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Meet the Nominees: Documentary

February 2, 2019

71st Annual DGA Awards

On February 1, DGA members enjoyed the 2019 edition of the Meet the Nominees: Documentary event in the Guild’s Los Angeles Theater. Following a welcome from DGA Secretary-Treasurer Michael Apted, DGA Documentary Host Committee Co-Chairs James Moll and Lucy Walker, who served as moderators of the event, introduced the 2018 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Award nominees: Morgan Neville (Won’t You Be My Neighbor?), RaMell Ross (Hale County This Morning, This Evening), Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin (Free Solo), Tim Wardle (Three Identical Strangers) and Betsy West & Julie Cohen (RBG). Illustrated by clips from each film, the nominees joined Moll and Walker in a lively and entertaining conversation about their work.

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

Pictures & Video

photos by Elisa Haber

View slideshow
Watch Highlight
HIGHLIGHT: Director Morgan Neville shares what drew him to make Won’t You Be My Neighbor about Fred Rogers and why he felt it was an "anti-nostalgic" film.
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HIGHLIGHT: Director RaMell Ross explains his approach to representing the community depicted in Hale County This Morning, This Evening in a responsible and respectful way.
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HIGHLIGHT: Directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin open up about their unique relationship with the subject of Free Solo, Alex Honnold, and speak about their conversations with him about embarking on his journey.
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HIGHLIGHT: Director Tim Wardle talks about why he structured the story of the film around the perspective of the subjects depicted in Three Identical Strangers.
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HIGHLIGHT: Directors Betsy West & Julie Cohen recount a scene in RBG where they showed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg a clip of Kate McKinnon's impersonation of her on Saturday Night Live.
2018 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Award nominees RaMell Ross (Hale County This Morning, This Evening), Morgan Neville (Won’t You Be My Neighbor?), Betsy West & Julie Cohen (RBG), Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin (Free Solo), and Tim Wardle (Three Identical Strangers).
DGA Documentary Host Committee Co-Chair James Moll (moderator), 2018 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Award nominees RaMell Ross (Hale County This Morning, This Evening), Morgan Neville (Won’t You Be My Neighbor?), Betsy West & Julie Cohen (RBG), Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin (Free Solo), and Tim Wardle (Three Identical Strangers), DGA Documentary Host Committee Co-Chair Lucy Walker (moderator), and DGA Secretary-Treasurer Michael Apted.
DGA Secretary-Treasurer Michael Apted welcomes the audience to the Meet the Nominees: Documentary event in the Guild’s Los Angeles Theater.
DGA Documentary Host Committee Co-Chairs Lucy Walker and James Moll introduce the nominees.
Documentary Nominees nominees: Morgan Neville (Won’t You Be My Neighbor?), RaMell Ross (Hale County This Morning, This Evening), Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin (Free Solo), Tim Wardle (Three Identical Strangers) and Betsy West & Julie Cohen (RBG) join Documentary Host Committee Co-Chairs Lucy Walker and James Moll on the stage.
Nominee Morgan Neville speaks about the joys of making Won’t You Be My Neighbor? a film about the impact of Fred Rogers and his show, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.
Nominee RaMell Ross explains why he was drawn to make Hale County This Morning, This Evening.
Nominee Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi speaks about her collaboration with Jimmy Chin on Free Solo.
Nominee Jimmy Chin reveals the lengths he and nominee Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi went to in the making of Free Solo.
Nominee Tim Wardle amuses the panel with a story from the making of Three Identical Strangers.
Nominee Betsy West reveals why she and Julie Cohen were inspired to make a film about U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Nominee Julie Cohen speaks about her collaboration with nominee Betsy West in the making of RBG.
DGA Documentary Host Committee Co-Chairs Lucy Walker and James Moll (moderators) listen to the answer to a question from one of the nominees.
DGA members and guests learn about the making of these honored films at the Meet the Nominees: Documentary event.
DGA Documentary Host Committee members Ondi Timoner and Lauren Greenfield listen as the nominees speak about their films.
DGA members and guests enjoy the reception following the Meet the Nominees: Documentary event
Nominee Julie Cohen chats with a guest during the post event reception.
Hale County This Morning, This Evening Producer Joslyn Barnes chats with nominee Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi during the post event reception.
Nominee RaMell Ross chats with a guest during the post event reception.
Nominee Morgan Neville chats with 2000 Documentary Award-winner Chuck Braverman during the post event reception.
2018 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Award nominees: Morgan Neville (Won’t You Be My Neighbor?), RaMell Ross (Hale County This Morning, This Evening), Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin (Free Solo), Tim Wardle (Three Identical Strangers) and Betsy West & Julie Cohen (RBG) pose with members of the DGA Documentary Host Committee which includes Co-Chairs James Moll and Lucy Walker and Directors June Beallor, Lesley Chilcott, Patrick Creadon, Kief Davidson, Lauren Greenfield, Michele Ohayon, Ondi Timoner and Marina Zenovich.