The Film Panel Notetaker

By Liz Nord | Twitter @lizfilm

The documentary community was out in full force at last night’s Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Filmmaking : from rising stars like Kristi Jacobson, who is heading to Sundance with her film Finding North next week; to household names like Michael Moore; to doc pioneers who’ve inspired us all like Al Maysles and Fred Wiseman.

And what a community it is! The spirit of camaraderie in the room was palpable, and was commented upon by several presenters.  The evening was hosted by charismatic Cinema Eye Honors co-chairs AJ Schnack and Esther Robinson. They fostered this sense of community by sharing personal anecdotes throughout the evening and reminding the audience why the awards were founded in the first place: to honor the countless hours spent by often unsung documentary producers, directors, shooters, and editors in the name of helping us better understand our world.

The crowd shared appreciative laughter when one presenter commented on the difference between doc-makers and Hollywood producers: “We fly Greyhound.”  There were also some surprisingly touching moments, like when Tim Hetherington’s mother accepted his award for the short film Diary.  Tim, a photojournalist who was killed while covering the Libyan conflict last year, was beloved by many in the room. Danfung Dennis, director of Hell and Back Again, addressed Mrs. Hetherington in his acceptance speech for the Cinematography prize, sharing that “Tim was our Prince.”

Another emotional highlight was the appearance of Jason Baldwin at the podium. Baldwin is one protagonist of the Paradise Lost documentary trilogy, which covered his wrongful imprisonment as a teenager. Baldwin and the other two men featured in the films were finally released last year after 18 years in prison, a testament to the power of documentary films for advocacy and awareness. Filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky joined Baldwin on stage to receive the “Hell Yeah!” Award, created specifically to honor their films’ achievements.

Esther Robinson summed up the crowd’s feelings as she wiped away tears after Mrs. Hetherington and the Paradise Lost crew’s appearances: “This is not abstract. This is about real people I respect, making work that moves me, and I am humbled.”

Many excellent films were recognized, but the top prize of the night went to Steve James and his team for The Interrupters. Check out the trailer here:

P.S. A big congratulations to our very own Chief Notetaker, Brian Geldin, who served as press liaison for the event and did us all proud!