Danielle Solzman
The Solzy Awards for Documentaries in 2024 honor the best of the documentary films that were released during the past year.
Voting in the Critics Choice Documentary Awards means that I watch a lot of documentary films annually. A number of docs that I watched this year qualify under essential viewing in my book. Unfortunately, too many filmmakers had to self-distribute their October 7 docs on YouTube or Vimeo because distributors view them as being “too political.” Are we now at a point in which people look at Jewish lives as being political? It’s bad enough that I have to deal with my transness being considered political by some–it’s not but the alternative to living is being six feet under. Is that what they really want? But I digress.
There are also many music documentaries this year that it is so hard to choose just one! John Williams gets a long-overdue documentary. Thom Zimny and Bruce Springsteen are back at it again. The Beach Boys, too. Oh yeah, The Beatles are also the focus of another documentary revisiting the 1964 U.S. visit. This doesn’t even begin to get me started on the likes of Jon Bon Jovi and more.
I also have a special category this year to honor the many October 7 docs. I went into my awards thinking that I would not name an outright winner because they are all important in and of themselves. That said, October H8te moved me in a way that I didn’t expect, probably because of how it had more of an American focus on antisemitism more so than just October 7. All of these films need to get in front of non-Jews but that just goes without saying.
Documentary Feature (TIE): October H8te, Music by John Williams
Archival Documentary: Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Actor Documentary (TIE): Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, Remembering Gene Wilder, STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces
Comedy Documentary: Will & Harper
Baseball Documentary: Charlie Hustle & the Matter of Pete Rose
Will This Be The Film That Ends Benjamin Netanyahu’s Career Documentary: The Bibi Files
World War II/Holocaust Era Documentary: Nazi Town, USA
Military Documentary: The Blue Angels
Music Documentary
- 1960s-1970s (TIE): The Beach Boys, Beatles ’64
- 2020s: Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band
- Composer: Music by John Williams
Political Documentary (TIE): From Russia with Lev; Stopping the Steal; Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid
LGBTQ Documentary (TIE): Will & Harper, Chasing Chasing Amy
Best Anniversary Remaster: One Hand Clapping
Unreleased Festival Documentary But It Is Coming Out in 2025: The Last Republican
Unreleased Festival Movie of 2022 That STILL Really Needs A Distributor This Instant and More Eyeballs On It Because Antisemitism Is Way Too High Right Now: The Conspiracy
Essential October 7 Documentaries
- Screams Before Silence
- We Will Dance Again
- #NOVA
- Supernova: The Music Festival Massacre
- The Killing Roads
- Echoes of Loss: Eight Days in Israel
- Beyond October 7th
- October H8te
The rest of the Solzy Awards for film will be announced in mid-to-late December.
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