Oscar Coverage 2020: Check out the nominees in the Documentary categories
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What do you think of Coverage? Oscar 2020? There are so many categories, and so many curiosities and facts, that we hope you are feeling a little more expert on the subject!
The categories of Documentary e Short Documentary they were both created for the 1942 Oscar ceremony. Interestingly, due to the World War II period, the winners in the Documentary category from 2 to 1942 were all war propaganda films.
See the poster for “Churchill's Island” (“Churchill’s Island” in free translation), winner of the 1st Oscar in this category.
OSCAR 2020: BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
To qualify as a short film, the maximum length of the film is 40 minutes long and no matter which technique is used (animation, stop motion, etc.), what matters is that it has an emphasis on facts and not in fiction.
This category of Short Documentary is interesting because it allows the filmmaker to explore a topic quickly, but no less efficiently. Last year's winner, "Absorbing the Taboo” is a very accurate example of how to explore a topic – in this case the taboo on tampon use in poorer communities in India – in a succinct and direct way. The film is available at Netflix, be sure to check it out.
The 2020 Oscar nominees for Best Documentary – Short are:
"In the Absence"
Documentary about the sinking of a South Korean ferry. As a result of the lack of response to the emergency situation, hundreds of people, mainly children, lost their lives. It's a moving story and shows how a government should be held accountable for its lack of empathy and response.
Watch it in full here (Korean with English subtitles)
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If you're a girl)
This documentary tells the story of Afghan girls who are learning to read, write and how to skate. Unfortunately, at the time of this publication, this short doc has not been made available on any online platform, even though it is one of the favorites.
Check out the trailer for this short (Arabic audio, English subtitles):
“St. Louis Superman "
Bruce Franks Jr. is a rapper, activist and state representative for St. Louis, Missouri. Known as Superman by his constituents, he is a political figure full of contradictions who overcame unspeakable losses to become one of the most expressive young leaders of the new American politics. As of this publication, there is no arrival date on digital platforms.
Watch the trailer (English only).
“Life in Me”
Amid trauma, hundreds of refugee children in Sweden retreat from life's uncertainties into a coma-like illness called Resignation Syndrome. This is for sure an enlightening documentary. I had never heard of this Syndrome before and in less than 40 minutes I was able to fully understand what is happening, clearly and efficiently.
The focus of the doc is on 3 cases in Sweden. Worth watching, even if the topic is so difficult.
Watch the movie trailer below, or if you subscribe to Netflix, just click here to watch in full.
“Walk Run Cha Cha”
Paul and Millie Cao lost their youth after the Vietnam War. Forty years later, they've become successful professionals in Southern California - and they're rediscovering themselves on the dance floor. This is a very sensitive and captivating documentary. It manages to give an overview of those who had to flee due to the war in Vietnam and the sacrifices they made to find a way to happiness.
Among documentaries, it has the lightest approach.
Watch in full (English only).
WHO DESERVES TO WIN:
Among the ones I saw"Life in Me“, because I was really shocked by the facts narrated there.
WHO WILL WIN:
"Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If you're a girl)"
The movie just emerged victorious at BAFTA – British Academy of Film and Television Arts (which is the equivalent of the Oscars in England) – which is a good thermometer.
OSCAR 2020: BEST DOCUMENTARY
As mentioned above, the documentary categories have existed since 1942, and in the case of long Documentary, there was no award until 1946. The only difference in the short category is actually the fact that it lasts for at least 40 minutes.
Due to the popularization of streaming platforms, the genre found a better distribution, but unfortunately it is still uncommon to see movie theaters in Brazil showing documentaries outside the film festival circuit.
The 2020 Oscar nominees for Best Documentary are:
“Democracy in Vertigo”
Political documentary and personal memoir mingle in this analysis of the rise and fall of Squid e Dilma Rousseff and the polarization of the nation.
What a devastating documentary. For a Brazilian, watching it is logically reliving a horrendous sequence of events against Brazilian democracy. And yet, it all remains a great enigma. Or rather, a big circus.
Making an impartial documentary about Brazilian politics would be impossible, and this is certainly not the case with this film, but I admire the director's effort and access. Regardless of your political leanings, give this documentary a chance, the director Petra Costa stitches her personal memories with (her) reality in a surprising way.
Petra is the 3rd Brazilian filmmaker to compete in the Best Documentary category, joining Lucy Walker (Nominated for an Oscar for “Extraordinary Garbage” in 2011) and the Juliano Ribeiro-Salgado (indicated by “The Salt of the Earth” in 2015).
"For Sam"
An intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war. A moving and devastating documentary.
A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of the life of Wad al-Kateab during five years of the war in Aleppo na Síria. We see Waad fall in love, get married, and give birth to sama, while hell spreads around you.
I was moved to tears many times, and the theater was silent when it ended, shocked by the experience. An important and historic film, which in such cruel circumstances, gives a chance to female voice to speak louder.
“Honeyland”
A bee farmer must save them and restore the natural balance to her small, remote village, while a family disrupts and threatens what she has built.
This is an intimate and profound documentary. Even if the characters are in a remote village in Macedonia, there are many relatable elements: man's relationship with nature, loneliness, the relationship between parents and children, family ties, greed and karma. It's truly an achievement what the filmmakers were able to portray in these microcosms.
The narrative construction shows tensions and conflicts between the protagonist and the family, and some might even think it was scripted, but the chain of events is real and happened over three years.
“American Industry”
In 2008 the GM closed a factory in Ohio, USA. A Chinese billionaire, owner of Fuyao Glass, bought it and made it part of its operations. From then on, what was just a commercial transaction became a clash between cultures and job prospects.
To be honest, this documentary takes a while to get going, but there are big lessons to be learned in terms of business, clash of cultures and, above all, preconceived notions we have of a people or a nation. It is clear that greed plays an important role in this documentary, but even if it is flawed, it is still very relevant content in today's globalized world.
"The Cave"
Amid air strikes and bombings in Síria, a group of doctors runs an underground hospital.
Fayyad beasts, who in 2017 directed “Last Men in Aleppo”, risks his own life and that of many others, once again, to tell the unbelievable stories of the Syrian people in a besieged city. This time, the film focuses on the challenges of a group of doctors, not just saving patients, but knowing when to hide from the bombings and escape the Syrian militia.
I was almost out of breath from the tension and conditions they faced. As in the similar documentary "For the same”, is not as polished and assembled, but it is certainly effective.
WHO DESERVES TO WIN:
"Honey country" or "For the same"
Both are exceptional documentaries and deserve all the recognition.
WHO WILL WIN:
"American industry"
It's not my favorite, but the film's production company belongs to Barack Obama, and I believe a strong lobby is being made for the victory.
And with that we conclude another part of our great Oscar Coverage 2020! Missed some information? Click below on the articles we've talked about so far!
Part 5: Animation and International Film
And stay tuned for the next part, where we'll talk about the categories of expertise!
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