2021 Documentary Nominations Shortlist

 The shortlist for the 2021 documentaries is coming on February 9 this year and I have some thoughts as to what I think will make it and what might miss out.

Should Be In:

Time:  The story of a woman's quest to get her husband freed from prison will definitely tug at the heartstrings of Oscar voters.

Dick Johnson is Dead:  Older voters will likely appreciate the subject of a woman coming to the terms of her father's acceptance of mortality.  Younger voters may appreciate that it's done in a light-hearted, but tasteful way.

Welcome to Chechnya:  The story of a group of activists fighting for LGBTQ rights in Chechnya feels like it's a chip off the block of previous nominees.  Plus, the title sounds like something that could make the cut.

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution:  The documentary about a movement to make those with disabilities to feel part of society which snowballed from a small camp outside of Woodstock feels like it should resonate.

Collective:  Newspaper journalism has been getting its share of grief of late with its handling of the pandemic and Trump administration.  Considering Spotlight won Best Picture a few years back on the Boston Globe breaking the story of the Catholic Church covering up pedophilia among priests, this Romanian film exploring the aftermath of a 2015 fire that leads to health care fraud feels like a surefire contender.

Likely to Be In:

76 Days:  This documentary that explores the challenges faced by medical workers and patients in the Wuhan district of China gives me similar vibes to The Cave which made the final five in the documentary category in 2019.  If nothing else, it's timely.

The Painter and the Thief:  The narrative feels like something out of a cross between The Goldfinch and Misery as an artist takes care of the person who stole her paintings.  But it's a true story and I got to admit that the description just grabbed me.  Maybe it'll do the same for voters?

The Dissident:  Another documentary that explores journalism, but this time, it's about the murder of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi and the efforts by his family and dissidents to uncover the truth as well as the coverup by the Saudi government.  This should make the shortlist, you think?

Boys State:  From Apple Plus comes this documentary of a group of Texan teens of various backgrounds who are tasked with creating a government from scratch.  Although there are challenges, odds are good that they can come up with a better form than what we've been getting over in Washington DC for the last few decades.

The Mole Agent:  This Chilean film about a private detective hiring a mole to infiltrate a nursing home to examine for possible signs of abuse feels timely and should have enough support to make the list.

All In: The Fight for Democracy:  And we turn to Amazon for this look at voter suppression and other barriers that try to lessen the likelihood of people voting.  I think this will have enough support to make the shortlist.

I Think They're In:

The Truffle Hunters:  This feels a bit too slight for Oscar contention, but this documentary about the search for the rare white Alba truffle in Italy should probably still make it.

John Lewis:  Good Trouble:  This look at the career of the civil rights activist turned Congressman feels like the sort of story that should garner the support of documentary voters.

A Thousand Cuts:  Timely look at how a president uses social media to spread disinformation.  Trump?  No, it's President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines.

Totally Under Control:  And a second pandemic film is my pick for the last spot.  But this documentary explores the early days of the American pandemic and the government response to it.

The Bubble Has Probably Burst:

The Way I See It:  Maybe a few years ago, a documentary about the White House photographer to Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama would have made the top 5-10.  But this field is fairly deep and I don't think this will make it.

I Am Greta:  This documentary about Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg and her fight for the environment would have probably made the shortlist 3-6 months ago.  But now?  Not so likely.

Rebuilding Paradise:  Ron Howard's documentary of the rebuilding of Paradise, California following the wildfires that devastated the community in 2018 would have gotten traction in a normal year.  But this year hasn't been so normal.

My Octopus Teacher/Athlete A/Circus of Books:  A plethora of riches for Netflix which has potentially 2-3 nominees but could have been 4-5 easily.

MLK/FBI:  Much like Rebuilding Paradise, I think this documentary would have made more noise in a quieter year.

Feels Good Man:  The saga of Pepe and the effort of its lead artist to reclaim it from the alt-right is timely, but a bit too slight to make the field.

Do you agree with the list?  Are there any films that I missed that you think will make the shortlist?