Summer of Soul swept its categories, but can it impress Oscar voters? The Academy is a tougher nut to crack for popular documentaries.

Awards Tallies

(6) Summer of Soul
(3) The Rescue
(2) Val

The Awards

Best Documentary Feature

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Best Director

TIE
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin – The Rescue
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – Summer of Soul

Best Archival Documentary

Summer of Soul

Best Historical/Biographical Documentary

Val

Best Music Documentary

Summer of Soul

Best Political Documentary

The Crime of the Century

Best Science/Nature Documentary

Becoming Cousteau

Best Sports Documentary

The Alpinist

Best Short Documentary

The Queen of Basketball

Best First Documentary Feature

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson – Summer of Soul

Best Cinematography

The Rescue

Best Editing

Summer of Soul

Best Narration

Jack Klimer – Val

Best Score

The Rescue

Most Compelling Living Subjects of a Documentary

Ady Barkan – Not Going Quietly
Selma Blair – Introducing, Selma Blair
Pete Buttigieg – Mayor Pete
Anthony Fauci – Fauci
Ben Fong-Torres – Like a Rolling Stone: The Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres
Val Kilmer – Val
Ron & Russell Mael – The Sparks Brothers
Rita Moreno – Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It
Valerie Taylor – Playing with Sharks: The Valerie Taylor Story

Critics Critics Association Data

Year Founded: 1995
First Awards: 2016 (6)