The Best Documentary Feature category at the Oscars has produced some of the ceremony’s most controversial moments. In 1975, the award-winning film Hearts and Minds prompted producer Bert Schneider to read a letter from the Viet Cong, which incited criticism from the hosts’ Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra. Similarly, in 2003, Michael Moore’s acceptance speech for Bowling for Columbine drew both cheers and boos, particularly when he criticized President Bush for launching the Iraq War.

However, in recent years, the category has featured more crowd-pleasing choices, such as the 2020 documentary My Octopus Teacher and 2021’s Summer of Soul. This year’s nominees are of high quality but lack the warmth of previous winners, which could make it challenging to predict which will appeal to the Academy’s diverse membership.

Despite this, all five nominees have received critical acclaim, addressing serious issues and featuring heroic characters with moments of triumph. Sara Dosa’s Fire of Love portrays French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft’s love story while documenting their scientific exploration.

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Meanwhile, Shaunak Sen’s All That Breathes focuses on two brothers in Delhi, India, who have created a bird rescue to treat the many black kites that fall from the polluted sky. The film won the documentary grand jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival and the documentary award at Cannes in 2022.

‘HBO Docs’ acquired the rights to All the Beauty and the Bloodshed from Participant, which was distributed theatrically by Neon. It centers on photographer Nan Goldin’s campaign to have museums remove the Sackler family name from their walls because of their company’s role in promoting OxyContin and the resulting opioid addiction epidemic.

The film also takes an unflinching look at suicide, domestic abuse, and the AIDS crisis. In comparison, A House Made of Splinters from Giant Pictures is the most modest of this year’s nominees. The film is set in a shelter for abandoned children in Lysychansk, eastern Ukraine, and won the directing laurels at Sundance in 2022.

Lastly, Navalny from CNN Films follows Russian dissident Alexei Navalny after his 2020 poisoning, his recovery in Germany, and his subsequent arrest upon returning to Russia. The film won the audience award at Sundance, the PGA’s top documentary award, and a BAFTA. If the Academy is looking for a real-life thriller, Navalny could be a top contender.

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This year’s nominees are of high quality and, despite the lack of warmth in previous winners, are tackling serious issues while featuring heroic characters. However, predicting which film will appeal most to the Academy’s diverse membership is challenging.