Beverly Hills, CA — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 15 films in the Documentary Feature category will advance in the voting process for the 82nd Academy Awards®. Eighty-nine pictures had originally qualified in the category.
The 15 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production company:
“The Beaches of Agnes,” Agnès Varda, director (Cine-Tamaris)
“Burma VJ,” Anders Østergaard, director (Magic Hour Films)
“The Cove,” Louie Psihoyos, director (Oceanic Preservation Society)
“Every Little Step,” James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo, directors (Endgame Entertainment)
“Facing Ali,” Pete McCormack, director (Network Films Inc.)
“Food, Inc.,” Robert Kenner, director (Robert Kenner Films)
“Garbage Dreams,” Mai Iskander, director (Iskander Films, Inc.)
“Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders,” Mark N. Hopkins, director (Red Floor Pictures)
“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers,” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith, directors (Kovno Communications)
“Mugabe and the White African,” Andrew Thompson and Lucy Bailey, directors (Arturi Films Limited)
“Sergio,” Greg Barker, director (Passion Pictures and Silverbridge Productions)
“Soundtrack for a Revolution,” Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman, directors (Freedom Song Productions)
“Under Our Skin,” Andy Abrahams Wilson, director (Open Eye Pictures)
“Valentino The Last Emperor,” Matt Tyrnauer, director (Acolyte Films)
“Which Way Home,” Rebecca Cammisa, director (Mr. Mudd)The Documentary Branch Screening Committee viewed all the eligible documentaries for the preliminary round of voting. Documentary Branch members will now select the five nominees from among the 15 titles on the shortlist. The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010.






Prediction: “The Cove” will win the Academy Award for Best Documentary!
Where’s Capitalism: A Love Story?????
WHERE IS ANVIL???
No Michael Moore?
This has the makings of a major scandal. Michael Moore, Chris Rock’s Good Hair, and Toback’s Mike Tyson all missing — are these guys on crack!
Anvil got robbed!
I’ve seen “Under Our Skin” — it’s excellent. Glad to hear this.
“Troop 759: Boy Scouts of Harlem” got robbed too!
We Live in Public is also missing (sigh)
Anvil! got screwed. True I’m a metalhead and thus a little biased, but I really think Anvil! was the best doc of the year.
why didnt Anvil make it? did it not qualify? Anyone who saw The Cove should know that that film would make the top 15 and then could have pulled a NIkki FInke and shouted “TOLDJA”!!
“YOO HOO MRS.GOLDBERG” where is it? That was brilliant. No Michael Moore? Chris Rock? Who is on this committee????
what about THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE?
Surprise no “More Than A Game” and no “Wonder of it All”.
Correct me if I am wrong, but Moore doesn’t want his films in the Best Documentary Feature category since Farenheit, since that effectively takes them out of contention for Best Picture.
garbage dreams is a hell of a film. it’s amazing to realize that these people live in the same time as we do, but live in a completely different world (of garbage). definitely a must see and happy to see it on the list
If there was one showbiz doc, it should have been It Might Get Loud. Every Little Step was like a lame TV reality show. Good Hair got robbed, too. Big suprise — it’s a minority filmmaker.
I’m honestly curious. Why did Michael Moore’s film get sandbagged???
Anvil being absent on this list is a disgrace…and I don’t even like metal music. The Oscar nominations haven’t even been announced, 2009 hasnt even ended and ALREADY a worthy movie got screwed!?! Good job, Academy!
Based on the buzz, I think Garbage Dreams might be the sleeper in this catagory.
Shame about fantastic enviro-doc The Age of Stupid as well…it’s better in many ways than at least a couple on the list and as for The September Issue…well
Good Hair?
Where is “Herb & Dorothy”?? It won numberous “Best Film” awards this past year and had a very respectable theatrical release.
When I saw “The Cove” this year at Sundance I knew it was going to win.
Great to see Valentino: Last Emperor on list. Was not a fan of The September Issue, in regards to someone above asking why it isn’t on the list.
Both music (ANVIL, IT MIGHT GET LOUD) and boxing (TYSON) seem to be on the outs this year…
“which way home” looks a great deal like a film from a few years ago “mojados: through the night” – i’m just saying….