I'm returning to the Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards to examine the last categories with nominated wildlife documentaries for World Conservation Day as I suggested yesterday. Here are the nominees competing against "Secrets of the Elephants" for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series.
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series (Area)100 Foot Wave has the most nominations with six, followed by The U.S. and the Holocaust with three at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards and one at the News & Documentary Emmy Awards for a total of four, The 1619 Project with three, and Dear Mama and Secrets of the Elephants with two each. Before I handicap the nominees with the help of the experts at Gold Derby, I'm sharing their trailers from the most nominated to the least, beginning with 100 Foot Wave Season 2 | Official Trailer | HBO.
Dear Mama (FX)
100 Foot Wave (HBO)
Secrets of the Elephants (Nat Geo)
The 1619 Project (Hulu)
The U.S. and the Holocaust (PBS)
Legend Garrett McNamara, his world-class surfing peers, and some surprising newcomers continue to push the boundaries of their sport and the limits of their minds and bodies. The one constant for these extreme athletes is contending with the highs and lows of their perilous and unpredictable lifestyle in which every big wave has the potential to write a dramatic new chapter in their personal stories. With a mix of intimate interviews, verité scenes and personal archive, as well as stunning aerial, water-based and underwater footage from the Emmy®-winning cinematography team, the series captures a world unlike any other.Watching this trailer reminds me that today is also National Waterpark Day, which I observed on this blog five years ago. This is better than any waterpark!
Next, The U.S. and the Holocaust | Official Trailer | PBS.
The U.S. and the Holocaust, a new documentary by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein, examines the rise of Hitler and Nazism in Germany in the context of global antisemitism and racism, immigration and eugenics in the United States, and race laws in the American south. Premieres September 18.The subject of this series hits me personally. I grew up in a Reform Jewish neighborhood and the mother of my high school crush was a concentration camp survivor, so I know people who have experienced this story. Watching the trailer while thinking about the resurrection of Fascism made me wonder what are we doing now and if we would avoid repeating the mistakes of 80 years ago.
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More about the production:
THE U.S. AND THE HOLOCAUST is a three-part, six hour series directed by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein, that examines America’s response to one of the greatest humanitarian crises of the twentieth century. Americans consider themselves a “nation of immigrants,” but as the catastrophe of the Holocaust unfolded in Europe, the United States proved unwilling to open its doors to more than a fraction of the hundreds of thousands of desperate people seeking refuge. Through riveting firsthand testimony of witnesses and survivors who as children endured persecution, violence and flight as their families tried to escape Hitler, this series delves deeply into the tragic human consequences of public indifference, bureaucratic red tape and restrictive quota laws in America. Did the nation fail to live up to its ideals? This is a history to be reckoned with.
The series is narrated by Peter Coyote; Voice Actors Include Liam Neeson, Matthew Rhys, Paul Giamatti, Meryl Streep, Werner Herzog, Joe Morton, Hope Davis, Bradley Whitford and Helena Zengel.
Speaking of mistakes of the past, here's The 1619 Project | Official Trailer | Hulu.
From Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones comes the greatest story never told. The 1619 Project premieres January 26th only on Hulu. #1619huluThis is probably the most controversial nominee. For starters, I follow Nikole Hannah-Jones on Twitter and have read lots of negative replies to her tweets about the New York Times series. Even John Michael Greer has made several snide asides about it. Greer famously does not watch television, so he hasn't commented on the TV series, but I'm sure he'd be just as dismissive of the series if he did.
The 1619 Project is a Lionsgate Production in association with One Story Up Productions, Harpo Films and The New York Times. It was executive produced by Nikole Hannah-Jones; Academy Award®-winning director Roger Ross Williams; Caitlin Roper, an editor of “The 1619 Project” and The New York Times’ executive producer for film and television; Kathleen Lingo, The New York Times’ editorial director for film and television; and Oprah Winfrey. Peabody Award-winning executive producer Shoshana Guy served as the showrunner. Watch The 1619 Project on Hulu!
ABOUT THE 1619 PROJECT
Hulu’s six-part 1619 Docuseries is an expansion of “The 1619 Project” created by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and the New York Times Magazine. The series seeks to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.
Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni & Tupac Shakur Documentary Series Trailer from Rotten Tomatoes TV portrays a more contemporary and personal picture of the same struggle.
Check out the new Dear Mama Documentary Series Trailer!Finding out that Tupac was connected to the Black Panthers made me take him and his music more seriously.
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Synopsis: Afeni had a revolutionary story, Tupac helped her tell it to the world.
From award-winning director Allen Hughes (The Defiant Ones) comes FX’s Dear Mama, a deeply personal five-part series that defies the conventions of traditional documentary storytelling to share an illuminating saga of mother and son, Afeni and Tupac Shakur. Their story chronicles the possibilities and contradictions of the U.S. from a time of revolutionary fervor to Hip Hop culture’s most ostentatious decade.
And now the final trailer, Secrets of the Elephants | Official Trailer | National Geographic.
“Secrets of the Elephants" Executive produced by James Cameron and narrated by Natalie Portman, the four-part series premieres Friday, April 21 on National Geographic.This trailer wasted no time in pointing out it was a sequel of sorts to Secrets of the Whales, which won this award two years ago. It also touted that it was produced by James Cameron and narrated by Natalie Portman, two Oscar winners, although it neglected to mention Portman's Oscar. That's a missed opportunity in self-promotion. On the other hand, this series is the reason I'm examining this category today, as it fits the theme of World Conservation Day. It's also one I have recommended to my students. Welcome to blogging as professional development.
Based on the total number of nominations as well as being a previous Emmy winner for its cinematography, I'd rank 100 Foot Wave as a favorite. Based on Secrets of the Elephants being a sequel to previous winner Secrets of the Whales, I would consider Secrets of the Elephants to be a favorite, too. The experts at Gold Derby disagree, thinking these two have the weakest chances. Instead, they are split between The U.S. and the Holocaust and The 1619 Project, at three experts each. The odds currently favor The U.S. and the Holocaust, but The 1619 Project had the better chance through yesterday. I wonder if the News & Documentary Emmy nomination for The U.S. and the Holocaust tipped the odds toward it or the controversy around The 1619 Project finally caught up to it. Either way, this will be an interesting category to watch.
Follow over the jump for the rest of the nominations for these nominees.
I begin this section with the News & Documentary Emmy nomination for The U.S. and the Holocaust.
Outstanding Research: DocumentaryKen Burns is known for doing his research, but that's not enough for me to say it's the favorite yet. I'll re-examine this category later.
37 Words ESPN
FRONTLINE, The Associated Press Putin’s Attack on Ukraine: Documenting War Crimes PBS
Hostages HBO Max
The Janes HBO Max
Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power Peacock
The U.S. and the Holocaust PBS
Next, the nominees from the Creative Arts Emmy Awards I haven't already examined, beginning with a category most closely related to research, Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program.
Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction ProgramThree of the nominees for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series also have nominees here, but they are competing against Moonage Daydream, which has five nominations, and Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, which has only this one. I'm holding off making a prediction until I examine the documentary and nonfiction specials, most likely on Sunday.
Dear Mama: "Panther Power" – Allen Hughes and Lasse Järvi (FX)
Moonage Daydream – Brett Morgen (HBO)
100 Foot Wave: "Chapter V – Lost at Sea" – Zach Rothfeld (HBO)
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me – Alek Keshishian and Paul Marchand (Apple TV+)
The U.S. and the Holocaust: "Episode 2: Yearning to Breathe Free (1938–1942)" – Geoffrey C. Ward (PBS)
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera)I think that music nominees have the edge in sound categories, all other things being equal, so I think I>Moonage Daydream is favored, followed by Love, Lizzo. Speaking of sound, it's time to review what I wrote about the other sound category in 'Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy' defends its Emmy for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special.
Love, Lizzo – Vanessa Flores and Jessie Brewer (HBO Max)
Moonage Daydream – John Warhurst, Nina Hartstone, Jens Rosenlund Petersen, Samir Foco, James Shirley, Elliott Koretz, Amy Felton, Louise Burton, and Brett Morgen (HBO)
100 Foot Wave: "Chapter V – Lost at Sea" – Max Holland, Eric Di Stefano, and Kevin Senzaki (HBO)
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie – Michael Feuser, Rich Bologna, Wyatt Sprague, Heather Gross, and Bill Bernstein (Apple TV+)
Welcome to Wrexham: "Do or Die" – Will Harp, Jon Schell, and Shaun Cromwell (FX)
Now for the other categories I examined in that entry.Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program (Single or Multi-Camera)As I have written before, I think that music nominees have the best chances, all things being equal, so that gives the advantage to Moonage Daydream and The Sound of 007. As a James Bond fan, I'm rooting for The Sound of 007, but I really think Moonage Daydream is the most likely to win.
Moonage Daydream – Paul Massey and David Giammarco (HBO)
100 Foot Wave: "Chapter V – Lost at Sea" – Keith Hodne (HBO)
The Sound of 007 – Richard Davey, Jonny Horne, Simon Norman, and Francesco Corazzi (Prime Video)
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy: "Calabria" – Matt Skilton and Christopher Syner (CNN)
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie – Skip Lievsay, Benjamin Berger, Martin Kittappa, and Lily van Leeuwen (Apple TV+)
Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction ProgramI begin my analysis by recycling what I wrote in 'The Territory' leads nominees for Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking at the 2023 Emmy Awards and quoted in 'Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy' defends its Emmy for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special.
100 Foot Wave: "Chapter VI - Force Majeure" - Antoine Chicoye, Mikey Corker, Vincent Kardasik, Alexandre Lesbats, Chris Smith, Laurent Pujol, João Vidinha, and Michael Darrigade (HBO)
Secrets of the Elephants: "Desert" - Toby Strong, James Boon, and Bob Poole (Nat Geo)
The 1619 Project: "Justice" - Jerry Henry (Hulu)
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy: "Calabria" - Andrew Muggleton (CNN)
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie - C. Kim Miles, Clair Popkin, and Julia Liu (Apple TV+)
The Territory - Alex Pritz and Tangãi Uru-eu-wau-wa (Nat Geo)
I'm starting to waver, thinking that 100 Foot Wave has a better chance than I gave it credit for earlier this week.Oh, look, more nominees with nature photography! That makes me happy. It only marginally helps "The Territory," as it's competing against "100 Foot Wave" and "Secrets Of The Elephants" for wild landscapes, seascapes, and animals and "Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy" for human landscapes and cityscapes. All of the nominees in this and the previous category have other nominations, so I'll examine their chances in the next two installments. Stay tuned.I'm adding that this category includes the Gold Derby experts' favorites to win Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking, Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series, and Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special, plus two series with outstanding outdoor and nature photography. That makes for a very competitive category. The Territory has both great nature photography and the experts' support to win its program category, so it's currently my pick to win. However, 100 Foot Wave won this category last year, so I'm not that confident in my choice. I will look at this category twice more, so stay tuned to see if I change my mind.
100 Foot Wave and The 1619 Project both have nominations, but I'm wondering if an archival documentary like Moonage Daydream has a better chance.Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction ProgramStill: A Michael J. Fox Movie has the most nominations, which helps make it the Gold Derby experts' number one choice, but I don't know if that means much in this category. Any of the other nominees, including Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, could win. Again, I'm examining this category twice more, so I'll make my decision then.
Moonage Daydream – Brett Morgen (HBO)
100 Foot Wave: "Chapter III – Jaws" – Alex Bayer, Alex Keipper, and Quin O'Brien (HBO)
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields – David Teague, Sara Newens, and Anne Yao (Hulu)
The 1619 Project: "Justice" – Ephraim Kirkwood, Jesse Allain-Marcus, and Adriana Pacheco (Hulu)
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy: "Calabria" – Liz Roe (CNN)
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie – Michael Harte (Apple TV+)
I conclude my re-examination with a category I looked at in 'The Territory' leads nominees for Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking at the 2023 Emmy Awards.
Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program Judy Blume Forever – Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok (Prime Video) Moonage Daydream – Brett Morgen (HBO) Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields – Lana Wilson (Hulu) Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie – Davis Guggenheim (Apple TV+) The Territory – Alex Pritz (Nat Geo) The U.S. and the Holocaust: "Episode 3: The Homeless, The Tempest-tossed (1942–)" – Ken Burns, Lynn Novick, and Sarah Botstein (PBS)And now my recycled reaction to this field.
I am far less confident about "The Territory" winning this category, as Pritz is competing against the legendary Ken Burns and four films about entertainment, including two about Hollywood stars. All else being equal, I expect the Emmy voters will vote for one of those last two or "Moonage Daydream." As I keep repeating about awards shows, electorates matter. "The Territory" had better hope that all other things are not equal.I shouldn't discount Ken Burns, but I think he'd do better with the journalists and documentarians at the other Emmy Awards ceremony than the Hollywood creatives at this one.
That concludes today's examination. Stay tuned as I look at the nominated nature documentaries at the News & Documentary Emmy Awards tomorrow for International Tiger Day.
Previous posts about the 2023 Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards
- Dove's 'Cost of Beauty' the sole PSA among the 2023 Emmy nominees for Outstanding Commercial
- 'The Territory' leads nominees for Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking at the 2023 Emmy Awards
- Barack Obama defends his Emmy against Hollywood all-stars narrating nature and science documentaries
- The music of 'Prehistoric Planet 2' earned the series its first Emmy nomination
- 'Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy' defends its Emmy for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special
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