Academy Awards Shortlist for Documentaries

From indieWIRE:

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have named 15 films that made the short-list in the Documentary Feature category for the 81st Academy Awards, whittling the number down from a record 94 that had originally qualified. Documentary Branch members will now select the five nominees from among the 15 titles on the shortlist. The Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2009, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater, and the awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

The Fifteen films are:

"At the Death House Door, directed by Peter Gilbert and Steve James
"The Betrayal" (Nerakhoon), directed by Ellen Kuras
"Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh", directed by Roberta Grossman
"Encounters at the End of the World", directed by Werner Herzog
"Fuel", directed by Josh Tickell
"The Garden", directed by Scott Hamilton Kennedy
"Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts", directed by Scott Hicks
"I.O.U.S.A.", directed by Patrick Creadon
"In a Dream", directed by Jeremiah Zagar
"Made in America", directed by Stacy Peralta
"Man on Wire", directed by James Marsh
"Pray the Devil Back to Hell", directed by Gini Reticker
"Standard Operating Procedure", directed by Errol Morris
"They Killed Sister Dorothy", directed by Daniel Junge
"Trouble the Water", directed by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin

Get the latest coverage of awards season in indieWIRE's special section.

At The Death House Door won the Grand Jury Award for Documentary at 2008 Atlanta Film Festival. The film's directors, Peter Gilbert and Steve James, were also honored at the 2008 IMAGE Film Gala Awards. The filmmaking duo previously nominated for the Oscar for Hoop Dreams, in 1995.


(Steve James, Peter Gilbert and Ric Reitz - photo courtesy of Bob Mahoney)

Self Distribution: Just Do It?

DIY Deal: Sidetrack Aligns With Nike For "Beautiful Losers" Theatrical Release

by Peter Knegt (August 5, 2008)

Sidetrack Films has signed Nike Sportswear to back the upcoming release of Aaron Rose and Joshua Leonard's "Beautiful Losers," the documentary that debuted earlier this year at the SXSW Film Festival. While the filmmakers and Sidetrack entertained traditional offers from distributors after the film's Austin premiere, they decided instead to release the film on their own with the support of Nike. The shoe and apparel company will fund a five market launch for the film, including prints & advertising support. The doc won the Documentary Jury Award at 2008 Cinevegas and opens this Friday at New York's IFC Center, before a roll-out.

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