The Perfect Neighbor claimed top honors at the Tenth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, earning five wins, including Best Documentary Feature, Best Director (Geeta Gandbhir), Best Editing (Viridiana Lieberman), Best Archival Documentary, and Best True Crime Documentary. Additional winners of multiple awards included Mr. Scorsese, Ocean with David Attenborough, and Orwell: 2+2=5.
“Ten years in, and the art of documentary storytelling has never been more vital or vibrant,” stated Christopher Campbell, Vice President of Documentary at the Critics Choice Association. “This year’s filmmakers show, through their creativity and courage, just how powerful documentaries can be in shaping our view of the world.”
The 2025 Critics Choice Documentary Awards took place on November 9th, with Aasif Mandvi as host. In addition to the competitive awards, Ken Burns was honored with the Critics Choice Impact Award. The CCA describes the special honor as given to “documentarians whose work has illuminated our shared story, made complex issues accessible to broad audiences, and sparked meaningful dialogue that inspires reflection and action.”
Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady were recognized with the CCA’s Pennebaker Award, which honors filmmakers “whose careers have made a profound and lasting contribution to the art of documentary storytelling.”
2025 CRITICS CHOICE DOCUMENTARY AWARDS WINNERS:
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)
BEST DIRECTOR
Geeta Gandbhir – The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)
BEST FIRST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay (HBO Max)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Toby Strong, Doug Anderson (Underwater Photography) – Ocean with David Attenborough (National Geographic)
BEST EDITING
Viridiana Lieberman – The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)
BEST SCORE
Alexei Aigui – Orwell: 2+2=5 (Neon)
BEST NARRATION
Orwell: 2+2=5 (Neon)
Written by George Orwell, Adapted by Raoul Peck
Performed by Damian Lewis
BEST ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY
The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)
BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY (TIE)
The American Revolution (PBS)
Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time (National Geographic)
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY
Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV)
BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY (TIE)
Becoming Led Zeppelin (Sony Pictures Classics)
Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) (Hulu, Onyx Collective)
BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY
The Alabama Solution (HBO Max)
BEST SCIENCE/NATURE DOCUMENTARY
Ocean with David Attenborough (National Geographic)
BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY
America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (Netflix)
BEST TRUE CRIME DOCUMENTARY
The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
Saving Superman (Switchboard)
BEST LIMITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Mr. Scorsese (Apple TV)
BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES
30 for 30 (ESPN Films)
