10th Critics' Choice Documentary Awards


The 10th Critics Choice Documentary Awards, presented by the Critics Choice Association, were held on November 9, 2025, at the Edison Ballroom in New York City, to honor the finest achievements in documentary filmmaking and non-fiction television. British-American comedian Aasif Mandvi hosted the ceremony.
Nominations were announced on October 14, 2025. Orwell: 2+2=5 led the nominations with seven, followed by The Perfect Neighbor with six; 2000 Meters to Andriivka and The Alabama Solution, both with five each; and Apocalypse in the Tropics and Deaf President Now!, with four nods each.
American filmmaker Ken Burns was honored with the Critics Choice Impact Award, while American filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady received the Pennebaker Award.

Winners and nominees

The nominations were announced on October 14, 2025. Winners will be listed first and in bold.
The Perfect Neighbor
Geeta GandbhirThe Perfect Neighbor
  • * Mstyslav Chernov2000 Meters to Andriivka
  • * Petra CostaApocalypse in the Tropics
  • * Nyle DiMarco and Davis GuggenheimDeaf President Now!
  • * Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman – The Alabama Solution
  • * Raoul PeckOrwell: 2+2=5
  • My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska HargitayMariska Hargitay
  • * Art for Everybody – Miranda Yousef
  • * Grand Theft HamletSan Crane and Pinny Grylls
  • * Seeds – Brittany Shyne
  • * Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is LostBen Stiller
  • * Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror – Linus O'Brien
  • The Perfect Neighbor
  • * The Alabama Solution
  • * Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer
  • * Predators
  • * Unknown Number: The High School Catfish
  • * The Yogurt Shop Murders
  • The Perfect Neighbor
  • * One to One: John & Yoko
  • * Orwell: 2+2=5
  • * Riefenstahl
  • * Trains
  • * WTO/99
  • Mr. Scorsese
  • * John Candy: I Like Me
  • * Love+War
  • * My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay
  • * Pee-wee as Himself
  • * Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost
  • The Alabama Solution
  • * Apocalypse in the Tropics
  • * Deaf President Now!
  • * The Librarians
  • * My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow
  • * Orwell: 2+2=5
  • America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
  • * America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys
  • * Big Dreams: Little League World Series 2024
  • * Full Court Press
  • * Southpaw: The Life and Legacy of Jim Abbott
  • * We Beat the Dream Team
  • The American Revolution Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time
  • * Cover-Up
  • * Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977-2015
  • * Number One on the Call Sheet
  • * Riefenstahl
  • Ocean with David Attenborough
  • * The Americas
  • * Checkpoint Zoo
  • * The Last Rhinos: A New Hope
  • * Octopus!
  • * Pangolin: Kulu's Journey
  • Becoming Led Zeppelin Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
  • * Billy Joel: And So It Goes
  • * Bono: Stories of Surrender
  • * It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley
  • * Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
  • Saving Superman
  • * All the Empty Rooms
  • * Classroom 4
  • * The Devil Is Busy
  • * Exodus
  • * Fiddler on the Moon: Judaism in Space
  • * Sallie's Ashes
  • * Shanti Rides Shotgun
  • 30 for 30
  • * American Masters
  • * The Reluctant Traveler
  • * Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross
  • * Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller
  • * Trainwreck
  • Mr. Scorsese
  • * The American Revolution
  • * Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977-2015
  • * Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer
  • * Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time
  • * Magic City: An American Fantasy
  • * SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night
  • * The Yogurt Shop Murders
  • Orwell: 2+2=5 – Written by George Orwell; Adapted by Raoul Peck; Performed by Damian Lewis
  • * 2000 Meters to Andriivka – Written and performed by Mstyslav Chernov
  • * The American Revolution – Written by Geoffrey C. Ward; Performed by Peter Coyote
  • * The Americas – Written by Michael Gunton, Holly Spearing, Steve Cole, Kathryn Jeffs, Matt Richards, Giles Badger, Victoria Buckley, Alex Griffiths, Hannah Hoare, Poppy Riddle, Gillian Taylor, Nikki Waldron, Evie Wright, Charlotte Bostock, Victoria Bobin, and Ingrid Kvale; Performed by Tom Hanks
  • * Apocalypse in the Tropics – Written and performed by Petra Costa
  • * Octopus! – Written by Gabriel Bisset-Smith; Performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
  • Orwell: 2+2=5Alexei Aigui
  • * The Eyes of GhanaKris Bowers
  • * The Perfect Neighbor – Laura Heinzinger
  • * Love+War – Claudia Sarne
  • * 2000 Meters to AndriivkaSam Slater
  • * TrainsPaweł Szymański
  • Ocean with David Attenborough – Toby Strong and Doug Anderson
  • * ArchitectonBen Bernhard
  • * The Tale of Silyan – Jean Dakar
  • * Mistress DispellerElizabeth Lo
  • * Folktales – Lars Erlend Tubaas Øymo and Tor Edvin Eliassen
  • * Seeds – Brittany Shyne
  • The Perfect Neighbor – Viridiana Lieberman
  • * Deaf President Now! – Michael Harte
  • * Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL MusicJames Lester, Oz Rodríguez, and John MacDonald
  • * The Alabama Solution – Page Marsella
  • * 2000 Meters to AndriivkaMichelle Mizner
  • * Orwell: 2+2=5 – Alexandra Strauss
  • Pennebaker Award

    Critics Choice Impact Award

    Films with multiple wins and nominations

    NominationsFilmProduction company
    7Orwell: 2+2=5Neon
    6The Perfect NeighborNetflix
    52000 Meters to AndriivkaFrontline Features / The Associated Press
    5The Alabama SolutionHBO Max
    4Apocalypse in the TropicsNetflix
    4Deaf President Now!Apple TV+
    3RiefenstahlKino Lorber
    3The American RevolutionPBS
    2Cover-UpNetflix
    2Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial KillerNetflix
    2Pee-wee as HimselfHBO Max
    2My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska HargitayHBO Max
    2Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest 1977-2015HBO Max
    2The Yogurt Shop MurdersHBO Max
    2The Tale of SilyanNational Geographic
    2Ocean with David AttenboroughNational Geographic
    2Love+WarNational Geographic
    2Hurricane Katrina: Race Against TimeNational Geographic
    2SeedsInterior Films
    2Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is LostApple TV+
    2Mr. ScorseseApple TV+
    2Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL MusicNBC
    2The AmericasNBC
    2TrainsEPF Media / Drygas Film Production
    2Octopus!Prime Video