Nominees Announced for 2007 International Documentary Association AwardsFeature Noms Examine Obsessive Love, War in Iraq, Health Care, Torture, and a Story of Hope Nominees in the 23rd Annual International Documentary Association (IDA) Distinguished Documentary Achievement Awards competition have been announced. The winners will be feted at the IDA Awards Gala Benefit on December 7, 2007, at the Directors Guild of America Theatre. “It is encouraging that so many extraordinary documentaries were produced and seen by audiences during this past year,” says IDA President diane estelle Vicari. “The nominees were selected by peer group juries. All of the films they selected tell important and compelling stories in memorable ways.” The four Distinguished Documentary Achievement Award categories are Feature, Short (40 minutes or less), Limited Series (series of episodes with specific continuing theme) and Continuing Series (four individual programs that best represent the series). This year’s five nominated feature films are: CRAZY LOVE, which examines the obsessive, rollercoaster relationship between Burt and Linda Pugach that shocked the nation in 1959; OPERATION HOMECOMING: WRITING THE WARTIME EXPERIENCE provides firsthand accounts and insights from American troops about the war in Iraq; SICKO is a portrait of the U.S. health care system, using humor to recount the bizarre challenges everyday people are faced with on their quest for basic health coverage; TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE examines the death of an Afghan taxi driver at Bagram Air Base from injuries inflicted by U.S. Soldiers; and A WALK TO BEAUTIFUL, which follows five Ethiopian women suffering from devastating childbirth injuries who embark on a journey to reclaim their lost dignity. The five nominated short films are BLACK AND WHITE, BODY & SOUL: DIANA & KATHY, THE FIGHTING CHOLITAS, FREEHELD, and A SON’S SACRIFICE. The five nominated programs in the Continuing Series category are 30 DAYS (FX Networks), AMERICAN EXPERIENCE (PBS), AMERICAN MASTERS (PBS), THIS AMERICAN LIFE (Showtime), and WIDE ANGLE: SEASON FIVE (PBS). The four nominated programs in the Limited Series category are ADDICTION (HBO), COMING OUT STORIES (LOGO), THE HILL (Sundance Channel), and THE SUPREME COURT (PBS). The IDA will also present the ABCNews VideoSource Award to the documentary filmmaker(s) whose work best utilizes television news footage as an integral component of the work. The eight nominated documentaries are AMERICAN/SANDINISTA, HALF-LIFE: A JOURNEY TO CHERNOBYL, MY KID COULD PAINT THAT, NANKING, RAPSODIA DO ABSURDO, SPUTNIK MANIA, STEAL A PENCIL FOR ME, and WHITE LIGHT/ BLACK RAIN. The IDA Pare Lorentz Award will be presented to the filmmaker whose documentary best represents the activist spirit and lyrical vision of Pare Lorentz, who was the first recipient of the IDA Career Achievement Award. The 10 nominated docs are AMERICAN/SANDINISTA, GOOD MORNING DANGME, MADE IN LA, OPERATION HOMECOMING: WRITING THE WARTIME EXPERIENCE, RAPSODIA DO ABSURDO, RIBBON OF SAND, STANDING SILENT NATION, A WALK TO BEAUTIFUL, WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE: A REQUIEM IN FOUR ACTS, and WHITE LIGHT/ BLACK RAIN. The IDA will also hand out The David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award. The six nominated films are ALAGADOS: SI, NAO MAU CONDUOT, BISMILLAH: IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, BULLET PROOF VEST, GOOD MORNING, DANGME; LONG HAUL, and TIJUANA NADA MAS. |