(Laura Bari, Canada, 2009) – website – trailer

As usual I couldn’t stick to convention and pick 10 or 20, but this is the list that just appeared when I began writing down the documentaries I’ve loved most this year. I know there are some big films missing but there are a few that I haven’t had a chance to see (Collapse, Objectified and Best Worst Movie being three in particular that I’m itching to get hold of.)

As with the decade list this isn’t in any order, I still can’t bring myself to do that. All of these films I absolutely adore and have championed to anyone who’ll listen. I really think it’s been a great year for documentary, there have been more feature docs than ever coming out of the UK, which is great as we tend to be broadcast oriented, and there have been a lot of great international co-productions that have really pushed some films that might not otherwise have been made. Also check out The Documentary Blog’s year end list here.

As with the decade list I’d love to know what you think I’m missing, I watched some great documentaries I might not have found off the back of all your suggestions so please feel free.

2. The Cove

(Louie Psihoyos, USA, 2009) – website – trailer

3. Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo

(Bradley Beesley, 2009) – website – trailer

4. Mugabe and the White African

(Lucy Bailey & Andrew Thompson, UK, 2009) – website – trailer

5. Last Train Home

(Lixin Fan, Canada, 2009) – website – trailer

6. Sergio

(Greg Barker, USA, 2009) – website – trailer

7. The Red Chapel

(Mads Brügger, Denmark, 2009) – imdb – trailer

8. Anvil! The Story of Anvil

(Sacha Gervasi, USA, 2009) – website – trailer

9. Dancing with the Devil

(Jon Blair, UK, 2009) – website

10. Winnebago Man

(Ben Steinbauer, USA, 2009) – website – trailer

11. Kings of Pastry

(DA Pennebaker & Chris Hedegus, 2009) – website

12. I’m Not Dead Yet

(Elizabeth Stopford, UK, 2009) – imdb

13. Afghan Star

(Havana Marking, UK, 2009) – website – trailer

14. Presumed Guilty

(Roberto Hernández & Geoffrey Smith, Mexico, 2009) – website – trailer

15. RiP: A Remix Manifesto

(Brett Gaylor, Canada, 2009) – website – trailer

Honourable Mentions:

21 Below
Shelter in Place
Burma VJ
The Time of Their Lives
Along Came Kinky
The Most Dangerous Man in America

The official shortlist has been announced for the Academy Award’s Documentary Feature category.

It wasn’t a surprise to see Burma VJ on there which we screened at The Frontline Club a few months ago and I’m very glad to see another two films that will be shown at the club soon, The Most Dangerous Man in America -  which we will be showing on the 29th November (booking link is here) and Sergio which we will be screening in the new year.

This means our last two Sunday screenings of the year are both on the Oscar shortlists.

This Sunday we are showing the incredible China’s Unnatural Disaster which is nominated in the Documentary Shorts category and the filmmakers are flying in for the Q&A. Booking link is here.

Surprise omissions from the list are The September Issue, Capitalism: A Love Story, Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner We Live in Public, Tyson, The Way We Get By and Anvil.

The 15 films shortlisted:
* “The Beaches of Agnes,” Agnès Varda, director (Cine-Tamaris)
* “Burma VJ,” Anders Østergaard, director (Magic Hour Films)
* “The Cove,” Louie Psihoyos, director (Oceanic Preservation Society)
* “Every Little Step,” James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo, directors (Endgame Entertainment)
* “Facing Ali,” Pete McCormack, director (Network Films Inc.)
* “Food, Inc.,” Robert Kenner, director (Robert Kenner Films)
* “Garbage Dreams,” Mai Iskander, director (Iskander Films, Inc.)
* “Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders,” Mark N. Hopkins, director (Red Floor Pictures LLC)
* “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers,” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith, directors (Kovno Communications)
* “Mugabe and the White African,” Andrew Thompson and Lucy Bailey, directors (Arturi Films Limited)
* “Sergio,” Greg Barker, director (Passion Pictures and Silverbridge Productions)
* “Soundtrack for a Revolution,” Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman, directors (Freedom Song Productions)
* “Under Our Skin,” Andy Abrahams Wilson, director (Open Eye Pictures)
* “Valentino The Last Emperor,” Matt Tyrnauer, director (Acolyte Films)
* “Which Way Home,” Rebecca Cammisa, director (Mr. Mudd)

You can see the official press release here

My opinions on the list are at The Documentary Blog