The 2008 Nonfiction Feature Honor Roll (First Edition)

Before we move full throttle into end-of-the-year awards considerations and critics lists, it's time to look back at the major awards that have been bestowed upon nonfiction feature films over the past 9 months. 

No surprise that Oscar frontrunners MAN ON WIRE and TROUBLE THE WATER have had significant recognition.  But this list offers an interesting look at some relatively unheralded or unknown titles that have attracted the attention of juries and critics at the top festivals in the US and elsewhere.

The first edition of the 2008 Nonfiction Feature Honor Roll is after the jump:

ACCELERATING AMERICA
Seattle Film Festival – Special Jury Prize

AMERICAN TEEN
Sundance Film Festival – Directing Award

ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL
Los Angeles Film Festival – Documentary Audience Award

THE ART STAR AND THE SUDANESE TWINS
Sundance Film Festival – World Editing Award

AS SEEN THROUGH THESE EYES
Thessaloniki Documentary – Audience Award

AT THE DEATH HOUSE DOOR
Full Frame Film Festival – Inspiration Award

BE LIKE OTHERS
Berlin Film Festival – TEDDY Queer Jury Prize
Berlin Film Festival – Amnesty International Prize
Thessaloniki Documentary – International Critics Award
NewFest – Best Documentary

BEAUTIFUL LOSERS
Cinevegas – Grand Jury Prize

THE BETRAYAL (NERAKHOON)
Full Frame Film Festival – Spectrum Award

BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER*
Karlovy Vary Film Festival - Special Jury Prize

BILLY THE KID
2008 Cinema Eye Honors – Outstanding Debut Feature

THE BLACK LIST
AFI Dallas – Audience Award

CHICAGO 10
2008 Cinema Eye Honors – Outstanding Graphics/Animation

COMBALION
Seattle Film Festival – Special Jury Prize

CORRIDOR #8
Berlin Film Festival – Ecumenical Jury Prize
Hot Docs Film Festival – Emerging Artist Award

CRAZY LOVE
2008 Independent Spirit Awards – Best Documentary Feature

DEREK
Seattle Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize

DURAKOVO: VILLAGE OF FOOLS
Sundance Film Festival – World Directing Award

ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
Edinburgh Film Festival – Best Documentary

THE ENGLISH SURGEON
Hot Docs Film Festival – Best International Feature
Silverdocs Film Festival – World Feature Award

EQUALITY U
Outfest – Emerging Talent Award

FAUBOURG TREME: THE UNTOLD STORY
San Francisco Film Festival – Bay Area Documentary Feature

FIELDS OF FUEL
Sundance Film Festival – Audience Award

FLICKER
Hot Docs Film Festival – Canadian Special Jury Prize

FOOTBALL UNDER COVER
Berlin Film Festival – TEDDY Best Queer Documentary
Outfest – Freedom Award

FORBIDDEN LIES
San Francisco Film Festival – Special Jury Prize
Silverdocs Film Festival – Screenplay Award

FULL BATTLE RATTLE
SXSW Film Festival – Special Jury Prize

THE GARDEN
Silverdocs Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize

GHOSTS OF CITE SOLEIL
2008 Cinema Eye Honors – Outstanding Production

GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO
Sundance Film Festival – Special Jury Prize

HEAVY LOAD
BritDoc – Audience Award

HERB AND DOROTHY
Silverdocs Film Festival – Audience Award

HI MY NAME IS RYAN
Cinevegas – Special Jury Prize

HOTEL GRAMERCY PARK
Tribeca Film Festival – Special Mention, NY Loves Film

IN A DREAM
SXSW Film Festival – Emerging Vision Audience Award
Full Frame Film Festival – Emerging Artist Award

IRON LADIES OF LIBERIA
Cleveland Film Festival – Standing Up Award
AFI Dallas – Best Documentary Feature

IT’S ALWAYS LATE FOR FREEDOM
Hot Docs Film Festival – Best Mid-Length Documentary

JIMMY ROSENBERG: THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE TALENT
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival – Best Feature

JUNIOR
Hot Docs Film Festival – Best Canadian Feature

KASSIM THE DREAM
Silverdocs Film Festival – AFM Award

THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS
2008 Cinema Eye Honors – Audience Choice Prize

LIFE. SUPPORT. MUSIC
IFFBoston – Audience Award
Newport International Film Festival – Honorable Mention

LIONESS
Full Frame Film Festival – Filmmaker Award

LOOT
Los Angeles Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize

LOST IN THE FOG
Cinevegas – Audience Award

THE LOVERS FROM AXOS
Thessaloniki Documentary – Critics Prize for Greek Feature

MAN ON WIRE
Sundance Film Festival – World Cinema Jury Prize
Sundance Film Festival – World Audience Award
Full Frame Film Festival – Speical Jury Award
Full Frame Film Festival – Audience Award
Los Angeles Film Festival – International Audience Award
Edinburgh Film Festival – Audience Award
Karlovy Vary Film Festival - Special Jury Prize
BritDoc – Best Documentary Feature

MANDA BALA (SEND A BULLET)
2008 Cinema Eye Honors – Outstanding Nonfiction Feature
2008 Cinema Eye Honors – Outstanding Cinematography
2008 Cinema Eye Honors – Outstanding Editing

MEADOWLARK
NewFest – Honorable Mention

THE MONASTERY – MR. VIG AND THE NUN
2008 Cinema Eye Honors – Outstanding International Feature

MY MOTHER'S GARDEN
Slamdance – Special Jury Prize

OLD MAN BEBO
Tribeca Film Festival – Best New Documentary Filmmaker

ONE BAD CAT: THE REVERED ALBERT WAGNER STORY
Cleveland Film Festival – Audience Award

THE ORDER OF MYTHS
Silverdocs Film Festival – Cinematic Vision Award

OUT OF TIME
Cleveland Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize

PAGEANT
NewFest – Audience Award
Frameline – Audience Award

PATTI SMITH: DREAM OF LIFE
Sundance Film Festival – Cinematography Award

A PLACE TO LIVE
Outfest – Audience Award

PLEASE VOTE FOR ME
Full Frame Film Festival – Working Films Award (tie)

PRAY THE DEVIL BACK TO HELL
Tribeca Film Festival – Best Documentary Feature
Silverdocs Film Festival – Witness Award

PRESSURE COOKER
Los Angeles Film Festival – Special Jury Commendation

THE PRICE OF SUGAR
Thessaloniki Documentary – Amnesty International Award

PROTAGONIST
2008 Chlotrudis Awards - Best Documentary

RECYCLE
Sundance Film Festival – World Cinematography Award

THE RED RACE
Silverdocs Film Festival – World Feature Special Jury

ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED
Sundance Film Festival – Editing Award

SANTIAGO
Miami Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize

SECRECY
IFFBoston – Special Jury Prize
Newport International Film Festival – Best Documentary

SEX POSITIVE
Outfest – Outstanding Documentary Feature

SONG SUNG BLUE
Slamdance – Grand Jury Prize
Slamdance – Audience Award
IFFBoston – Grand Jury Prize

SPEED AND ANGELS
Newport International Film Festival – Audience Award

SUMMERCHILD
Full Frame Film Festival – President’s Award

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
Berlin Film Festival – Silver Bear, Jury Grand Prix

STRANDED: I’VE COME FROM A PLANE...
Sarasota Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize

TAKING ROOT: THE VISION OF WANGARI MAATHAI
Full Frame Film Festival – Women in Leadership Award

TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE
2008 Academy Awards – Best Documentary Feature
2008 Cinema Eye Honors – Outstanding Direction

THEY KILLED SISTER DOROTHY
SXSW Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize
SXSW Film Festival – Audience Award

THRILLER IN MANILLA
BritDoc – Honorable Mention

TO SEE IF I’M SMILING
Sarasota Film Festival – Special Jury Prize
Hot Docs Film Festival – International Special Jury Prize

TROUBLE THE WATER
Sundance Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize
Full Frame Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize
Full Frame Film Festival – Working Films Award (tie)
Full Frame Film Festival – Human Rights Award
Silverdocs Film Festival – Special Jury Prize

THROW DOWN YOUR HEART
SXSW Film Festival – 24 Beats Audience Award
Silverdocs Film Festival – Music Documentary Award

THE UNFORESEEN
2008 Independent Spirit Awards – Truer Than Fiction Award

VICTOIRE TERMINUS
Hot Docs Film Festival – Runner-Up, International

VIRTUAL JFK: VIETNAM IF KENNEDY HAD LIVED
Hot Docs Film Festival – Runner-Up, International

UP THE YANGTZE
Full Frame Film Festival – Honorable Mention, Emerging Artist
Full Frame Film Festival – Honorable Mention, Spectrum
San Francisco Film Festival – Grand Jury Prize

WAR CHILD
Tribeca Film Festival – Audience Award

WILD COMBINATION: A PORTRAIT OF ARTHUR RUSSELL
Outfest – Outstanding Artistic Achievement

THE WRECKING CREW
Seattle Film Festival – Audience Award

ZONED IN
Tribeca Film Festival – New York Loves Film Award

Comments

[Michael C.]

Hey AJ,

You forgot the Chlotrudis Award (okay... maybe major isn't the best word to describe us). Our Best Documentary Award went to Jessica Yu's PROTAGONIST.

[Andrew]

Saw Forbidden Lies at Silverdocs, and it's the best thing I've seen in several years. I thought it would be in the running for an Oscar for sure. The English Surgeon was lovely, but a little contrived.

[AJ Schnack]

Michael - You're definitely major in my book. I've updated accordingly.

[Leo]

Hi there
This is information about a couple of Mexican documentaries that are harvesting a good amount of pricing.
My Life inside Director LUCIA GAJA
Paris Human Rights Film Festival Best documentary
Madrid International Documentary Film Festival Best documentary
Morelia International Film Festival Best documentary
Lima Latin American Film Festival Special mention
BAFICI Human rights award
Encuentro Hispano Americano de Cine y Video Documental Independiente
Human rights and OCIC awards best documentary

Intimacies of Shakespeare and Victor Hugo, Director Yulene Olaizola
FICCO Best latin American film, audience and critics awards
BAFICI Best film
Transilvania Film Festival Best film
Lima Latin American Film Festival Best documentary
San Sebastian Film Festival (Horizontes Latinos) Special mention.
This movie will be competing this month at AFI