With the war still raging in Ukraine, the membership of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made their feelings on the matter one for the history books. In a year of incredible documentaries, the Oscars handed their Best Documentary prize to “Navalny,” a portrait of Russian opposition leader Alexi Navalny. Currently imprisoned by the Russian government, the Oscar was accepted by director Daniel Roher and Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalny.
“Navalny” also became the 18th world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival to win the Best Documentary prize. The first was “American Dream” in 1991. The last was “Summer of Love: (…Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” just 12 months ago. Three other nominees this year, Shaunak Sek’s “All That Breathes,” Sara Dosa’s “Fire of Love” and Simon Lereng Wilmont‘s “A House Made of Splinters” also debuted at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.
The other nominated film this year was Laura Poitras’ deserving “All The Beauty and All The Bloodshed.“
Critically acclaimed, Roher’s film took the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary and the Producers Guild of America honor for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures.