Each year the Academy whittles down their documentary Oscar contenders to a list of 15 from which they will choose the 5 nominations. The list of 15 for this year are:

At the Death House Door by Steve James
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon) by Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh by Roberta Grossman
Encounters at the End of the World by Werner Herzog
Fuel by Josh Tickell
The Garden by Scott Hamilton Kennedy
Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts by Scott Hicks
I.O.U.S.A. by Patrick Creadon
In a Dream by Jeremiah Zagar
Made in America by Stacy Peralta
Man on Wire by James Marsh
Pray the Devil Back to Hell by Gini Reticker
Standard Operating Procedure by Errol Morris
They Killed Sister Dorothy by Daniel Junge
Trouble the Water by Tia Lessin and Carol Deal

Congratulations to all, but particularly Daniel Junge, Jeremiah Zagar, Patrick Creadon, PJ Raval, Tia Lessin and Thavi Phrasavath.

Cynthia Wade for Freeheld and Alex Gibney for Taxi to the Dark Side – Congrats!

Best documentary feature

“No End in Sight” (Magnolia Pictures)
A Representational Pictures Production
Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs

“Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience” (The Documentary Group)
A Documentary Group Production
Richard E. Robbins

“Sicko” (Lionsgate and The Weinstein Company)
A Dog Eat Dog Films Production
Michael Moore and Meghan O’Hara

“Taxi to the Dark Side” (THINKFilm)
An X-Ray Production
Alex Gibney and Eva Orner

“War/Dance” (THINKFilm)
A Shine Global and Fine Films Production
Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine

Best documentary short subject

“Freeheld”
A Lieutenant Films Production
Cynthia Wade and Vanessa Roth

“La Corona (The Crown)”
A Runaway Films and Vega Films Production
Amanda Micheli and Isabel Vega

“Salim Baba”
A Ropa Vieja Films and Paradox Smoke Production
Tim Sternberg and Francisco Bello

“Sari’s Mother” (Cinema Guild)
A Daylight Factory Production
James Longley

Whole list of nominees>>