Awards

DOC NYC has multiple competitive sections with juries, plus an annual Audience Award. Our newest juried sections include the U.S. Competition, International Competition, and Kaleidoscope Competition to focus on work that’s more essayistic and poetic.

The longstanding Metropolis Competition focuses on New York City stories. The Shorts Competition covers all the titles in the Shorts Program.

Additionally, we have juries for our Short List sections that represent the best of the year’s releases. The Short List: Features jury gives awards in the categories of Director, Producer, Editor and Cinematographer. The Short List: Shorts jury gives a Director Award. 

To read about our 2023 jurors, please click here.

Here’s a history of past winners.

U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

2023
Directed by HASAN OSWALD, HASAN OSWALD
2021
Directed by Erin Bernhardt, Din Blankenship, Erin Bernhardt, Din Blankenship

METROPOLIS COMPETITION

Films in this section exemplify the diverse range of stories in New York City.

2010
Directed by Roland Legiardi-Laura, Edwin Martinez, Deborah Shaffer, Amy Sultan

AUDIENCE AWARD

Audiences vote for their favorite feature film.

2013
Directed by MICHAEL KLEIMAN
2010
Directed by Roland Legiardi-Laura, Edwin Martinez, Deborah Shaffer, Amy Sultan

SHORTS COMPETITION

All short films playing at the festival are eligible for this jury prize, other than DOC NYC U and Short List: Shorts.  

2021
Directed by Nasir Bailey, Jackson Kroopf, Nasir Bailey, Jackson Kroopf
2012
Directed by Riley Hooper

SHORT LIST AWARD WINNERS

2021
Directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen
2020
Directed by Garrett Bradley, Garrett Bradley, Garrett Bradley
2020
Directed by Hao Wu, Weixi Chen, Anonymous

VIEWFINDERS COMPETITION

Jury winners from 2010 to 2020 chosen for their distinct directorial vision.

Read more about juries and their choices from past years: