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The shortlist has been announced for the 2009 Cinema Eye Honors. The list includes a number of titles that many felt were unjustifiably snubbed from the Oscars shortlist, some based on qualification quibbles, including Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, My Winnipeg, The Order of Myths, Stranded: I’ve Come From A Plane That Crashed Into The Mountain, and Waltz With Bashir. Omitted: Dear Zachary, a number of Oscar shortlisted titles including I.O.U.S.A., and each of the top five highest grossing non-fiction films of 2008, including Religulous.
I’ve pasted the full shortlist after the jump with links back to previous coverage of the films on SpoutBlog. Though I haven’t personally seen all of these, between everyone on the Spout team we’ve previously covered all but two.
AMERICAN TEEN - Nanette Burstein, dir
THE BETRAYAL (NERAKHOON) - Ellen Kuras & Thavisouk Phrasavath, dir
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD – Werner Herzog, dir
THE ENGLISH SURGEON – Geoffrey Smith, dir
FORBIDDEN LIES – Anna Broinowski, dir
IN A DREAM – Jeremiah Zagar, dir
MAN ON WIRE – James Marsh, dir
MY WINNIPEG – Guy Maddin, dir
THE ORDER OF MYTHS – Margaret Brown, dir
ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED – Marina Zenovich, dir
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE – Errol Morris, dir
STRANDED, I COME FROM A PLANE THAT CRASHED ON THE MOUNTAINS – Gonzalo Arijon, dir
TROUBLE THE WATER – Carl Deal & Tia Lessin, dir
UP THE YANGTZE – Yung Chang, dir
WALTZ WITH BASHIR – Ari Folman, dir
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We’ve had a bit of trouble getting this episode to go through the iTunes feed, so we hope this re-post will fix the problem. The original post, with episode description and embedded player, is here.
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Yawn, the best non-fiction films will compete for Direction, Production, Cinematography, Editing, Graphic Design and Animation, Debut Feature, International Feature and Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Score, just like the big boys, the narrative films, do, when they could be competing in useful, honest categories that advance the dialogue on documentary filmmaking.
T. Holly, why don’t you suggest some “useful, honest categories that advance the dialogue on documentary filmmaking” ?
Not sure Karina, but I think I could. What’s so special about 15, that’s the number the Academy uses, and what’s up with announcing a list you can go outside of?
T. Holly, I would really like to hear your suggestions. It would be easier to take your criticism seriously if you offered alternatives. Your constant antipathy towards the Cinema Eyes has to be based on more than that they pick a short list of 15 films …
Take me seriously, I’m suspicious of 15 because if it were 25, I don’t think you could make the self evident statement: “It’s notable that on this shortlist of 15 films there are only six titles that overlap the Oscar’s shortlist of 15 documentaries. I think that speaks to the diversity of voices and opinions in the field.”
It’s not antipathy but cynicism; can you explain the second part of my question while I continue thinking about the other parts; take your time, the press release has come and gone.
Do you mean “and what’s up with announcing a list you can go outside of?”
I would respond to it, but I don’t understand what you’re asking.
What’s a shortlist for if a movie “need not be on the shortlist to end up with a nomination in one or more categories. Last year, 11 films received nominations that were not previously on the shortlist (and one film on the shortlist did not receive a nomination).”?
You honestly didn’t read that?