OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY

Aftershock (Directed by Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee)

All That Breathes (Directed by Shaunak Sen)

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (Directed by Laura Poitras)

Descendant (Directed by Margaret Brown)

Fire of Love (Directed by Sara Dosa)

AND THE WINNER:

ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED (DIRECTED BY LAURA POITRAS)

These are the first win and third nomination for Laura Poitras. She was previously nominated for the documentaries The Oath (2010) and Citizenfour (2014).

Going into Beauty and Bloodshed I had no idea what the subject matter of the documentary was and was mostly intrigued by the name chosen for the project. Having watched the film I was unprepared for how spectacular and moving this documentary would be. The central subject of Nan Gold was such a compelling figure and the points in history that were covered because of her involvement in them was so compelling and so unexpected every time the film revealed more information. When the film discussed the history of the AIDS crisis I must admit I became deeply upset and involved as I too yearn for the lost art and artists the film discusses because of the loss of a generation. The film really sold how devastating that point of history was and linking it to modern times felt so honest and real that I enjoyed each section of the film so much.

Poitras yet again has showcased her incredible skill for documentary story telling as she explores so many unexpected themes from her subjects that you the audience are never fully ready for. I am so happy to finally award her after multiple nominations in my documentary categories.