written by Cristina Pina, The Hollywood Reporter
National Geographic’s The First Wave took home the top award at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards in New York City on Thursday.
Matthew Heineman’s documentary details the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic in NYC, as healthcare workers at Long Island Jewish Medical Center risked their lives in the epic battle to keep the virus at bay.
Presenters at the Documentary ceremony included Frontline’s Tamara Shogaolu, In the Shadow of 9/11 and Four Hours at the Capitol’s Dan Reed, The Rescue‘s Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, Pray Away‘s Kristine Stolakis and Vice News’ Alzo Slade. Featuring cinematography by Ian Seabrook, CSC.
Biologist and filmmaker Sir David Attenborough received the Lifetime Achievement honors at the ceremony, which was presented to him by Louie Schwartzberg, the award-winning cinematographer, time-lapse photographer and documentarian. Dame Judi Dench also appeared via video to celebrate Attenborough.
“What a journey we have all traveled to get us here tonight,” said Adam Sharp, NATAS President & CEO. “As indicated by our record-breaking number of documentaries this year, the breadth and scope of the work nominated tonight has revealed that in spite of the difficult circumstances of the last few years, the talent, innovation and sheer passion exhibited by the professionals we honor this evening has never been higher.”
See the full winners list below.
Best Documentary
FRONTLINE PBS
A Thousand Cuts
FRONTLINE in Partnership with ProPublica and Berkeley Journalism’s PBS
Investigative Reporting Program
American Insurrection
HBO Documentary Films HBO
Four Hours at the Capitol
HBO Documentary Films HBO
A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks
HBO Documentary Films HBO
Obama: In Search of a More Perfect Union
HBO Documentary Films HBO
In the Same Breath
MSNBC Films MSNBC
Paper and Glue
The First Wave Hulu (WINNER)
The Line Apple TV+
The Rescue National Geographic
Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary
137 Shots Netflix
Convergence: Courage in a Crisis Netflix
FRONTLINE PBS
China’s COVID Secrets
FRONTLINE In Partnership with ProPublica and Berkeley Journalism’s PBS
Investigative Reporting Program
American Insurrection
HBO Documentary Films HBO
In the Same Breath
The Rescue National Geographic (WINNER)
Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary
3212 Un-Redacted ABC
HBO Documentary Films HBO
Obama: In Search of as More Perfect Union
HBO Max HBO
A La Calle
POV PBS
Mayor (WINNER)
Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror Netflix
Outstanding Social Issue Documentary
CNN Films CNN
Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street
End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock Fuse
FRONTLINE PBS
A Thousand Cuts (WINNER)
MSNBC Films MSNBC
In the Dark of the Valley
Pray Away Netflix
The New York Times Presents FX
To Live and Die in Alabama
Outstanding Investigative Documentary
Assassins Starz
FRONTLINE PBS
Escaping Eritrea
FRONTLINE PBS
In the Shadow of 9/11
HBO Documentary Films HBO
The Forever Prisoner (WINNER)
The Line Apple TV+
Outstanding Historical Documentary
9/11: One Day in America National Geographic (WINNER)
Desert One History Channel
Downing of a Flag PBS
POV: The Neutral Ground PBS
The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song PBS
Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary
HBO Documentary Films HBO
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (WINNER)
HBO Documentary Films HBO
A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks
MSNBC Films MSNBC
Paper and Glue
The One and Only Dick Gregory Showtime
The Real Charlie Chaplin Showtime
Outstanding Science and Technology DocumentaryThe Hunt for Planet B CNN Films CNN (WINNER)
Down to Earth: The Astronaut’s Perspective NASA TV
Fathom Apple TV+
Coded Bias Independent Lens PBS
Picture a Scientist NOVA PBS
Outstanding Nature Documentary
Lucy The Human Chimp HBO/HBO Max
Nature PBS
The Elephant and the Termite
Nature PBS
My Garden of a Thousand Bees
Playing with Sharks Disney+
Puff: Wonders of the Reef Netflix (WINNER)
Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary
FRONTLINE and Chasing the Dream PBS
The Power of the Fed
Independent Lens PBS
Storm Lake
Local, USA WORLD Channel
Entangled
Vice News Vice
The Big Squeeze
WeWork: or The Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn Hulu (WINNER)
Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary
Buried Showtime
HBO Documentary Films HBO
Life of Crime 1984-2020 (WINNER)
HBO Documentary Films HBO
The Murders at Starved Rock
HBO Documentary Films HBO
The Slow Hustle
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller National Geographic
Outstanding Short Documentary
A Broken House The New Yorker
HBO Documentary Films HBO
The Last Cruise
Op-Docs The New York Times
Takeover
Through Our Eyes: Apart HBO/HBO Max (WINNER)
Through Our Eyes: Shelter HBO/HBO Max
Outstanding Interactive Media
Alchemy Immersive Oculus TV
Kingdom of Plants with David Attenborough
Alchemy Immersive Oculus TV
David Attenborough’s First Life
CNN Visuals CNN
Assault on Democracy: Paths to the Insurrection
Re-Educated The New Yorker (WINNER)
The New York Times Opinion Video The New York Times
Postcards from a World on Fire
Outstanding Interactive Media: Innovation
FRONTLINE PBS
Un(re)solved (WINNER)
Goliath: Playing with Reality Oculus
Inaccessible Cities AJ Contrast / Al Jazeera Digital
POV POV
The Changing Same: American Pilgrimage
What the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Destroyed The New York Times
Outstanding Writing: Documentary
9/11: One Day in America National Geographic
HBO Documentary Films HBO
The Forever Prisoner
Nature PBS
The Elephant and the Termite (WINNER)
The Rescue National Geographic
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller National Geographic
Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller National Geographic
Romance Scams
Outstanding Research: Documentary
9/11: I Was There History Channel
9/11: One Day in America National Geographic
HBO Documentary Films HBO
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
Independent Lens PBS
Cured
The Rescue National Geographic (WINNER)
Outstanding Direction: Documentary
HBO Documentary Films HBO
In the Same Breath
Director: Nanfu Wang
HBO Documentary Films HBO
Simple As Water
Director: Megan Mylan
Misha and the Wolves Netflix
Director: Sam Hobkinson
The First Wave Hulu
Director: Matthew Heineman
The Rescue National Geographic
Directors: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin (WINNER)
Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary
Buried Showtime
Nature PBS
Pumas: Legends of the Ice Mountains
Nature PBS
The Elephant and the Termite
Puff: Wonders of the Reef Netflix
The First Wave Hulu (WINNER)
The Reason I Jump Netflix
Outstanding Editing: Documentary
9/11: Inside the President’s War Room Apple TV+
HBO Documentary Films HBO
A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks
HBO Documentary Films HBO
Four Hours at the Capitol
The First Wave Hulu (WINNER)
Vice News Vice
Toxic Pigs of Fukushima
Outstanding Graphic Design and Art Direction: Documentary
Camp Confidential: America’s Secret Nazis Netflix
CNN Films CNN
Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street (WINNER)
Coded: The Hidden Love of J.C. Leyendecker MTV Documentary Films
Gossip Showtime
