Critics Choice Documentary Awards 2025: Winners Announced

Sly Lives
Sly Lives

The Critics Choice Documentary Awards, hosted by Aasif Mandvi, took place over the weekend in New York. The awards ceremony celebrate the best documentaries in nonfiction film and television. Ken Burns received the Critics Choice Impact Award for his career contributions in the field of documentary filmmaking. Filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady were honored with the Pennebaker Lifetime Achievement Award.

Check out the list of winners below.

Mr. Scorsese

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)

BEST DIRECTOR
Geeta Gandbhir – The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)

BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 
My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay (HBO Max)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Toby Strong, Doug Anderson (Underwater Photography) – Ocean With David Attenborough (National Geographic)

BEST EDITING
Viridiana Lieberman – The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)

BEST SCORE
Alexei Aigui – Orwell: 2+2=5 (Neon)

BEST NARRATION
Orwell: 2+2=5 (Neon)
Written by George Orwell, Adapted by Raoul Peck
Performed by Damian Lewis

BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY
The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)

BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY (TIE)
The American Revolution (PBS)
Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time (National Geographic)

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY
Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV)

BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY (TIE)
Becoming Led Zeppelin (Sony Pictures Classics)
Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) (Hulu, Onyx Collective)

BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY
The Alabama Solution (HBO Max)

BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY
Ocean With David Attenborough (National Geographic)

BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY
America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (Netflix)

BEST TRUE CRIME DOCUMENTARY
The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
Saving Superman (Switchboard)

BEST LIMITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV)

BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES
30 for 30 (ESPN Films)

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