Citizen6: Poitras’ CITIZENFOUR “Identifies Itself” as 2015 Cinema Eye Honors Noms Leader

Further reminding us that the Academy Awards are irrelevant in year-end discussions for the best in documentary film, according to the experts at the Cinema Eye Honors’ voting committee, Laura Poitras’ CITIZENFOUR, Steve James’ Life Itself and Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard’s 20,000 Days on Earth would be among the best docu films of the year, leading the pack in almost all categories. Not to be overlooked, Jesse Moss’ The Overnighters and Robert Greene’s Actress received kudos in Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking and Outstanding Achievement in Direction while the major surprise of the noms belongs to Orlando von Einsiedel’s Virunga (presented at the Tribeca and Hot Docs Film Fests) grabbing a total of three. Left completely off the scorecard, MANAKAMANA failed to produce a single nom. The Cinema Eye Honors winners will be announced on Wednesday, January 7 at New York’s Museum of the Moving Image. Here’s are the other noms.

Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking
20,000 Days on Earth – Directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard
CITIZENFOUR – Directed by Laura Poitras
Life Itself – Directed by Steve James
The Overnighters – Directed by Jesse Moss
Virunga – Directed by Orlando von Einsiedel

Outstanding Achievement in Direction
Robert Greene – Actress
Laura Poitras – CITIZENFOUR
Steve James – Life Itself
Jesse Moss – The Overnighters
Nick Broomfield – Tales of the Grim Sleeper

Outstanding Achievement in Editing
Robert Greene – Actress
Kate Amend – The Case Against 8
Mathilde Bonnefoy – CITIZENFOUR
Steve James and David E. Simpson – Life Itself
Sabine Lubbe Bakker and Niels van Koevorden – Ne Me Quitte Pas
Marshall Curry – Point and Shoot

Outstanding Achievement in Production
Ben Cotner and Ryan White – The Case Against 8
Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky – CITIZENFOUR
Katy Chevigny, Ross Kauffman and Marilyn Ness – The E-Team
Orwa Nyrabia and Hans Robert Eisenhauer – Return to Homs
Joanna Natesegara and Orlando von Einsiedel – Virunga

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography
Erik Wilson – 20,000 Days on Earth
Laura Poitras, Kirsten Johnson, Katy Scoggin & Trevor Paglen – CITIZENFOUR
Ross Kauffman and Rachel Beth Anderson – The E-Team
Niels van Koevorden – Ne Me Quitte Pas
Andrew Droz Palermo – Rich Hill
Franklin Dow and Orlando von Einsiedel – Virunga

Outstanding Achievement in a Debut Feature Film
20,000 Days on Earth – Directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard
Approaching the Elephant – Directed by Amanda Rose Wilder
Evolution of a Criminal – Directed by Darius Clark Monroe
Finding Vivian Maier – Directed by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
Return to Homs – Directed by Talal Derki

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Score
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – 20,000 Days on Earth
David Wingo – The Great Invisible
Joshua Abrams – Life Itself
David Perlick-Molinari – Mateo
Edwyn Collins – The Possibilities Are Endless

Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design or Animation
Kyle McKeveny and Matt St. Leger – Captivated: The Trials of Pamela Smart
Syd Garon – Jodorowsky’s Dune
MK12 – Nominees to be Determined – Particle Fever
Philippe Gariepy and Benoit St. Jean – Red Army
Steven Do – The Unknown Known

Spotlight Award
1971 – Directed by Johanna Hamilton
Evaporating Borders – Directed by Iva Radivojevic
An Honest Liar – Directed by Justin Weinstein and Tyler Measom
Living Stars – Directed by Gaston Duprat and Mariano Cohn
My Name is Salt – Directed by Farida Pacha

Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Short Filmmaking
Hacked Circuit – Directed by Deborah Stratman
Joanna – Directed by Aneta Kopacz
The Lion’s Mouth Opens – Directed by Lucy Walker
Notes on Blindness – Directed by Peter Middleton and James Spinney
One Year Lease – Directed by Brian Bolster