Meet the Nominees: Documentary

February 6, 2016

68th Annual DGA Awards

On February 5, DGA members enjoyed the 2016 edition of the Meet the Nominees: Documentary event in the Guild’s Los Angeles Theater One. The evening opened with an introduction by DGA Past President/Secretary Treasurer Michael Apted. The DGA’s 2015 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Award nominees: Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (Meru), Liz Garbus (What Happened, Miss Simone?), Alex Gibney (Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief), Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land), and Asif Kapadia (Amy) joined DGA Documentary Awards Committee Chair James Moll on the stage to discuss the making of their films, illustrated by clips from each.

The event was followed by a reception where DGA members and guests could mingle with the nominees.

See photo gallery below.

Pictures & Video

photos by Shane Karns

View slideshow

FULL TALK (1:04:03): Moderator James Moll leads a discussion with this year's nominees about the process of making their films.

DGA Secretary-Treasurer Michael Apted and Moderator James Moll welcome the audience and speak about the craft of the documentary director.

DGA Past President/Secretary Treasurer Michael Apted, 2015 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Award nominees Asif Kapadia (Amy), Liz Garbus (What Happened, Miss Simone?), Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (Meru), Alex Gibney (Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief), Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land) and DGA Documentary Awards Committee Chair James Moll.

DGA members check in for the 2016 edition of the Meet the Nominees: Documentary event.

DGA Past President/Secretary Treasurer Michael Apted welcomes the audience.

DGA Documentary Awards Committee Chair James Moll speaks about the genre.

DGA Documentary Awards Committee Chair James Moll (moderator) and Nominees Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Liz Garbus, Alex Gibney, Matthew Heineman, and Asif Kapadia take the stage to discuss the making of their films.

Nominee Asif Kapadia discusses why he was drawn to make Amy.

Nominees Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi recall a humorous instance from the making of their documentary Meru.

Nominee Liz Garbus speaks about diving into the life of the musical icon in the making of What Happened, Miss Simone?

Nominee Alex Gibney’s Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief takes on the powers behind the church.

Nominee Matthew Heineman’s Cartel Land examines the Mexican Drug War along the US-Mexico border and the vigilante groups fighting the criminal organizations.