The Solzy Awards for Documentaries in 2022 honor the best of the documentary films that were released during the past year.

I’m a member of the Critics Choice Association’s Documentary Branch so I’ve had to watch a lot of documentaries this year. This would have run sooner but there were some additional documentaries that I needed to watch before publishing. One of them was a three-part documentary that I put off until I could give it my undivided attention despite the emotional toll that it would take in viewing the film.

Best Documentaries of the Year

1. Good Night Oppy
2. The U.S. and the Holocaust
3. Groucho and Cavett
4. If These Walls Could Sing
5. “Sr.”
6. George Carlin’s American Dream
7. A Tree of Life
8. Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen
9. Descendant
10. Sidney
11. Fire of Love
12. The Redeem Team
13. Lucy and Desi
14. Aftershock

Best Documentary Feature: Good Night Oppy

Best Documentary Series: The U.S. and the Holocaust

Best Director: Ryan White, Good Night Oppy

Best First Documentary Feature (Tie): Mary McCartney, If These Walls Could Sing; Amy Poehler, Lucy and Desi

Best Editing: Helen Kearns, Good Night Oppy; Joe Beshenkovsky, George Carlin’s American Dream

Best Score: Blake Neely, Good Night Oppy

Best Narration: Good Night Oppy, Written by Ryan White & Helen Kearns; Performed by Angela Bassett

Best Archival Documentary (TIE): Groucho and Cavett, Fire of Live

Best Comedy Documentary (TIE): Groucho and Cavett, George Carlin’s American Dream

Best Historical Documentary: The U.S. and the Holocaust

Best Biographical Documentary (Tie): “Sr.”, George Carlin’s American Dream, Sidney, Lucy and Desi

Best Music Documentary: If These Walls Could Sing

Best Political Documentary: Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down

Best Science/Nature Documentary: Good Night Oppy

Best Basketball Documentary: The Redeem Team

Best Baseball Documentary: Say Hey, Willie Mays!

Best LGBTQ Documentary: Framing Agnes

Best Documentary Short: Queer and Frum

Festival Favorites

• It Ain’t Over
• The Conspiracy
• The Grab

The Solzy Awards for Film in 2022 will run later this year.

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