2023 Critics Choice Documentary Awards Announces Winners

The Critics Choice Documentary Awards celebrated its eighth year by announcing the winners for 2023, showcasing an array of compelling and skillfully crafted documentaries. These awards serve as a spotlight on the best in documentary filmmaking, highlighting remarkable work in various categories, ranging from the most intriguing features to exceptional directorial debuts.

Top Honors of the Night

Best Documentary Feature was awarded to Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, a work that also brought home the Best Editing accolade for Michael Harte and triumphed in the category of both Best Narration and Best Biographical Documentary with Michael J. Fox's captivating narrative performance.

Notable Winners

The Best Director nod went to Davis Guggenheim for his impactful direction in Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie. Best First Documentary Feature was claimed by Mstyslav Chernov for 20 Days in Mariupol, reflecting a powerful and significant directorial debut. Meanwhile, Best Cinematography was skillfully secured by Tim Cragg for the breathtaking visuals in The Deepest Breath. In the musical realms, Jon Batiste's melodious composition for American Symphony earned him the Best Score title.

Additional Recognitions

The award for Best Archival Documentary went to Being Mary Tyler Moore, while JFK: One Day in America took the spotlight in the Best Historical Documentary category. For those with a fondness for the interfusion of cinema and music, American Symphony was celebrated as the Best Music Documentary. Grappling with present-day realities, 20 Days in Mariupol also secured the award for Best Political Documentary.

Exploring Diverse Spheres

Among the wonders of the natural world, Secrets of the Elephants impressed the jury as the Best Science/Nature Documentary, while The Deepest Breath flawlessly captured the Best Sports Documentary accolade. In the captivating true crime genre, there was a tie, with both Lennon: Murder Without a Trial and Telemarketers being honored. Lastly, The Last Repair Shop emerged as the Best Short Documentary of the year.

An Accolade with a Track Record

The Critics Choice Documentary Awards, an extension of the major Critics Choice Awards that recognize superior film and television achievements, are well regarded for their foresight in predicting potential Academy Award nominations. The forthcoming Critics Choice Awards event is scheduled for January 14, 2024, at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City, CA, with a live broadcast on The CW.

documentaries, winners, awards