On October 18, 2022, DOC NYC released the titles of the 15 nonfiction feature films and 15 nonfiction short films selected for its annual Short Lists. The annual lists are strong prognosticators for awards season, from critics’ prizes and top ten lists to Oscars.
For nine of the last 10 years, DOC NYC has screened the documentary feature that went on to win the Academy Award, and 44 of the last 50 Oscar-nominated documentary features. In 2021, DOC NYC screened 11 of 15 titles that were named to the subsequent Academy Award Documentary Feature Shortlist, as well as The Queen of Basketball, which went on to win the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject.
All films were screened in-person in New York City from November 9 – 17, with creators from the films in attendance to engage in audience interviews. Click on the hotlinks below to view some of those conversations.
The 15 films selected for the 2022 Short List: Features are:
ALL THAT BREATHES
Director: Shaunak Sen
Producers: Shaunak Sen, Aman Mann, Teddy Leifer
ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED
Director: Laura Poitras
Producers: Nan Goldin, Yoni Golijov, Laura Poitras
BEBA
Director: Rebeca Huntt
Producer: Sofia Geld
DESCENDANT
Director: Margaret Brown
Producers: Kyle Martin, Essie Chambers, Margaret Brown
FIRE OF LOVE
Director: Sara Dosa
Producers: Shane Boris, Ina Fichman, Sara Dosa
THE JANES
Director: Tia Lessin, Emma Pildes
Producers: Emma Pildes, Daniel Arcana, Jessica Levin
LAST FLIGHT HOME
Director: Ondi Timoner
Producer: Ondi Timoner, David Turner
LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S BLACK AND BLUES
Director: Sacha Jenkins
Producers: Sacha Jenkins, Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Julie Anderson
MIJA
Director: Isabel Castro
Producers: Isabel Castro, Tabs Breese, Yesenia Tlahuel
MOONAGE DAYDREAM
Director / Producer: Brett Morgen
NAVALNY
Director: Daniel Roher
Producers: Diane Becker, Shane Boris, Melanie Miller, Odessa Rae
RETROGRADE
Director: Matthew Heineman
Producers: Matthew Heineman, Caitlin McNally
THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER – FEATURING BRANDI CARLILE
Director: Kathlyn Horan
Producers: Christopher Clements, Carolyn Hepburn, Julie Goldman, Kathlyn Horan
“SR.”
Director: Chris Smith
Producers: Emily Barclay Ford, Kevin Ford, Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey
THE TERRITORY
Director: Alex Pritz
Producers: Darren Aronofsky, Sigrid Dyekjær, Lizzie Gillett, Will N. Miller
The 15 films selected for the 2022 Short List: Shorts are:
ANASTASIA (Director: Sarah McCarthy, Producers: Sasha Odynova, Sarah McCarthy)
ANGOLA DO YOU HEAR US? VOICES FROM A PLANTATION PRISON (Director: Cinque Northern, Producer: Catherine Gund)
AS FAR AS THEY CAN RUN (Director: Tanaz Eshaghian, Producers: Tanaz Eshaghian, Christoph Jörg)
THE BEST CHEF IN THE WORLD (Director / Producer: Ben Proudfoot)
THE ELEPHANT WHISPERERS (Director: Kartiki Gonsalves, Producers: Guneet Monga, Achin Jain)
THE FLAGMAKERS (Directors / Producers: Cynthia Wade, Sharon Liese)
IN FLOW OF WORDS (Director: Eliane Esther Bots, Producer: Manon Bovenkerk)
LONG LINE OF LADIES (Directors: Rayka Zehtabchi, Shaandiin Tome, Producers: Garrett Schiff, Rayka Zehtabchi, Sam Davis, Pimm Tripp-Allen)
THE MARTHA MITCHELL EFFECT (Directors: Anne Alvergue, Debra McClutchy, Producers: Beth Levison, Judith Mizrachy)
MY DISABILITY ROADMAP (Directors: Samuel Habib, Dan Habib, Producer: Dan Habib)
NASIR (Directors: Nasir Bailey, Jackson Kroopf, Producer: Jackson Kroopf)
THE PANOLA PROJECT (Directors / Producers: Rachael DeCruz, Jeremy S. Levine)
SHUT UP AND PAINT (Directors: Titus Kaphar, Alex Mallis, Producer: Chloe Gbai)
STATE OF ALABAMA VS. BRITTANY SMITH (Director: Ryan White, Producers: Jessica Hargrave, Ryan White)
YOU CAN’T STOP SPIRIT (Directors: Vashi Korin, Producers: Jazzi McGilbert, Sean Kilgore-Han)