Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject)
Every winner and nominee of the Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject) since 1942, newest first.
2026π Winner
Joshua Seftel
All the Empty Rooms4 nominees
Nominees (4)
2025π Winner
Molly O'Brien
The Only Girl in the Orchestra4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Ema Ryan Yamazaki, Eric NyariInstruments of a Beating HeartNominee
Bill Morrison, Jamie KalvenIncidentNominee
Smriti Mundhra, Maya GnypI Am Ready, WardenNominee2024π Winner
Kris Bowers
The Last Repair Shop4 nominees
Nominees (4)
S. Leo Chiang, Jean TsienIsland in BetweenNominee
Sheila Nevins, Trish AdlesicThe ABCs of Book BanningNominee2023π Winner
Kartiki Gonsalves
The Elephant Whisperers4 nominees
Nominees (4)
2022π Winner
Ben Proudfoot
The Queen of Basketball4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Pedro Kos, Jon ShenkLead Me HomeNominee
Matthew OgensAudibleNominee2021π Winner
Anthony Giacchino
Colette4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Anders HammerDo Not SplitNominee
Skye FitzgeraldHunger WardNominee2020π WinnerCarol Dysinger
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)4 nominees
π WinnerCarol Dysinger, Elena AndreichevaLearning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) (2020)
Nominees (4)
Laura NixWalk Run Cha-ChaNominee
Yi Seung-junIn the AbsenceNominee2019π Winner
Rayka Zehtabchi
Period. End of Sentence.4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Rob Epstein, Jeffrey FriedmanEnd GameNominee
Skye FitzgeraldLifeboatNominee
Ed PerkinsBlack SheepNominee2018π Winner
Frank Stiefel
Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 4054 nominees
Nominees (4)
Elaine McMillion Sheldon, Kerrin SheldonHeroin(e)Nominee
Kate Davis, David HeilbronerTraffic StopNominee
Laura Checkoway, Thomas Lee WrightEdith+EddieNominee
Thomas LennonKnife SkillsNominee2017π Winner
Orlando von Einsiedel
The White Helmets4 nominees
Nominees (4)
2016π Winner
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness4 nominees
π WinnerThe White Helmets
Nominees (4)
Adam BenzineClaude Lanzmann: Spectres of the ShoahNominee
David Darg, Bryn MooserBody Team 12Nominee
Courtney Marsh, Jerry FranckChau, Beyond the LinesNominee
Dee Hibbert-Jones, Nomi TalismanLast Day of FreedomNominee2015π WinnerEllen Goosenberg Kent
Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 14 nominees
Nominees (4)
2014π WinnerMalcolm Clarke
The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Jason CohenFacing FearNominee
Jeffrey KaroffCavediggerNominee
Edgar BarensPrison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack HallNominee2013π Winner
Andrea Nix Fine
Inocente4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Sari Gilman, Jedd WiderKings PointNominee
Kief Davidson, Cori Shepherd SternOpen HeartNominee
Cynthia Wade, Robin HonanMondays at RacineNominee
Jon Alpert, Matthew O'NeillRedemptionNominee2012π WinnerDaniel Junge
Saving Face4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Rebecca Cammisa, Julie AndersonGod Is the Bigger ElvisNominee
Robin Fryday, Gail DolginThe Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights MovementNominee
Lucy Walker, Kira CarstensenThe Tsunami and the Cherry BlossomNominee2011π Winner
Kirk Simon
Strangers No More4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Ruby Yang, Thomas LennonThe Warriors of QiugangNominee
Mitchell Block, Sara NessonPoster GirlNomineeJennifer Redfearn, Tim MetzgerSun Come UpNominee
2010π Winner
Roger Ross Williams
Music by Prudence4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Daniel Junge, Henry AnsbacherThe Last Campaign of Governor Booth GardnerNominee
Bartosz Konopka, Anna WydraRabbit Γ la BerlinNominee2009π WinnerMegan Mylan
Smile Pinki3 nominees
Nominees (3)
Adam Pertofsky, Margaret HydeThe Witness from the Balcony of Room 306Nominee
Irene Taylor, Tom GrantThe Final InchNominee2008π WinnerCynthia Wade
Freeheld3 nominees
Nominees (3)
Tim Sternberg, Francisco BelloSalim BabaNominee
James LongleySari's MotherNomineeAmanda Micheli, Isabel VegaThe CrownNominee
2007π WinnerRuby Yang
The Blood of Yingzhou District3 nominees
Nominees (3)
Leslie Iwerks, Mike GladRecycled LifeNominee
Nathaniel Kahn, Susan Rose BehrTwo Hands: The Leon Fleisher StoryNominee2006π WinnerCorinne Marrinan
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin3 nominees
2005π Winner
Robert Houston
Mighty Times: The Children's March4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Gerardine WurzburgAutism Is a WorldNominee
Hanna Polak, Andrzej CeliΕskiThe Children of LeningradskyNominee
Erin Faith Young, Hubert DavisHardwoodNominee
2004π WinnerMaryann DeLeo
Chernobyl Heart2 nominees
Nominees (2)
Ferry TalesNominee
Sandy McLeod, Gini RetickerAsylumNominee2003π WinnerRobert Port
Twin Towers3 nominees
Nominees (3)
Roger Weisberg, Murray NosselWhy Can't We Be a Family Again?Nominee
Robert Houston, Robert HudsonMighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa ParksNominee2002π Winner
Sarah Kernochan
Thoth2 nominees
Nominees (2)
Jessica Sanders, Freida Lee MockSing!Nominee
Lianne Klapper-McNallyArtists and Orphans: A True DramaNominee2001π WinnerTracy Seretean
Big Mama4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Charles BravermanCurtain CallNominee
Greg MacGillivray, Alec LorimoreDolphinsNominee
Eric Simonson, Leelai DemozOn Tiptoe: Gentle Steps to FreedomNominee
2000π Winner
Susan Hannah HadaryKing Gimp2 nominees
1999π WinnerKeiko Ibi
The Personals: Improvisations on Romance in the Golden Years2 nominees
1998π WinnerDonna Dewey
A Story of Healing4 nominees
Nominees (4)
George Casey, Paul NovrosAlaska: Spirit of the WildNominee
Kieth Merrill, Jonathan SternAmazonNominee1997π Winner
Jessica Yu
Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Bayley Silleck, Jeffrey MarvinCosmic VoyageNominee
Ben Burtt, Susanne SimpsonSpecial Effects: Anything Can HappenNominee1996π WinnerKary Antholis
One Survivor Remembers4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Nancy Dine, Richard StilwellJim Dine: A Self-Portrait on the WallsNominee
Greg MacGillivray, Alec LorimoreThe Living SeaNominee
1995π Winner
Charles Guggenheim
A Time for Justice4 nominees
Nominees (4)
1994π WinnerMargaret Lazarus
Defending Our Lives2 nominees
Nominees (2)
Elaine Holliman, Jason SchneiderChicks in White SatinNominee
Peter Spirer, Steven CantorBlood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally MannNominee1993
Geoffrey O'ConnorAt the Edge of Conquest: The Journey of Chief Wai-Wai1 nominee
Nominees (1)
Geoffrey O'ConnorAt the Edge of Conquest: The Journey of Chief Wai-WaiNominee1992π WinnerDebra Chasnoff
Deadly Deception: General Electric, Nuclear Weapons and Our Environment2 nominees
π WinnerDebra ChasnoffDeadly Deception: General Electric, Nuclear Weapons and Our Environment (1991)
Nominees (2)
Eric ValliBirdnesters of ThailandNominee
Bill CouturiΓ©Memorial: Letters from American SoldiersNominee1991π Winner
Steven OkazakiDays of Waiting: The Life & Art of Estelle Ishigo2 nominees
1990π WinnerCharles Guggenheim
The Johnstown Flood
1989π WinnerMalcolm Clarke
You Don't Have to Die4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Lise Yasui, Ann TegnellA Family GatheringNominee
Meg Partridge, Nancy HalePortrait of ImogenNominee1988π WinnerSue Marx
Young at Heart4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Frank Daniel, Izak Ben-MeirIn the Wee Wee Hours...Nominee
Lynn MuellerSilver Into GoldNominee
Megan WilliamsLanguage Says It AllNominee1986π WinnerDavid Goodman
Witness to War: Dr. Charlie Clements4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Jim Wolpaw, Michael CrowleyKeats and His Nightingale: A Blind DateNominee
Alan EdelsteinThe Wizard of the StringsNominee1985π WinnerMarjorie Hunt
The Stone Carvers4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Ben Achtenberg, Joan SawyerCode Gray: Ethical Dilemmas in NursingNomineeGary Bush, Paul T.K. LinThe Children of Soong Ching LingNominee
Lawrence Hott, Roger ShermanThe Garden of EdenNominee1984π WinnerCynthia Scott
Flamenco at 5:154 nominees
Nominees (4)
Dea Brokman, Ilene LandisYou Are FreeNominee
Arthur DongSewing WomanNominee1983π WinnerEdward Le Lorrain
If You Love This Planet4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Robert RichterGods of MetalNominee
John G. AvildsenTraveling HopefullyNominee
Freida Lee MockTo Live or Let DieNominee1982π WinnerNigel NobleClose Harmony2 nominees
1981π WinnerRoland HallΓ©
Karl Hess: Toward Liberty3 nominees
Nominees (3)
Jorge PrelorΓ‘n, Richard HawkinsLuther Metke at 94Nominee
John Watson, Pen DenshamDon't Mess with BillNominee1980π WinnerSaul J. Turell
Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist2 nominees
Nominees (2)
Phillip BorsosNailsNomineeJames R. MessengerKoryo CeladonNominee
1979π WinnerJacqueline Phillips Shedd
The Flight of the Gossamer Condor1 nominee
Nominees (1)
Jerry AronsonThe Divided Trail: A Native American OdysseyNominee
1978π WinnerJohn C. Joseph
Gravity Is My Enemy4 nominees
Nominees (4)
James R. Messenger, Paul RaimondiOf Time, Tombs and TreasuresNominee
Moctesuma EsparzaAgueda Martinez: Our People, Our CountryNominee
Douglas GordonThe Shetland ExperienceNominee1977π Winner
Lynne LittmanNumber Our Days2 nominees
1976π Winner
Robin LehmanThe End of the Game3 nominees
Nominees (3)
Barrie Howells, Michael J.F. ScottWhistling SmithNominee
Kristine Samuelson, Jon ElseArthur and LillieNomineeGeorge CaseyProbes in SpaceNominee
1975π WinnerRobin Lehman
Don't4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Dewitt Jones, Lesley FosterJohn Muir's High SierraNominee
Ronald S. Kass, Mervyn LloydNaked YogaNominee
Jon BoorstinExploratoriumNominee
1974π WinnerJulian Krainin
Princeton: A Search for Answers4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Terry Sanders, June WayneFour Stones for KanemitsuNominee
Carmen D'AvinoBackgroundNominee
Louis MarcusChildren at WorkNominee1973
Giorgio TrevesK-Z2 nominees
Nominees (2)
Giorgio TrevesK-ZNominee
Peter SchamoniHundertwasser's Rainy DayNominee1972π WinnerRobert Amram
Sentinels of Silence4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Hal Riney, Dick Snider+1Somebody WaitingNominee
Julian Krainin, DeWitt SageArt Is...Nominee
Han van GelderAdventures in PerceptionNominee1971π Winner
Joseph Strick
Interviews with My Lai Veterans4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Robert McBrideThe GiftsNominee
Robert MΓ©nΓ©goz, Horst DallmayrTime Is Running OutNominee
Patrick Carey, Vivien CareyOisΓnNominee
Robert AllerA Long Way from NowhereNominee1970π WinnerDenis Sanders
Czechoslovakia 19682 nominees
Nominees (2)
Donald WryeAn Impression of John Steinbeck: WriterNominee
Joan Keller SternThe Magic MachinesNominee1969π Winner
Saul Bass
Why Man Creates4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Thomas P. Kelly Jr.A Space to GrowNominee1968π WinnerMark Jonathan HarrisThe Redwoods4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Robert FitchettSee You at the PillarNominee
Carl V. RagsdaleWhile I Run This RaceNominee1967π WinnerEdmond Levy
A Year Towards Tomorrow4 nominees
Nominees (4)
Marin Karmitz, Vladimir ForgencyAdolescenceNominee
Lee R. Bobker, Helen Kristt RadinThe Odds AgainstNominee
Michael AhnemannCowboyNominee
Saint Matthew PassionNominee1966π Winner
Francis ThompsonTo Be Alive!1 nominee
1965π WinnerNine from Little Rock4 nominees
π WinnerNine from Little Rock
Nominees (4)
John Korty, Henry JacobsBreaking the HabitNominee
Geoffrey Scott, Oxley Hughan140 Days Under the WorldNominee
Children WithoutNominee
Eskimo Artist: KenojuakNominee1964π WinnerSimon Schiffrin
Chagall4 nominees
1963William L. HendricksThe John Glenn Story1 nominee
Nominees (1)
William L. HendricksThe John Glenn StoryNominee
1962π WinnerFrank P. Bibas
Project Hope4 nominees
Nominees (4)
KahlNominee
Jim O'Connor, Tom HayesCradle of GeniusNominee1961π WinnerJames Hill
Giuseppina4 nominees
Nominees (4)
A City Called CopenhagenNominee
Beyond SilenceNominee
Charles Carey, Altina SchinasiGeorge Grosz' InterregnumNominee1960π Winner
Bert Haanstra
Glass2 nominees
Nominees (2)
Edward F. CullenFrom Generation to GenerationNominee1959π Winner
Ben SharpsteenAma Girls1 nominee
1957π WinnerLouis Clyde StoumenThe True Story of the Civil War2 nominees
Nominees (2)
Ward KimballDisney anthology television seriesNominee
Valentine DaviesThe House Without a NameNominee1956π Winner
Walt DisneyMen Against the Arctic1 nominee
Nominees (1)
1955π Winner
Thursday's Children2 nominees
π WinnerThursday's Children
Nominees (2)
1954π WinnerWalt Disney
The Alaskan Eskimo4 nominees
Nominees (4)
1953π Winner
Norman McLarenNeighbours
1952π Winner
Fred ZinnemannBenjy2 nominees
1951π WinnerEdmund Reek
Why Korea?2 nominees
1950π WinnerRichard De Rochemont
A Chance to Live1 nominee
1948Frederic Ullman Jr.Passport to Nowhere1 nominee
Nominees (1)
Frederic Ullman Jr.Passport to NowhereNominee
1947π Winner
Seeds of Destiny4 nominees
π WinnerSeeds of Destiny
Nominees (4)
Life at the ZooNominee
Paramount News Issue #37Nominee
Atomic Power!Nominee
Traffic with the DevilNominee1946π Winner
Hitler Lives2 nominees
1945π Winner
With the Marines at Tarawa2 nominees
1944π Winner
December 7th6 nominees
π WinnerDecember 7th
Nominees (6)
Swedes in AmericaNomineeChildren of MarsNominee
Plan for DestructionNominee
Tomorrow We FlyNominee
Youth in CrisisNominee1942π Winner
Churchill's Island10 nominees
π WinnerChurchill's Island
Nominees (10)
Christmas Under FireNominee
Russian SoilNomineeWarclouds in the PacificNominee
Norway in RevoltNominee
Letter from HomeNominee
A Place to LiveNominee
Adventure in the BronxNominee
Life of a ThoroughbredNominee
Soldiers of the SkyNominee
βπ WinnerThe Elephant Whisperers
π WinnerThe Elephant Whisperers
