‘Kokomo City,’ ’20 Days in Mariupol,’ ’32 Sounds’ Lead 2024 Cinema Eye Honors Nominations

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Cinema Eye Honors, the organization that recognizes outstanding artistic achievement in nonfiction and documentary films and series, announced today the full slate of nominees for its 17th Annual Awards Ceremony where Kokomo City, the debut feature from D. Smith led all nominees with six nominations. Mstyslav Chernov’s 20 Days in Mariupol, Sam Green’s 32 Sounds and Maite Alberdi’s The Eternal Memory each received five nominations. All four films are nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Feature, where they are joined by Kaouther Ben Hania’s Four Daughters, Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson’s Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project and Davis Guggenheim’s Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.

The Cinema Eye 2024 Awards Ceremony will take place on Friday, January 12, 2024 at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem.

Maite Alberdi, Sam Green, Kaouther Ben Hania and D. Smith were all nominated for Outstanding Direction. The category also includes renowned filmmakers Claire Simon, for Our Body and Wim Wenders, for Anselm.

Mstyslav Chernov and D. Smith have the most individual nominations this year, with four each. Maite Alberdi; Kaouther Ben Hania; Michelle Mizner, producer and editor for 20 Days of Mariupol; Christopher Sharp, co-director and producer of Bobi Wine: The People’s President, each received three. 

Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson became the first filmmakers in Cinema Eye history to be nominated for Nonfiction Feature and Nonfiction Short in the same year, showing up in the latter category for their ESPN short Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games.

With two nominations for American Symphony, Matthew Heineman moves in second place in total Cinema Eye nominations all time. Steve James and Laura Poitras each have 13, Heineman now has 12. With his Anthology Series nomination for Edge of the Unknown, Jimmy Chin now has 10.

A historic fourth nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Editing was earned by Nels Bangerter for 32 Sounds. He has won the award twice before for Let the Fire Burn and Cameraperson.

Verena Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor are nominated for Outstanding Cinematography for De Humani Corporis Fabrica. They previously won in the category for Leviathan. 

Legendary composer Philip Glass is nominated with Paul Leonard-Morgan for their Original Score for The Pigeon Tunnel. Glass previously won for his score for the film Jane.

Geeta Gandbhir, a winner earlier this year for Outstanding Nonfiction Series for Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children, is nominated again in 2024 for Broadcast Feature Film for Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power, which she directed with Sam Pollard.

In television, The 1619 Project and Nothing Lasts Forever led with three nominations apiece, while Our Planet II, Dear Mama and Leguizamo Does America were among the titles with two nods each.

In October, Cinema Eye announced a long list of 20 films for the Audience Choice Prize and opened voting to the public. In the greatest response the category has ever seen, more than 110,000 votes were cast by documentary film fans from across the globe. The category includes such crowd favorites as American Symphony, Beyond Utopia, Bobi Wine: The People’s President, The Deepest Breath, Invisible Beauty, Joan Baez I Am a Noise and Smoke Sauna Sisterhood. Penny Lane, a previous nominee in the category for Listening to Kenny G, returns again for her latest, Confessions of a Good Samaritan. 

Over the last five years, 92% of the Oscar nominees for Documentary Feature were also Cinema Eye nominees. Last weekend, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, was named Best Documentary Feature by the Critics Choice Association and is a Nonfiction Feature nominee here.

Netflix led all distributors with a total of 11 nominations, followed by 10 nominations for Magnolia Pictures, eight for National Geographic and seven each for HBO and Hulu.

Nominations for Cinema Eye were determined by three different nominations committees: Nonfiction Feature, Nonfiction Short and Broadcast Film and Series. The Feature and Short film nominees are selected by top documentary programmers and curators from around the world. The Broadcast nominees are selected by film critics, film writers and Cinema Eye alumni. 

2024 Cinema Eye Honors Nominations

Outstanding Nonfiction Feature

20 Days in Mariupol
Directed by Mstyslav Chernov
Produced by Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson Rath and Derl McCrudden

32 Sounds
Directed by Sam Green
Produced by Josh Penn and Thomas O. Kriegsman

The Eternal Memory
Directed by Maite Alberdi
Produced by Maite Alberdi, Juan De Dios Larraín, Pablo Larraín and Rocío Jadue

Four Daughters
Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania
Produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha

Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
Directed by Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson
Produced by Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson and Tommy Oliver

Kokomo City
Directed by D. Smith
Produced by D. Smith, Harris Doran and Bill Butler

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
Directed by Davis Guggenheim
Produced by Davis Guggenheim, Annetta Marion, Jonathan King and Will Cohen

Outstanding Direction

—Sam Green | 32 Sounds
—Wim Wenders | Anselm
—Maite Alberdi | The Eternal Memory
—Kaouther Ben Hania | Four Daughters
—D. Smith | Kokomo City
—Claire Simon | Our Body

Outstanding Editing

—Michelle Mizner | 20 Days in Mariupol
—Nels Bangerter | 32 Sounds
—Carolina Siraqyan | The Eternal Memory
—Mikel Cee Karlsson, Maximilien Van Aertryck and Axel Danielson | Fantastic Machine
—Alain Gomis | Rewind & Play
—Michael Harte | Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Outstanding Production

—Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner, Raney Aronson Rath and Derl McCrudden | 20 Days in Mariupol
—Lauren Domino, Matthew Heineman and Joedan Okun | American Symphony
—Samuel Ekomol, Andrew H. Brown and Moses Thursnira | Between the Rains
—Jana Edelbaum, Rachel Cohen and Sue Mi Terry | Beyond Utopia
—Christopher Sharp and John Battsek | Bobi Wine: The People’s President
—Margreth Olin | Songs of Earth

Outstanding Cinematography

—Franz Lustig | Anselm
—Verena Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor | De Humani Corporis Fabrica
—Curren Sheldon | King Coal
—D. Smith | Kokomo City
—Ants Tammik | Smoke Sauna Sisterhood
—Lars Erlend Tubaas Øymo | Songs of Earth

Outstanding Original Score

—JD Samson | 32 Sounds
—Jon Batiste | American Symphony
—Leonard Küßner | Anselm
—Samora Pinderhughes and Chris Pattishall | Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
—Philip Glass and Paul Leonard-Morgan | The Pigeon Tunnel
—Rebekka Karijord | Songs of Earth

Outstanding Sound Design

—Mark Mangini | 32 Sounds
—Adam Prescod, Greg Gettens and Will Chapman | The Deepest Breath
—Nicolas Becker | De Humani Corporis Fabrica
—Roni Pillischer | Kokomo City
—Huldar Freyr Arnarson and Edvard Egilsson | Smoke Sauna Sisterhood
—Arturo “Frosty” Salazar, María Alejandra Rojas and Alison O’Daniel | The Tuba Thieves

Outstanding Visual Design

—Melissa McClung | The Arc of Oblivion
—Thomas Curtis and Sean Pierce | Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
—Jason Carpenter and Holly Stone | The Mission
—Hyung Cho and Helen Niu | Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV
—Juan Carlos Concha Riveros, Carlos León Sancha and Marcello Quintanilha | They Shot the Piano Player

Outstanding Debut

—20 Days in Mariupol | Directed by Mstyslav Chernov
—Bobi Wine: The People’s President | Directed by Moses Bwayo and Christopher Sharp 
—Kokomo City | Directed by D. Smith
—Orlando, My Political Biography | Directed by Paul B. Preciado
—Smoke Sauna Sisterhood | Directed by Anna Hints
—The Tuba Thieves | Directed by Alison O’Daniel

Outstanding Nonfiction Short

—Away | Directed by Ruslan Fedotow
—Between Earth & Sky | Directed by Andrew Nadkami
—Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games | Directed by Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson
—Neighbour Abdi | Directed by Douwe Dijkstra
—Oasis | Directed by Justine Martin
—Will You Look at Me | Directed by Shuli Huang

Audience Choice Prize

—20 Days in Mariupol | Directed by Mstyslav Chernov
—American Symphony | Directed by Matthew Heineman
—Beyond Utopia | Directed by Madeleine Gavin
—Bobi Wine: The People’s President | Directed by Moses Bwayo and Christopher Sharp 
—Confessions of a Good Samaritan | Directed by Penny Lane
—The Deepest Breath | Directed by Laura McGann
—The Eternal Memory | Directed by Maite Alberdi
—Invisible Beauty | Directed by Bethann Hardison and Frédéric Tcheng
—Joan Baez I Am a Noise | Directed by Karen O’Connor, Miri Navasky and Maeve O’Boyle
—Smoke Sauna Sisterhood | Directed by Anna Hints

Spotlight

—Against the Tide | Directed by Sarvnik Kaur
—Anhell69 | Directed by Theo Montoya
—Bad Press | Directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler
—Cette Maison (This House) | Directed by Miryam Charles
—Midwives | Directed by Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing
—Q | Directed by Jude Chehab

Heterodox

—The Buriti Flower | Directed by João Salaviza and Renée Nader Messora
—The Echo | Directed by Tatiana Huezo
—Four Daughters | Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania
—Past Lives | Directed by Celine Song
—Reality | Directed by Tina Satter
—The Unknown Country | Directed by Morrisa Maltz

The Unforgettables (Non-Competitive Honor)

—American Symphony | Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad
—Apolonia, Apolonia | Apolonia Sokol
—Bobi Wine: The People’s President | Bobi Wine
—Confessions of a Good Samaritan | Penny Lane
—The Disappearance of Shere Hite | Shere Hite
—The Eternal Memory | Augusto Góngora & Paulina Urrutia
—Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project | Nikki Giovanni
—Invisible Beauty | Bethann Hardison
—Joan Baez I Am a Noise | Joan Baez
—Kokomo City | Daniella Carter, Koko Da Doll, Liyah Mitchell and Dominique Silver
—The Pigeon Tunnel | David Cornwell aka John le Carré
—Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie | Michael J. Fox
—A Still Small Voice | Margaret “Mati” Engel
—Twice Colonized | Aaju Peter
—While We Watched | Ravish KumarThe following were previously announced on Thursday, October 19 2023 during the annual Cinema Eye Fall Lunch in Los Angeles.

Audience Choice Award Long List

—20 Days in Mariupol, directed by Mstyslav Chernov
—32 Sounds, directed by Sam Green
—American Symphony, directed by Matthew Heineman
—Beyond Utopia, directed by Madeleine Gavin
—Bobi Wine: The People’s President, directed by Christopher Sharp and Moses Bwayo
—A Compassionate Spy, directed by Steve James
—Confessions of a Good Samaritan, directed by Penny Lane
—The Deepest Breath, directed by Laura McGann
—The Eternal Memory, directed by Maite Alberdi
—Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, directed by Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson
—Little Richard: I Am Everything, directed by Lisa Cortés
—Invisible Beauty, directed by Bethann Hardison and Frédéric Tcheng
—Joan Baez: I Am a Noise, directed by Karen O’Connor, Miri Navasky and Maeve O’Boyle
—Kokomo City, directed by D. Smith
—The Mission, directed by Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss
—The Pigeon Tunnel, directed by Errol Morris
—Smoke Sauna Sisterhood, directed by Anna Hints
—Stamped From the Beginning, directed by Roger Ross Williams
—Stephen Curry: Underrated, directed by Peter Nicks
—Still: Michael J. Fox Movie, directed by Davis Guggenheim

The Unforgettables Honorees

—American Symphony, Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad
—Apolonia, Apolonia, Apolonia Sokol
—Bobi Wine: The People’s President, Bobi Wine
—Confessions of a Good Samaritan, Penny Lane
—The Disappearance of Shere Hite, Shere Hite
—The Eternal Memory, Augusto Góngora & Paulina Urrutia
—Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, Nikki Giovanni
—Invisible Beauty, Bethann Hardison
—Joan Baez: I Am a Noise, Joan Baez
—Kokomo City, Daniella Carter, Koko Da Doll, Liyah Mitchell and Dominique Silver
—The Pigeon Tunnel, David Cornwell aka John le Carré
—Still: Michael J. Fox Movie, Michael J. Fox
—A Still Small Voice, Margaret “Mati” Engel
—Twice Colonized, Aaju Peter
—While We Watched, Ravish Kumar

Broadcast Film Nominees

—Being Mary Tyler Moore, directed by James Adolphus, HBO | Max
—Judy Blume Forever, directed by Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok, Prime Video
—Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power, directed by Sam Pollard and Geeta Gandbhir, Peacock
—Nothing Lasts Forever, directed by Jason Kohn, Showtime
—Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, directed by Lana Wilson, Hulu 
—The Stroll, directed by Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker, HBO | Max 

Nonfiction Series Nominees

—Couples Therapy — Season Three, directed by Joshua Altman and Bennett Elliott, Showtime
—Dear Mama, directed by Allen Hughes, FX
—Paul T. Goldman, directed by Jason Woliner, Peacock
—Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?, directed by Andrew Renzi, Netflix
—Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence, directed by Zach Heinzerling, Hulu 

Anthology Series Nominees

—The 1619 Project
Executive Producers: Nikole Hannah-Jones, Roger Ross Williams, Shoshana Guy, Caitlin Roper, Kathleen Lingo, Helen Verno and Oprah Winfrey, Hulu
—Chef’s Table: Pizza
Executive Producers: Andrew Fried, David Gelb and Brian McGinn, Netflix
—Edge of the Unknown with Jimmy Chin
Executive Producers: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Pagan Harleman, Anna Barnes and Chris Kugelman, National Geographic
—Leguizamo Does America
Executive Producers: Carolina Saavedra, John Leguizamo, Ben DeJesus, Elizabeth Fischer, Andy Berg, Liz Cole, Noah Oppenheim, Rashida Jones and Amanda Spain, MSNBC
—Our Planet II
Executive Producers: Huw Cordey, Alastair Fothergirll and Keith Scholey Netflix
—Untold
Executive Producers: Chapman Way, Maclain Way, Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens, Isabel San Vargas, Ryan Duffy, Miguel Tamayo and Jaymee Messler, Netflix

Broadcast Editing Nominees

—The 1619 Project
Editors: Ephraim Kirkwood, Adriana Pacheco, Stefanie Maridueña and Ed Barteski, Hulu
—Dear Mama
Editor: Lasse Järvi, FX
—Nothing Lasts Forever
Editors: Paul Marchand and Jack Price, Showtime
—Paul T. Goldman
Editors: Mike Giambra, Hank Friedmann, Jody McVeigh-Schultz and Danny Scharar, Peacock
—Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields
Editors: Sara Newens, Anne Yao and David Teague, Hulu

Broadcast Cinematography Nominees

—The 1619 Project
Cinematographer: Jerry Henry, Hulu
—The Cave of Adullam
Cinematographers: Greg Harriott and Mike Doyle, ESPN
—Edge of the Unknown with Jimmy Chin
Cinematographers: Ross McDonnell, Alfredo de Juan, Cam Riley, and Nick Kraus, National Geographic
—Nothing Lasts Forever
Cinematographer: Heloisa Passos, Showtime
—Our Planet II
Cinematographers: Kyle McBurnie, John Shier, Matt Aeberhard, Sophie Darlington, Jesse Wilkinson, John Haskew and John Brown, Netflix
—Restaurants at the End of the World
Cinematographer: Petr Cikhart, National Geographic

Shorts List Semifinalists

—Away, directed by Ruslan Fedotow
—Between Earth and Sky, directed by Andrew Nadkami
—Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games, directed by Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson
—Deciding Vote, directed by Jeremy Workman and Rob Lyons
—Into the Blue, directed by Omer Sami
—The Last Repair Shop, directed by Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
—Margie Soudek’s Salt and Pepper Shakers, directed by Meredith Moore
—Neighbour Abdi, directed by Douwe Dijkstra
—Oasis, directed by Justine Martin
—Will You Look at Me, directed by Shuli Huang