• Facebook Share
  • Twitter Share

Meet the Nominees: Documentary

February 3, 2018

70th Annual DGA Awards

On February 2, DGA members enjoyed the 2018 edition of the Meet the Nominees: Documentary event in the Guild’s Los Angeles Theater. The evening opened with a welcome DGA Documentary Awards Committee Co-Chairs James Moll and Lucy Walker. Then 2017 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Award nominees: Bryan Fogel (Icarus), Matthew Heineman (City of Ghosts), Steve James (Abacus: Small Enough to Jail) and Lynn Novick (The Vietnam War) joined Moll and Walker on the stage to discuss the making of their films, illustrated by clips from each.

The event was followed by a reception where the nominees mingled with DGA members and guests. Nominees Ken Burns (The Vietnam War) and Errol Morris (Wormwood) were unable to attend the event.

You can watch the full panel by clicking the video below.

Pictures & Video

photos by Elisa Haber

View slideshow
Watch Highlight
HIGHLIGHT: Matthew Heineman speaks about the necessary element of trust between documentarian and subject within a specific scene in City of Ghosts.
Watch Highlight
HIGHLIGHT: Bryan Fogel recounts the initial focus of his documentary Icarus and how it shifted once he discovered another scandal within the sports world.
Watch Highlight
HIGHLIGHT: Lynn Novick talks about her and Ken Burns’ intention to present multiple perspectives on events within their film The Vietnam War.
Watch Highlight
HIGHLIGHT: Steve James shares why he believes that humor is a key component to making a documentary and lends depth to the characters within the story of Abacus: Small Enough to Jail.
Watch Highlight
INTRODUCTION: DGA Associate Western Executive Director Lisa Layer and DGA Documentary Awards Committee Co-Chairs James Moll and Lucy Walker give remarks and introduce the nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary.
Documentary Committee Co-Chair James Moll, Documentary Award Nominees Steve James (Abacus: Small Enough to Jail), Bryan Fogel (Icarus), Lynn Novick (The Vietnam War) and Matthew Heineman (City of Ghosts) and Committee Co-Chair Lucy Walker.
DGA Documentary Awards Committee Co-Chairs James Moll and Lucy Walker welcome the audience and introduce the nominees.
Documentary Nominees nominees: Lynn Novick (The Vietnam War), Bryan Fogel (Icarus), Matthew Heineman (City of Ghosts), and Steve James (Abacus: Small Enough to Jail) join Documentary Awards Committee Co-Chairs James Moll and Lucy Walker (far left) on the stage.
Nominee Bryan Fogel speaks about the challenges of making Icarus.
Nominee Lynn Novick speaks about how she and Director Ken Burns found a new way to tell the story of one of America ’s most controversial conflicts in The Vietnam War.
Nominee Steve James explains why he was drawn to make Abacus: Small Enough to Jail.
Nominee Matthew Heineman reveals some of the lengths he went to in the making of City of Ghosts.
Documentary Awards Committee Co-Chair Lucy Walker asks a question.
Documentary Awards Committee Co-Chair James Moll asks a question.
DGA members and guests learn about the making of the DGA Award-nominated documentaries.
DGA members and guests enjoy the reception following the Meet the Nominees: Documentaries event.
Nominees Matthew Heineman and Steve James chat with a guest following the Meet the Nominees: Documentaries event.
Nominee Bryan Fogel (right) chats with a guest during the post event reception.
Nominee Lynn Novick chats with Documentary Awards Committee Co-Chair Lucy Walker.
The nominees pose with members of the Documentary Host Committee: June Beallor, Ondi Timoner, Committee Co-Chair James Moll (moderator), nominees Steve James (Abacus: Small Enough to Jail), Bryan Fogel (Icarus), Lynn Novick (The Vietnam War) and Matthew Heineman (City of Ghosts), Committee Co-Chair Lucy Walker (moderator) and Patrick Creadon.