As the year 2024 comes to a close, it’s a great time to reflect on some of the most impactful and critically acclaimed documentaries that have made their mark. Here’s a guide to some of the standout documentaries of the year, highlighting their themes, directors, and notable awards.
Notable Documentary Films
No Other Land
Directors: Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor, & Yuval Abraham
Producers: Fabien Greenberg & Bård Kjøge Rønning
Countries: Palestine, Norway, USA
This documentary won the Best Feature Documentary at the 40th IDA Documentary Awards. It explores themes of identity, displacement, and the human condition[1].
Black Box Diaries
Director: Mati Diop
Producers: Eve Robin, Judith Lou Lévy, Mati Diop
Countries: France, Senegal, Benin
Nominated for Best Feature Documentary at the IDA Awards, this film delves into the lives of individuals in West Africa, offering a unique perspective on their experiences[1].
Dahomey
Director: Raoul Peck
Producers: Tamara Rosenberg, Raoul Peck
Countries: France, South Africa, USA
Another nominee for Best Feature Documentary, this film is directed by the acclaimed Raoul Peck and explores historical and cultural themes[1].
Queendom
Director: Jazmin Renée Jones
Producer: Guetty Felin
Country: USA
This documentary, nominated for Best Feature Documentary, is notable for its cinematography, with Ruslan Fedotov winning the Best Cinematography award at the IDA Awards[1].
Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
Directors: Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie
Producers: Emily Kassie, Kellen Quinn
Country: USA
This documentary, also nominated for Best Feature Documentary, is a compelling look at political upheaval and its aftermath[1].
Best Short Documentaries
In addition to feature-length documentaries, several short documentaries have garnered significant attention:
A Move
Director: Esy Casey
Producers: Esy Casey, Nur Jannah Kaalim
Countries: USA, Philippines
Nominated for Best Short Documentary at the IDA Awards, this film explores themes of migration and identity[1].
Enchukunoto (The Return)
Director: Ema Ryan Yamazaki
Producer: Eric Nyari
Country: Japan
Another nominee for Best Short Documentary, this film is part of The New York Times Op-Docs series and focuses on personal and cultural return journeys[1].
Critical Acclaim and Awards
Several documentaries have received critical acclaim and won prestigious awards:
IDA Documentary Awards: “No Other Land” won the Best Feature Documentary, while “Queendom” won the Best Cinematography award[1].
Roger Ebert’s Best Documentaries of 2024: Films like “Black Box Diaries,” “Dahomey,” and “Ernest Cole: Lost and Found” are highlighted as some of the best documentaries of the year[4].
Box Office Performance
While box office performance is not the sole measure of a documentary’s impact, some films have stood out in terms of earnings:
Am I Racist?: Released on September 13, 2024, this documentary ranks high in box office earnings for the year[5].
Key Takeaways
Here are the most important facts about the best documentaries of 2024:
“No Other Land” won the Best Feature Documentary at the 40th IDA Documentary Awards.
“Queendom” won the Best Cinematography award at the IDA Awards.
“Black Box Diaries,” “Dahomey,” and “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” were among the nominees for Best Feature Documentary at the IDA Awards.
Short documentaries like “A Move” and “Enchukunoto (The Return)” were nominated for Best Short Documentary at the IDA Awards.
Films such as “Black Box Diaries,” “Dahomey,” and “Ernest Cole: Lost and Found” were featured in Roger Ebert’s list of the best documentaries of 2024.
“Am I Racist?” was one of the top-earning documentaries at the box office in 2024.
These documentaries not only showcase exceptional filmmaking but also provide profound insights into various aspects of human life, history, and culture.
