaries released to theatres, on TV, and on major digital platforms as determined by the voting of qualified CCA members. FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a member of CCA and served on the Documentary Awards selection committee.

The winners will be revealed at a Gala Event on Sunday November 12, 2023 at the Edison Ballroom in New York City and will be live streamed through Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). It will be hosted for the second year in a row by actor, and standup comedian Wyatt Cenac. Presenting sponsor is National Geographic Documentary Films. Bob Bain and Joey Berlin are producers.

Nominees for the 8th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards are available at Deadline.