Winners Only by Category:
Documentary

Listed below are the Academy Award winners in the category of Documentary (non-winning nominations have been omitted from this list). Click on the name of a film or person in the list to display more information about that film or person. Or, click on a category in the column on the right to display the winners in that category.

1941  (14th)

(Short Subject)

Churchill’s Island, National Film Board of Canada; United Artists. (Canada)

1942  (15th)

The Battle of Midway, United States Navy; 20th Century-Fox.

Kokoda Front Line!, Australian News & Information Bureau. (Australia)

Moscow Strikes Back, Artkino; Republic. (Soviet Union)

Prelude to War, United States Army Special Services.

1943  (16th)

(Feature)

Desert Victory, British Ministry of Information; 20th Century-Fox. (UK)

(Short Subject)

December 7th, United States Navy; United States Office of Strategic Services Field Photographic Bureau.

1944  (17th)

(Feature)

The Fighting Lady, United States Navy; 20th Century-Fox.

(Short Subject)

With the Marines at Tarawa, United States Marine Corps.

1945  (18th)

(Feature)

The True Glory, United States Office of War Information; Columbia. (UK, USA) The Governments of Great Britain and the United States of America.

(Short Subject)

Hitler Lives?, Warner Bros. [Featurette Series] Gordon Hollingshead, Producer.

1946  (19th)

(Short Subject)

Seeds of Destiny, United States Department of War.

1947  (20th)

(Feature)

Design for Death, RKO Radio. Sid Rogell, Executive Producer; Theron Warth and Richard O. Fleischer, Producers.

(Short Subject)

First Steps, United Nations Division of Films and Visual Information. (Canada)

1948  (21st)

(Feature)

The Secret Land, United States Navy; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Orville O. Dull, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Toward Independence, United States Army.

1949  (22nd)

(Feature)

Daybreak in Udi, British Information Services. (UK) Crown Film Unit.

(Short Subject)

A Chance to Live, March of Time; 20th Century-Fox. [March of Time Series] Richard de Rochemont, Producer.

So Much for So Little, Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc.; Warner Bros. Edward Selzer, Producer.

1950  (23rd)

(Feature)

The Titan: Story of Michelangelo, Michelangelo Company; Classic Pictures, Inc. (Switzerland, West Germany) Robert Snyder, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Why Korea?, 20th Century-Fox Movietone; 20th Century-Fox. Edmund Reek, Producer.

1951  (24th)

(Feature)

Kon-Tiki, Artfilm Production; RKO Radio. (Norway, Sweden) Olle Nordemar, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Benjy, Paramount. Fred Zinnemann, Producer.

1952  (25th)

(Feature)

The Sea Around Us, RKO Radio. Irwin Allen, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Neighbours, National Film Board of Canada; Arthur Mayer-Edward Kingsley, Inc. (Canada) Norman McLaren, Producer.

1953  (26th)

(Feature)

The Living Desert, Walt Disney Productions; Buena Vista. [True Life Adventures Series] Walt Disney, Producer.

(Short Subject)

The Alaskan Eskimo, Walt Disney Productions; RKO Radio. [People and Places Series] Walt Disney, Producer.

1954  (27th)

(Feature)

The Vanishing Prairie, Walt Disney Productions; Buena Vista. [True Life Adventures Series] Walt Disney, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Thursday’s Children, World Wide Pictures and Morse Films; British Information Services. (UK)

1955  (28th)

(Feature)

Helen Keller in Her Story, Nancy Hamilton Presentation. Nancy Hamilton, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Men Against the Arctic, Walt Disney Productions; Buena Vista. [People and Places Series] Walt Disney, Producer.

1956  (29th)

(Feature)

The Silent World, Filmad-F.S.J.Y.C. Production; Columbia. (France, Italy) Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Producer.

(Short Subject)

The True Story of the Civil War, Camera Eye Pictures, Inc. Louis Clyde Stoumen, Producer.

1957  (30th)

(Feature)

Albert Schweitzer, Hill and Anderson Production; Louis de Rochemont Associates. (USA, France) Jerome Hill, Producer.

1958  (31st)

(Feature)

White Wilderness, Walt Disney Productions; Buena Vista. [True Life Adventure Series] Ben Sharpsteen, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Ama Girls, Walt Disney Productions; Buena Vista. [People and Places Series] Ben Sharpsteen, Producer.

1959  (32nd)

(Feature)

Serengeti Shall Not Die, Okapia-Film GmbH Production; Transocean-Film. (West Germany) Bernhard Grzimek, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Glass, The Netherlands Government; George K. Arthur-Go Pictures, Inc. (Netherlands) Bert Haanstra, Producer.

1960  (33rd)

(Feature)

The Horse with the Flying Tail, Walt Disney Productions; Buena Vista. Larry Lansburgh, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Giuseppina, James Hill Production; Lester A. Schoenfeld Films. (UK) James Hill, Producer.

1961  (34th)

(Feature)

Le Ciel et la Boue (Sky Above and Mud Beneath), Ardennes Films and Michael Arthur Film Productions; Rank Film Distributors of America, Inc. (France, Liechtenstein) Arthur Cohn and Rene Lafuite, Producers.

(Short Subject)

Project Hope, MacManus, John & Adams, Inc./Klaeger Film Production; Ex-Cell-O Corporation. Frank P. Bibas, Producer.

1962  (35th)

(Feature)

Black Fox, Image Productions, Inc.; Heritage Films, Inc. Louis Clyde Stoumen, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Dylan Thomas, TWW Ltd.; Janus Films. (UK) Jack Howells, Producer.

1963  (36th)

(Feature)

Robert Frost: A Lover’s Quarrel with the World, WGBH Educational Foundation; Holt, Reinhart and Winston, Inc. Robert Hughes, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Chagall, Auerbach Film Enterprises, Ltd.-Flag Films; Union Films. (France) Simon Schiffrin, Producer.

1964  (37th)

(Feature)

Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s World Without Sun, Filmad-Les Requins Associes-Orsay-CEIAP; Columbia. (France, Italy) Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Nine from Little Rock, Guggenheim Productions; United States Information Agency. Charles Guggenheim, Producer.

1965  (38th)

(Feature)

The Eleanor Roosevelt Story, Sidney Glazier Production; American International Pictures. Sidney Glazier, Producer.

(Short Subject)

To Be Alive!, Johnson Wax. Francis Thompson, Producer.

1966  (39th)

(Feature)

The War Game, BBC Production for the British Film Institute; Pathe Contemporary Films. (UK) Peter Watkins, Producer.

(Short Subject)

A Year Toward Tomorrow, Sun Dial Films, Inc.; Office of Economic Opportunity. Edmond A. Levy, Producer.

1967  (40th)

(Feature)

The Anderson Platoon, French Broadcasting System. (France) Pierre Schoendoerffer, Producer.

(Short Subject)

The Redwoods, King Screen Productions. Mark Harris and Trevor Greenwood, Producers.

1968  (41st)

(Feature)

Journey into Self, Western Behavioral Sciences Institute. Bill McGaw, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Why Man Creates, Saul Bass & Associates. Saul Bass, Producer.

1969  (42nd)

(Feature)

Arthur Rubinstein—The Love of Life, Midem Production. (France) Bernard Chevry, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Czechoslovakia 1968, Sanders-Fresco Film Makers for The United States Information Agency. Denis Sanders and Robert M. Fresco, Producers.

1970  (43rd)

(Feature)

Woodstock, Wadleigh-Maurice Ltd. Production; Warner Bros. Bob Maurice, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Interviews with My Lai Veterans, Laser Film Corporation. Joseph Strick, Producer.

1971  (44th)

(Feature)

The Hellstrom Chronicle, David L. Wolper Productions; Cinema 5, Ltd. Walon Green, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Sentinels of Silence, Producciones Concord; Paramount. (Mexico, USA) Manuel Arango and Robert Amram, Producers.

1972  (45th)

(Feature)

Marjoe, Cinema X Production; Cinema 5, Ltd. Howard Smith and Sarah Kernochan, Producers.

(Short Subject)

This Tiny World, Charles Huguenot van der Linden Production. (Netherlands) Charles Huguenot van der Linden and Martina Huguenot van der Linden, Producers.

1973  (46th)

(Feature)

The Great American Cowboy, Kieth Merrill Associates-Rodeo Film Productions. Kieth Merrill, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Princeton: A Search for Answers, Krainin-Sage Productions. Julian Krainin and DeWitt L. Sage, Jr., Producers.

1974  (47th)

(Feature)

Hearts and Minds, Touchstone-Audjeff-BBS Production; Howard Zucker/Henry Jaglom-Rainbow Pictures Presentation. Peter Davis and Bert Schneider, Producers.

(Short Subject)

Don’t, R.A. Films. Robin Lehman, Producer.

1975  (48th)

(Feature)

The Man Who Skied down Everest, Crawley Films Presentation. (Canada, Japan, USA) F. R. Crawley, James Hager and Dale Hartleben, Producers.

(Short Subject)

The End of the Game, Opus Films Limited. Claire Wilbur and Robin Lehman, Producers.

1976  (49th)

(Feature)

Harlan County, U.S.A., Cabin Creek Films. Barbara Kopple, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Number Our Days, Community Television of Southern California. Lynne Littman, Producer.

1977  (50th)

(Feature)

Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids?, Korty Films and Charles M. Schulz Creative Associates in association with Sanrio Films. (Japan, USA) John Korty, Dan McCann and Warren L. Lockhart, Producers.

(Short Subject)

Gravity Is My Enemy, John Joseph Production. John Joseph and Jan Stussy, Producers.

1978  (51st)

(Feature)

Scared Straight!, Golden West Television Production. Arnold Shapiro, Producer.

(Short Subject)

The Flight of the Gossamer Condor, Shedd Production. Jacqueline Phillips Shedd and Ben Shedd, Producers.

1979  (52nd)

(Feature)

Best Boy, Only Child Motion Pictures, Inc. Ira Wohl, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist, Janus Films Inc. Saul J. Turell, Producer.

1980  (53rd)

(Feature)

From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China, The Hopewell Foundation. Murray Lerner, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Karl Hess: Toward Liberty, Hallé/Ladue, Incorporated. Roland Hallé and Peter W. Ladue, Producers.

1981  (54th)

(Feature)

Genocide, Arnold Schwartzman Productions, Inc. Arnold Schwartzman and Rabbi Marvin Hier, Producers.

(Short Subject)

Close Harmony, Noble Enterprise. Nigel Noble, Producer.

1982  (55th)

(Feature)

Just Another Missing Kid, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. (Canada) John Zaritsky, Producer.

(Short Subject)

If You Love This Planet, National Film Board of Canada. (Canada) Edward Le Lorrain and Terri Nash, Producers.

1983  (56th)

(Feature)

He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin’, Edgar J. Scherick Associates Production. Emile Ardolino, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Flamenco at 5:15, National Film Board of Canada. (Canada) Cynthia Scott and Adam Symansky, Producers.

1984  (57th)

(Feature)

The Times of Harvey Milk, Black Sand Educational Productions, Inc. Robert Epstein and Richard Schmiechen, Producers.

(Short Subject)

The Stone Carvers, Paul Wagner Productions. Marjorie Hunt and Paul Wagner, Producers.

1985  (58th)

(Feature)

Broken Rainbow, Earthworks Films Production. Maria Florio and Victoria Mudd, Producers.

(Short Subject)

Witness to War: Dr. Charlie Clements, Skylight Picture Production. David Goodman, Producer.

1986  (59th)

(Feature)

Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got, Bridge Film Production. (Canada) Brigitte Berman, Producer.

Down and Out in America, Joseph Feury Production. Joseph Feury and Milton Justice, Producers.

(Short Subject)

Women—For America, for the World, Educational Film & Video Project. Vivienne Verdon-Roe, Producer.

1987  (60th)

(Feature)

The Ten Year Lunch: The Wit and Legend of the Algonquin Round Table, Aviva Films Production. Aviva Slesin, Producer.

(Short Subject)

Young at Heart, Sue Marx Films, Inc. Production. Sue Marx and Pamela Conn, Producers.

1988  (61st)

(Feature)

Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie, The Memory Pictures Company. (West Germany, France, USA) Marcel Ophuls, Producer.

(Short Subject)

You Don’t Have to Die, Tiger Rose Production in association with Filmworks, Inc. William Guttentag and Malcolm Clarke, Producers.

1989  (62nd)

(Feature)

Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, Telling Pictures and The Couturie Company Production. Robert Epstein and Bill Couturie, Producers.

(Short Subject)

The Johnstown Flood, Guggenheim Productions. Charles Guggenheim, Producer.

1990  (63rd)

(Feature)

American Dream, Cabin Creek Films. (USA, UK) Barbara Kopple and Arthur Cohn, Producers.

(Short Subject)

Days of Waiting, Mouchette Films Production. Steven Okazaki, Producer.

1991  (64th)

(Feature)

In the Shadow of the Stars, Light-Saraf Films Production. Allie Light and Irving Saraf, Producers.

(Short Subject)

Deadly Deception: General Electric, Nuclear Weapons and Our Environment, Women’s Educational Media, Inc. Production. Debra Chasnoff, Producer.

1992  (65th)

(Feature)

The Panama Deception, Empowerment Project Production. (USA, UK) Barbara Trent and David Kasper, Producers.

(Short Subject)

Educating Peter, State of the Art, Inc. Production. Thomas C. Goodwin and Gerardine Wurzburg, Producers.

1993  (66th)

(Feature)

I Am a Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School, Verité Films Production. Susan Raymond and Alan Raymond.

(Short Subject)

Defending Our Lives, Cambridge Documentary Films Production. Margaret Lazarus and Renner Wunderlich.

1994  (67th)

(Feature)

Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision, American Film Foundation/Sanders and Mock Production. Freida Lee Mock and Terry Sanders.

(Short Subject)

A Time for Justice, Guggenheim Productions, Inc. Production for the Southern Poverty Law Center. Charles Guggenheim.

1995  (68th)

(Feature)

Anne Frank Remembered, Jon Blair Film Company Limited Production; Sony Pictures Classics. (UK, USA, Netherlands) Jon Blair.

(Short Subject)

One Survivor Remembers, Home Box Office and The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Production. Kary Antholis.

1996  (69th)

(Feature)

When We Were Kings, DASFilms Ltd. Production; Gramercy Pictures. Leon Gast and David Sonenberg.

(Short Subject)

Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O’Brien, Inscrutable Films/Pacific News Service Production. Jessica Yu.

1997  (70th)

(Feature)

The Long Way Home, Moriah Films Production at the Simon Wiesenthal Center; Seventh Art. Rabbi Marvin Hier and Richard Trank.

(Short Subject)

A Story of Healing, Dewey-Obenchain Films Production. Donna Dewey and Carol Pasternak.

1998  (71st)

(Feature)

The Last Days, Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation Production; October Films. James Moll and Ken Lipper.

(Short Subject)

The Personals: Improvisations on Romance in The Golden Years, Keiko Ibi Film Production. Keiko Ibi.

1999  (72nd)

(Feature)

One Day in September, Arthur Cohn Production. (Switzerland, Germany, UK) Arthur Cohn and Kevin Macdonald.

(Short Subject)

King Gimp, Whiteford-Hadary/University of Maryland/Tapestry International Production. Susan Hannah Hadary and William A. Whiteford.

2000  (73rd)

(Feature)

Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport, Sabine Films Production; Warner Bros. (UK, USA) Mark Jonathan Harris and Deborah Oppenheimer.

(Short Subject)

Big Mama, Birthmark Production. Tracy Seretean.

2001  (74th)

(Feature)

Murder on a Sunday Morning, Maha Productions/Pathé Doc/France 2/HBO Production. (France, USA) Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and Denis Poncet.

(Short Subject)

Thoth, Amateur Rabbit Production. Sarah Kernochan and Lynn Appelle.

2002  (75th)

(Feature)

Bowling for Columbine, Salter Street Films/VIF 2/Dog Eat Dog Films Production; United Artists and Alliance Atlantis. (USA, Canada, Germany) Michael Moore and Michael Donovan.

(Short Subject)

Twin Towers, Wolf Films/Shape Pictures/Universal/Mopo Entertainment Production. Bill Guttentag and Robert David Port.

2003  (76th)

(Feature)

The Fog of War, Globe Department Store Production; Sony Pictures Classics. Errol Morris and Michael Williams.

(Short Subject)

Chernobyl Heart, Downtown TV Documentaries Production. Maryann DeLeo.

2004  (77th)

(Feature)

Born into Brothels, Red Light Films, Inc. Production; THINKFilm. Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski.

(Short Subject)

Mighty Times: The Children’s March, Tell the Truth Pictures Production. Robert Hudson and Bobby Houston.

2005  (78th)

(Feature)

March of the Penguins, Bonne Pioche Production; Warner Independent Pictures. (France) Luc Jacquet and Yves Darondeau.

(Short Subject)

A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin, NomaFilms Production. Corinne Marrinan and Eric Simonson.

2006  (79th)

(Feature)

An Inconvenient Truth, Lawrence Bender/Laurie David Production; Paramount Classics and Participant Productions. Davis Guggenheim.

(Short Subject)

The Blood of Yingzhou District, Thomas Lennon Films Production. (China, USA) Ruby Yang and Thomas Lennon.

2007  (80th)

(Feature)

Taxi to the Dark Side, X-Ray Production; THINKFilm. Alex Gibney and Eva Orner.

(Short Subject)

Freeheld, Lieutenant Films Production. Cynthia Wade and Vanessa Roth.

2008  (81st)

(Feature)

Man on Wire, Wall to Wall in association with Red Box Films Production; Magnolia Pictures. (UK, USA) James Marsh and Simon Chinn.

(Short Subject)

Smile Pinki, Principe Production. Megan Mylan.

2009  (82nd)

(Feature)

The Cove, Oceanic Preservation Society Production; Roadside Attractions. Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens.

(Short Subject)

Music by Prudence, iThemba Production. (USA, Zimbabwe) Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett.

2010  (83rd)

(Feature)

Inside Job, Representational Pictures Production; Sony Pictures Classics. Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs.

(Short Subject)

Strangers No More, Simon & Goodman Picture Company Production. (USA, Israel) Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon.

2011  (84th)

(Feature)

Undefeated, Spitfire Pictures Production; The Weinstein Company. TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas.

(Short Subject)

Saving Face, Milkhaus/Jungefilm Production. (USA, Pakistan) Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

2012  (85th)

(Feature)

Searching for Sugar Man, Red Box Films and Passion Pictures in association with Canfield Pictures Production; Sony Pictures Classics. (Sweden, UK, Finland) Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn.

(Short Subject)

Inocente, Shine Global Production. Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine.

2013  (86th)

(Feature)

20 Feet from Stardom, A Gil Friesen Productions and Tremolo Production; RADiUS-TWC. Morgan Neville, Gil Friesen and Caitrin Rogers.

(Short Subject)

The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life, A Reed Entertainment Production. (Canada, USA, UK) Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed.

2014  (87th)

(Feature)

CitizenFour, a Praxis Films Production; Radius. (USA, Germany, UK) Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky.

(Short Subject)

Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1. Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry.

2015  (88th)

(Feature)

Amy, an On the Corner Films Production; A24. (UK) Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees.

(Short Subject)

A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, an SOC Films Production. (USA, Pakistan) Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

2016  (89th)

(Feature)

O.J.: Made in America, An ESPN Films/Laylow Films production; ESPN Films. Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow.

(Short Subject)

The White Helmets, Netflix. (UK) Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara.

2017  (90th)

(Feature)

Icarus, A Netflix Documentary in assoc. with Impact Partners, Diamond Docs, Chicago Media Project and Alex Production; Netflix. Bryan Fogel and Dan Cogan.

(Short Subject)

Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405, A Stiefel & Co. Production. Frank Stiefel.

2018  (91st)

(Feature)

Free Solo, A National Geographic Documentary Films/Little Monster Films/Itinerant Media/Parkes+MacDonald/Image Nation Production; National Geographic. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Evan Hayes and Shannon Dill.

(Short Subject)

Period. End of Sentence., A Pad Project Production; Netflix. Rayka Zehtabchi and Melissa Berton.

2019  (92nd)

(Feature)

American Factory, A Higher Ground Productions and Participant Media Production; Netflix. Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert and Jeff Reichert.

(Short Subject)

Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl), A Grain Media Production; A+E Networks. (UK) Carol Dysinger and Elena Andreicheva.

2020  (93rd)

(Feature)

My Octopus Teacher, A Netflix Original Documentary in assoc. with Off the Fence and The Sea Change Project Production; Netflix. (South Africa) Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster.

(Short Subject)

Colette, A Respawn Entertainment/Oculus Studios/Time Travel Unlimited Production. Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard.

2021  (94th)

(Feature)

Summer of Soul, A Vulcan Productions/Concordia Studio/Play/Action Pictures/LarryBilly Productions/Mass Distraction; Searchlight/Onyx Collective/Hulu. Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein.

(Short Subject)

The Queen of Basketball, A Breakwater Studios Production; The New York Times Op-Docs. Ben Proudfoot.

2022  (95th)

(Feature)

Navalny, Fishbowl Films/RaeFilm Studios/Cottage M Prod.; Warner Bros./CNN Films/HBO Max. Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris.

(Short Film)

The Elephant Whisperers, Netflix Documentary/Sikhya Entertainment Prod.; Netflix. (India) Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga.

2023  (96th)

(Feature Film)

20 Days in Mariupol, Frontline/The Associated Press Production; PBS Distribution. (Ukraine) Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath.

(Short Film)

The Last Repair Shop, Breakwater Studios/Et Al. Studios Production; Searchlight/L.A. Times Studios. Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers.