Docu 15: Academy Awards shortlist is challenged

In recent years I've often criticized the Academy Awards for not having the foresight and fortitude to include docu films that have not only completely reinvigorated the genre, but have pushed the medium to new possible artistic and narrative terrains. This year's short list of 15 titles only further confirms that the Academy has tremendous difficulty in acknowledging the wider scope of films that merit year-end salutations. The formula for the docu-filmmaking and docu movie-going experience has significantly changed since Y2K, yet the most prestigious award film ceremony seems to come up short when it comes to new trends in storytelling and filmmaking.

Today IndieWIRE reports AJ Schnack will collaborate with online independent film distributor IndiePix to launch a new nonfiction filmmaking awards event, set for March 18, 2008 at IFC Center in New York City. Below you find a TOP 15 list of films that will be nominated for eight categories, " ranging from best doc, best international feature, and best debut feature as well as best achievement in directing, producing, editing, cinematography, graphics and animation, are a group of film festival programmers. Committee members along with Toronto's Thom Powers include Phoebe Brush (Full Frame), Matt Dentler (SXSW), Sean Farnel (Hot Docs), Tom Hall (Sarasota), David Kwok (Tribeca), Cara Mertes (Sundance), David Nugent (Hamptons), Rachel Rosen (Los Angeles), Sky Sitney (SilverDocs), David Wilson (True/False) and Brit Withey (Denver)".

Here is the list that they came up with (only 4 titles in "Lake of Fire", "No End in Sight", "Sicko" and "Taxi to the Dark Side" find themselves on both lists) and below you'll find the Academy's list:

"Billy the Kid," directed by Jennifer Venditti
"Deep Water," directed by Louise Osmond and Jerry Rothwell
"The Devil Came on Horseback," directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg
"Ghosts of Cite Soleil," directed by Asger Leth
"In the Shadow of the Moon," directed by David Sington
"Into Great Silence," directed by Philip Groning
"Lake of Fire," directed by Tony Kaye
"Manda Bala (Send a Bullet)," directed by Jason Kohn
"Manufactured Landscapes," directed by Jennifer Baichwal
"The Monastery – Mr. Vig and the Nun," directed by Pernille Rose Gronkjær
"No End in Sight," directed by Charles Ferguson
"Sicko," directed by Michael Moore
"Taxi to the Dark Side," directed by Alex Gibney
"The Unforeseen," directed by Laura Dunn
"Zoo," directed by Robinson Devor

"Autism: The Musical," directed by Tricia Regan
"Body of War," directed by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro
"For The Bible Tells Me So," directed by Daniel G. Karslake
"Lake of Fire," directed by Tony Kaye
"Nanking," directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman
"No End in Sight," directed by Charles Ferguson
"Operation Homecoming – Writing the Wartime Experience," directed by Richard Robbins
"Please Vote For Me," directed by Wejun Chen
"The Price of Sugar," directed by Bill Haney
"A Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman," directed by Peter Raymont
"The Rape of Europa," directed by Richard Berge and Bonni Cohen
"Sicko," directed by Michael Moore
"Taxi to the Dark Side," directed by Alex Gibney
"War/Dance," directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine
"White Light/Black Rain," directed by Steven Okazaki