I'm continuing my coverage of the News & Doc Emmy Awards for today's Sunday entertainment feature by examining the nominees for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary. Unlike the other categories I've examined so far, there is no clear leader. On the one hand, King Coal has three nominations, including Outstanding Writing - Documentary and Outstanding Cinematography – Documentary, the most of any in the field. On the other, Hollywood Black's other nomination is for Best Documentary, which gives the film at least as much weight as King Coal's three nominations and more weight than Madu's second nomination for Outstanding Direction – Documentary. The other nominees, As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial and Butterfly in the Sky, have only this one nomination, so I'd be surprised if they could overcome the three entries with more nominations.
I begin my review of the nominee's trailers with King Coal | Official Trailer | POV | PBS.
A lyrical tapestry of a place and people, King Coal meditates on the complex history and future of the coal industry, the communities it has shaped, and the myths it has created. The film reshapes the boundaries of documentary filmmaking and transcends time and place, untangling the pain from the beauty, and illuminating the innately human capacity for imagination and change.This definitely emphasizes the culture in "arts and culture."
Next, Hollywood Black (MGM+ 2024 Series) Official Trailer.
Inspired by the book from historian Donald Bogle, this four-part docuseries, directed by Justin Simien, chronicles a century of the Black experience in Hollywood. By unearthing personal stories from actors, writers, directors, and producers who fought for their place on the page, behind the camera, and on the screen, the series provides a critical reexamination of a quintessentially American story—in brilliant color.The star power alone would push this over the top at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, but that Television Academy isn't the one voting. The television academy containing the journalists and documentarians is. They might do so based on their own criteria. Remember, electorates matter.
Moving on to Madu | Official Trailer | Disney+.
Madu follows 12-year-old Anthony Madu as he leaves his family and community in Nigeria to study at one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world in England. Having never left his home outside of Lagos, Anthony finds himself thrust into a new world where his wildest dreams are suddenly within reach. His courageous journey is a story of extraordinary obstacles as he searches for belonging and acceptance, a family far away, and unexpected challenges that could impact his future. Forming a rich and immersive tapestry told on multiple continents, MADU introduces the world to a boy chasing a dream of inspiration that will resonate with us all.This looks positive and inspiring in a way that neither King Coal nor Hollywood Black are. It might upset both on that basis alone.
Now for the nominees in this category alone, beginning with As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial | Official Trailer | Paramount+.
An exploration of the weaponization of rap lyrics in the US criminal justice system. The documentary follows rap artist Kemba as he journeys through meccas of hip-hop, building the case for rap lyrics and black artist protection via intimate conversations with rappers, academics, politicians, legal experts, and music industry executives.This could easily have been a nominee for Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary. Since that category covers both Love Canal and Alex Jones, I plan on blogging about it. Also, this is an MTV documentary. I've learned never to underestimate MTV documentaries.
I close out the trailers with BUTTERFLY IN THE SKY | Official HD Trailer (2024) | DOCUMENTARY | Film Threat Trailers.
For 26 seasons, Reading Rainbow met young viewers in their living rooms, whisking them away on far-off adventures into the boundless world of books. Inspiring and nostalgic, Butterfly in the Sky takes audiences behind the scenes of this beloved PBS children’s series and tells the story of its iconic host LeVar Burton, giving an inside look at the challenges he and the show's creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television. Reliving the show’s legacy is a refreshing return to the written page. But you don’t have to take our word for it.This looks just as positive and uplifting as Madu and even more relevant to an American electorate. That might pull votes away from Madu, but not enough for Butterfly in the Sky to win.
Featuring LeVar Burton, (Reading Rainbow Host), Whoopi Goldberg (Guest Star), Jason Reynolds (Former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature), Twila Liggett (Reading Rainbow Co-creator), Larry Lancit & Cecily Truett Lancit (Reading Rainbow Co-Creators), Tony Buttino (Reading Rainbow Co-creator), Steve Horelick (Reading Rainbow Composer), Ed & Orly Wiseman (Reading Rainbow Director / Producer) and also staff who worked on Reading Rainbow and kids who were featured on the show during the it’s illustrious 26-year run.
For the first time in this series, I'm examining the nominees for Best Documentary. I've been holding off because the category has nine nominees this year. The Grab leads with four nominations, followed by American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders and Mammals with three each, Hollywood Black, The Sixth, and The Truth vs. Alex Jones, all with two, and The Commandant's Shadow, Queendom, and The Sing Sing Chronicles with just this one. The Grab and American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders are facing off for Outstanding Investigative Documentary, The Sixth leads the nominees for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary, The Truth vs. Alex Jones is contending with Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy at Love Canal for Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary, and Mammals leads the rest of the field without a subject area nomination. That's four more opportunities to examine the nominees, after which I'll make my call.
Follow over the jump for the craft categories for King Coal and Madu I've covered already.
First, an award I examined in 'Apollo 13: Survival' leads nominees for Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards for Wayback Wednesday.
Like Outstanding Sound – Documentary, Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story is the most nominated member of the field for Outstanding Writing – Documentary with six nominations. King Coal follows with three. The Space Race is tied with Join or Die and The Night Won't End at two apiece. I'll have at least three more opportunities to examine this field, but my preliminary pick is Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story.King Coal might be more beautifully written than Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story, so I'm not counting it out, but I still have the latter penciled in.
I conclude with two categories I covered in 'Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story' leads nominees for Outstanding Nature Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards.
In addition to Our Living World, the nominees for Outstanding Cinematography Documentary are King Coal, Mammals, and Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough follow with three each, then Earthsounds with two, and "Lions of the Skeleton Coast" from Nature with just this one. All of them are nature or environmental documentaries, even King Coal, which is nominated for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary, so like the nominees for nature documentaries, I can recommend them to my students. Welcome to blogging as professional development. All of them are beautifully shot, so I think King Coal might benefit from being the most different. I'll revisit this when I look at all of their trailers.On the other hand, Mammals has a nomination for Best Documentary. That might count for something, all else being equal.
In addition to Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story, the nominees for Outstanding Direction Documentary are Frida and Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy at Love Canal with three nominations, followed by Daughters and Madu with two nominations. Right now, I have Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story penciled in, but Daughters also earned six nominations Critics Choice Documentary Awards and Frida earned two, so I'll re-examine my choice when I examine them.Madu's directors definitely deserve their nomination, but Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story's BAFTA TV Award for Director, Factual makes it the favorite.
Stay tuned for a post I can share next month. It might not be about the News & Doc Emmy Awards, so come back tomorrow to find out.
Previous posts about the 46th News & Doc Emmy Awards
- 'Apollo 13: Survival' leads nominees for Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards for Wayback Wednesday
- 'Tsunami: Race Against Time' leads nominees for Outstanding Historical Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards for Throwback Thursday
- 'Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story' leads nominees for Outstanding Nature Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards
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