Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
Awarded forOutstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
CountryUnited States
Presented byAcademy of Television Arts & Sciences
Currently held byAmanda McBaine and Jesse Moss, Girls State (2024)
Websiteemmys.com

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program is awarded to one program each year. The category was split in 2018 to separately recognize documentary/nonfiction and reality programs.[1]

In the following list, the first titles listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place:

Winners and nominations

1970s

Year Program Episode Nominee(s) Network
1979 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[2][note 1]
Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids? John Korty ABC

1980s

Year Program Episode Nominee(s) Network
1983 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[3][note 2]
The Body Human: The Living Code Charles A. Bangert and Alfred R. Kelman PBS
1984 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[4][note 3]
He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin' Emile Ardolino PBS
A Walk Through the 20th Century with Bill Moyers "Marshall, Texas" David Grubin PBS
1986 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[5][note 4]
The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn David Heeley PBS
1987 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming - Directing[6][note 5]
American Masters "Unknown Chaplin" Kevin Brownlow and David Gill PBS
Minnelli on Minnelli: Liza Remembers Vincente Richard Schickel
1989 Outstanding Directing in Informational Programming[7][note 6]
Destined to Live Linda Otto NBC
Entertainment Tonight "Lucille Ball Memorial" Ron de Moraes Syndicated

1990s

Year Program Episode Nominee(s) Network
1990 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[8][note 7]
American Masters "W. Eugene Smith: Photography Made Difficult" Gene Lasko PBS
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic Jack Haley Jr. CBS
1991 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[9][note 8]
Soldiers of Music: Rostropovich Returns to Russia Bob Eisenhardt, Susan Froemke, Peter Gelb and Albert Maysles PBS
The Astronomers "Waves of the Future" Linda Feferman PBS
Motel Christian Blackwood
The Power of the Past with Bill Moyers: Florence David Grubin
1992 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[10][note 9]
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper and Eleanor Coppola Showtime
1993 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[11][note 10]
Earth and the American Dream Bill Couturié HBO
Gridiron Gang Lee Stanley Syndicated
Dancing "Dance Centerstage" Geoff Dunlop PBS
"New Worlds, New Forms" Orlando Bagwell
Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson Barbara Kopple NBC
Healing and the Mind with Bill Moyers "The Mystery of Chi" David Grubin PBS
Lincoln Peter Kunhardt ABC
1994 Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming[12][note 11]
Cats & Dogs "Dogs Segment" Robin Lehman TBS
I Am a Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School Susan Raymond HBO

2000s

Year Program Episode Nominee(s) Network
2003
[13]
 Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming
American Experience "The Murder of Emmett Till" Stanley Nelson Jr. PBS
American Idol "Finale" Bruce Gowers Fox
Da Ali G Show "Politics" James Bobin HBO
Expedition: Bismarck Andrew Wight and James Cameron Discovery
Journeys with George Alexandra Pelosi and Aaron Lubarsky HBO
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives Ed Bell and Thomas Lennon
2004
[14]
Jockey Kate Davis HBO
American Experience "Tupperware!" Laurie Kahn PBS
American Masters "Judy Garland: By Myself" Susan Lacy
Born Rich Jamie Johnson HBO
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy "Richard Miller" Becky Smith Bravo
2005
[15]
Death in Gaza James Miller (posthumously) HBO
American Idol "Finale" Bruce Gowers Fox
The Apprentice "Finale" Glenn Weiss NBC
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition "The Dore Family" Patrick Higgins ABC
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson Ken Burns PBS
2006
[16]
Baghdad ER Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill HBO
All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise Shari Cookson HBO
American Masters "John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend" Samuel D. Pollard PBS
"No Direction Home: Bob Dylan" Martin Scorsese
Children of Beslan Ewa Ewart and Leslie Woodhead HBO
2007
[17]
 When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts Spike Lee HBO
Ghosts of Abu Ghraib Rory Kennedy HBO
Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed Kevin Burns History
Thin Lauren Greenfield HBO
This American Life "God's Close-Up" Christopher Wilcha Showtime
2008
[18]
 This American Life "Escape" Adam Beckman and Christopher Wilcha Showtime
The Amazing Race "Honestly, They Have Witch Powers or Something" Bertram van Munster CBS
Autism: The Musical Tricia Regan HBO
Project Runway "En Garde!" Tony Sacco Bravo
The War "Pride of Our Nation (June–August 1944)" Ken Burns and Lynn Novick PBS
2009
[19]
 Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired Marina Zenovich HBO
The Amazing Race "Don't Let a Cheese Hit Me" Bertram van Munster CBS
Project Runway "Finale, Part 1" Paul Starkman Bravo
This American Life "John Smith" Adam Beckman and Christopher Wilcha Showtime
Top Chef "The Last Supper" Steve Hryniewicz Bravo

2010s

Year Program Episode Nominee(s) Network
2010
[20]
 American Experience "My Lai" Barak Goodman PBS
The Amazing Race "I Think We're Fighting the Germans, Right?" Bertram van Munster CBS
By the People: The Election of Barack Obama Amy Rice and Alicia Sams HBO
Monty Python: Almost the Truth (Lawyers Cut) "Lust for Glory" Bill Jones and Ben Timlett IFC
Terror in Mumbai Dan Reed HBO
2011
[21]
 Gasland Josh Fox HBO
The Amazing Race "You Don't Get Paid Unless You Win" Bertram van Munster CBS
American Masters "A Letter to Elia/Reflecting on Kazan" Kent Jones and Martin Scorsese PBS
Becoming Chaz Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato OWN
Top Chef "Give Me Your Huddled Masses" Paul Starkman Bravo
2012
[22]
 George Harrison: Living in the Material World Martin Scorsese HBO
The Amazing Race "Let Them Drink Their Haterade" Bertram van Munster CBS
American Masters "Woody Allen: A Documentary" Robert B. Weide PBS
Project Runway "Finale, Part 2" Craig Spirko Lifetime
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky HBO
2013
[23]
 American Masters "Mel Brooks: Make a Noise" Robert Trachtenberg PBS
Ethel Rory Kennedy HBO
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God Alex Gibney
Survivor "Live Finale and Reunion (Caramoan: Fans vs. Favorites)" Glenn Weiss CBS
"Live Finale and Reunion (Philippines)" Michael Simon
2014
[24]
 The Square Jehane Noujaim Netflix
The Amazing Race "Part Like the Red Sea" Bertram van Munster CBS
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey "Standing Up in the Milky Way" Brannon Braga Fox
Project Runway "Sky's the Limit" Craig Spirko Lifetime
Shark Tank "Episode 501" Ken Fuchs ABC
2015
[25]
 Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief Alex Gibney HBO
Citizenfour Laura Poitras HBO
Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways "Washington D.C." Dave Grohl
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst "Chapter 2: Poor Little Rich Boy" Andrew Jarecki
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck Brett Morgen
2016
[26]
 Making a Murderer "Fighting for Their Lives" Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi Netflix
Cartel Land Matthew Heineman A&E
Chef's Table "Gaggan Anand" David Gelb Netflix
He Named Me Malala Davis Guggenheim Nat Geo
What Happened, Miss Simone? Liz Garbus Netflix
2017
[27]
 O.J.: Made in America "Part 3" Ezra Edelman ESPN
Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens HBO
Planet Earth II "Cities" Fredi Devas BBC America
"Islands" Elizabeth White
13th Ava DuVernay Netflix
2018
[28] 		Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
Jane Brett Morgen Nat Geo
Icarus Bryan Fogel Netflix
The Vietnam War "Episode 8: The History of the World (April 1969-May 1970)" Ken Burns and Lynn Novick PBS
Wild Wild Country "Part 3" Chapman Way and Maclain Way Netflix
The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling Judd Apatow HBO
2019
[29]
Free Solo Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin Nat Geo
Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened Chris Smith Netflix
Leaving Neverland Dan Reed HBO
RBG Julie Cohen and Betsy West CNN
Three Identical Strangers Tim Wardle

2020s

Year Program Episode Nominee(s) Network
2020
[30]
American Factory Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert Netflix
Apollo 11 Todd Douglas Miller CNN
Becoming Nadia Hallgren Netflix
The Cave Feras Fayyad Nat Geo
The Last Dance "Episode 7" Jason Hehir ESPN
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness "Cult of Personality" Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin Netflix
2021
[31]
Dick Johnson Is Dead Kirsten Johnson Netflix
Allen v. Farrow "Episode 3" Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering HBO
The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart Frank Marshall
Boys State Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss Apple TV+
The Social Dilemma Jeff Orlowski Netflix
Tina Dan Lindsay and T. J. Martin HBO
2022
[32]
The Beatles: Get Back "Part 3: Days 17-22" Peter Jackson Disney+
The Andy Warhol Diaries "Shadows: Andy & Jed" Andrew Rossi Netflix
George Carlin's American Dream Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio HBO Max
Lucy and Desi Amy Poehler Prime Video
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy "Venice" Ian Denyer CNN
We Need to Talk About Cosby "Part 1" W. Kamau Bell Showtime
2023
[33]
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie Davis Guggenheim Apple TV+
Judy Blume Forever Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok Prime Video
Moonage Daydream Brett Morgen HBO
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields Lana Wilson Hulu
The Territory Alex Pritz Nat Geo
The U.S. and the Holocaust "Episode 3: The Homeless, Tempest-tossed (1942-)" Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein PBS
2024
[34]
Girls State Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss Apple TV+
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life Rob Reiner HBO
Beckham "What Makes David Run" Fisher Stevens Netflix
The Greatest Night in Pop Bao Nguyen Netflix
Jim Henson Idea Man Ron Howard Disney+
Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces Morgan Neville Apple TV+

Individuals with multiple nominations

Notes

  1. ^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
  2. ^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
  3. ^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
  4. ^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
  5. ^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given.
  6. ^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given.
  7. ^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
  8. ^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
  9. ^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
  10. ^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
  11. ^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

References

  1. ^ Petski, Denise (December 12, 2017). "TV Academy Reclassifies Variety Special Emmy Categories; Splits Some Costume, Directing & Sound Editing Fields". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
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  31. ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  32. ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  33. ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  34. ^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 19, 2024.