In November the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the 15 films in the Documentary Feature category that will advance in the voting process for the Oscars. According to the Academy's announcement, "a record 94 pictures had originally qualified in the category." The record testifies to the ongoing renaissance of the documentary, one that began with the rise of increasingly popular non-fiction films in the last ten years. Films by Michael Moore and Errol Morris, for example, have generated as much press coverage as narrative features. Indeed, new narrative strategies in documentary production have helped forge a blending of traditional genres and have catapulted documentaries, traditionally marginalized, into the limelight.

Here's the list:

“At the Death House Door”
“The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)”
“Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh”
“Encounters at the End of the World”
“Fuel”
“The Garden”
“Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts”
“I.O.U.S.A. [Theatrical Release]”
“In a Dream”
“Made in America”
“Man on Wire”
“Pray the Devil Back to Hell”
“Standard Operating Procedure”
“They Killed Sister Dorothy”
“Trouble in the Water”

A special program at Tribeca Cinemas on January 8th and 10th, 2009, GUCCI TRIBECA DOCUMENTARY FUND PRESENTS: DOCS ON THE SHORTLIST, celebrates six of the films that enjoy ties to the Tribeca Film Festival - At the Death House Door, The Garden, I.O.U.S.A., Man on Wire, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, and They Killed Sister Dorothy. Filmmakers will be on hand to discuss their films.

Ticket Prices and Information:
Tickets for each film screening is $8.00 regular tickets; $5.00 for members of the Guilds, members of BAFTA East Coast, DocuClub, IDA, IFP, and/or Shooting People, and full-time students with current I.D.; free for Academy Members.

All screenings will be held at Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick Street (corner of Laight), New York, NY 10013
For more information call 212.941.2001

More more information, please see http://www.tribecacinemas.com/calendar/docs_on_the_shortlist.html