Emmys Doc Contenders Celebrate as TV Academy Reveals Nominees: 'Leaving Neverland,' 'RBG,' 'Free Solo,' 'The Sentence,' 'The Inventor' and More in Trophy Hunt

Hale County This Morning, This Evening, Fyre Festival doc, Three Identical Strangers, Minding the Gap, Jane Fonda in Five Acts also celebrating

An Emmy statue on the red carpet at 2018's Creative Arts Emmy Awards in downtown Los Angeles. Photo by Matt Carey

"Go Team!"

That was message from director Alex Gibney on Twitter after his HBO documentary The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley was honored with an Emmy nomination Tuesday morning.

Gibney is among the many nonfiction filmmakers with reason to celebrate as the TV Academy revealed the nominees Tuesday morning for this year's Primetime Emmy Awards. Also celebrating are Dan Reed, director of the controversial Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland, the directors of RBG, the Free Solo team, Minding the Gap's Bing Liu,  and a host of other nonfiction filmmakers, picture editors, cinematographers, sound editors and mixers and composers. 

Go Team! Erin Eideken, Jessie Deeter, Graydon Carter, Nancy Abraham, Sara Bernstein, Ophelia Harutyunyan, Andy Grieve, Alexis Johnson, Tony Rossi, Lincoln Else and many more. And enormous thanks to @JohnCarreyrou -author of "Bad Blood"- who broke the story and helped out so much. https://t.co/Xsv6urwYHg

— Alex Gibney (@alexgibneyfilm) July 16, 2019

The Inventor's nomination came in one of the marquee categories - Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special. Gibney's film about disgraced Silicon Valley entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes will square off against Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (Netflix); Jane Fonda in Five Acts (HBO); Leaving Neverland (HBO); Love, Gilda (CNN), and Minding the Gap (Hulu/PBS POV).

Gibney was likewise recognized in the prestigious Outstanding Merit in Documentary Filmmaking category, as executive producer of Divide & Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes (A&E). Outstanding Merit is a separate juried award - films honored in that category do not compete for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.

Joining the Roger Ailes doc in the Outstanding Merit race are Hale County This Morning, This Evening (PBS); fellow Oscar nominee RBG (CNN); The Sentence (HBO), and Three Identical Strangers (CNN).

RaMell Ross, director of "Hale County This Morning, This Evening." Photo by Matt Carey

Betsy West, co-director of "RBG." Photo by Matt Carey

Rudy Valdez (at microphone), director of "The Sentence." Photo by Matt Carey

Tim Wardle, director of "Three Identical Strangers." Photo by Matt Carey

Oscar winner Free Solo from directors E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin picked up seven Emmy nominations, including nods for directing, cinematography, picture editing, sound editing and sound mixing, as well as music composition/dramatic score. It was not recognized in either the Outstanding Merit in Documentary Filmmaking category or Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special. 

The aforementioned RBG earned four nominations including Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program for Betsy West and Julie Cohen. It was nominated as well for music composition/dramatic score, recognizing the work of composer Miriam Cutler. Cutler was nominated twice in that category, for RBG and her music for Love, Gilda, the documentary about the late Gilda Radner. 

Miriam Cutler (left) with "Dark Money" director Kimberly Reed. Los Angeles, January 6, 2019. Photo by Laura Ahmed

Competing for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series are American Masters (PBS); Chef's Table (Netflix); Hostile Planet (National Geographic); Our Planet (Netflix), and 30 for 30 (ESPN).

Surviving R. Kelly, the Lifetime documentary that led to multiple sex crime charges against the titular R&B singer, claimed a nomination for Outstanding Informational Series or Special, something of a grab bag category. It will go up against CNN's Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown; the Jerry Seinfeld series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (Netflix); Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (A&E), and My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (Netflix). 

Six documentary projects were recognized with nominations for Outstanding Writing for  a Nonfiction Program, including HBO's The Case Against Adnan Syed, written by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Amy Berg. It's the first Emmy nomination for Berg, who has earned three Writers Guild of America Awards nominations for her documentary work, winning in 2007 for Deliver Us From Evil. 

Also nominated for the Nonfiction Writing Emmy are Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown (CNN); Fyre Fraud (Hulu); Hostile Planet (National Geographic); Our Planet (Netflix), and Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men (Showtime).

So honored to be a part of this tremendous effort. An #Emmy Nomination! Wow! Thank you everyone who has been motivated by this story. #CaseAgainstAdnanSyed https://t.co/S005C1GJXy

— amy berg (@disarmingfilms) July 16, 2019

Winners in the documentary categories will be revealed at the Creative Arts Emmys ceremony, a two-day affair happening September 14 and 15 in downtown Los Angeles. The "main" Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony happens Sunday, September 22 and will be broadcast on FOX. 

Below are nominees in a range of documentary/nonfiction categories, as announced by the Television Academy:

Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking

Divide And Conquer: The Story Of Roger Ailes • A&E • A Jigsaw Production in association with Baird Films
Alexis Bloom, Produced by
Will Cohen, Produced by
Molly Thompson, Executive Producer Alex Gibney, Executive Producer

Hale County This Morning, This Evening • PBS • Idiom Film, LLC and Louverture Films in association with Field of Vision
RaMell Ross, Produced by Joslyn Barnes, Produced by
Su Kim, Produced by
Lois Vossen, Executive Producer

RBG • CNN • CNN Films, Storyville Films
Julie Cohen, Produced by
Betsy West, Produced by
Amy Entelis, Executive Producer Courtney Sexton, Executive Producer

The Sentence • HBO • HBO Documentary Films in association with Park Pictures
Sam Bisbee, Produced by
Jackie Kelman Bisbee, Produced by Rudy Valdez, Executive Producer Wendy Nau, Executive Producer

Three Identical Strangers • CNN • CNN Films, RAW
Becky Read, Produced by
Grace Hughes-Hallett, Producer
Amy Entelis, Executive Producer Courtney Sexton, Executive Producer
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Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Special

FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened • Netflix • Jerry Media, Library Films, Matte Projects and Vice Studios
Danny Gabai, Producer Chris Smith, Producer Mick Purzycki, Producer

The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley • HBO • HBO Documentary Films and Jigsaw Productions
Alex Gibney, Produced by
Erin Edeiken, Produced by
Jessie Deeter, Produced by
Nancy Abraham, Executive Producer Sara Bernstein, Executive Producer Graydon Carter, Executive Producer Stacey Offman, Co-Executive Producer

Jane Fonda In Five Acts • HBO • HBO Documentary Films in association with Pentimento
Susan Lacy, Produced by Jessica Levin, Produced by Emma Pildes, Produced by

Leaving Neverland • HBO • HBO Documentary Films in association with Channel 4 and Amos Pictures
Dan Reed, Produced by
Nancy Abraham, Executive Producer Lisa Heller, Executive Producer

Love, Gilda • CNN • CNN Films, 3 Faces Films, Motto Pictures
Lisa D'Apolito, Produced by
James Tumminia, Produced by Bronwyn Berry, Produced by
Meryl Goldsmith, Produced by
Alan Zweibel, Executive Producer Amy Entelis, Executive Producer Courtney Sexton, Executive Producer

Minding The Gap • Hulu • Kartemquin, American Documentary | POV and ITVS
Diane Quon, Produced by
Bing Liu, Produced by
Gordon Quinn, Executive Producer Steve James, Executive Producer Sally Jo Fifer, Executive Producer Justine Nagan, Executive Producer Chris White, Executive Producer
_________________________________________________________________________________

Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Series

American Masters • PBS • Thirteen Productions, LLC
Michael Kantor, Producer/Executive Producer Sally Rosenthal, Producer
Julie Sacks, Series Producer
Junko Tsunashima, Supervising Producer

Chef's Table • Netflix • Boardwalk Pictures
Matthew Weaver, Executive Producer Brian McGinn, Executive Producer Andrew Fried, Executive Producer David Gelb, Executive Producer
Dane Lillegard, Co-Executive Producer

Hostile Planet • National Geographic • Plimsoll Productions
Guillermo Navarro, Executive Producer Martha Holmes, Executive Producer Grant Mansfield, Executive Producer Bear Grylls, Executive Producer
Kevin Tao Mohs, Executive Producer Tim Pastore, Executive Producer Tom Hugh-Jones, Series Producer

Our Planet • Netflix • Silverback Films
Sophie Lanfear, Produced by Alastair Fothergill, Series Producer Keith Scholey, Series Producer

30 For 30 • ESPN • ESPN Films
Philip Aromando, Produced by Connor Schell, Executive Producer John Dahl, Executive Producer Libby Geist, Executive Producer
_________________________________________________________________________________

Outstanding Informational Series Or Special

Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown • CNN • CNN Original Series, Zero Point Zero Production, Inc.
Anthony Bourdain, Executive Producer Christopher Collins, Executive Producer Lydia Tenaglia, Executive Producer Sandra Zweig, Executive Producer
Jared Andrukanis, Co-Executive Producer Michael Steed, Producer
Jonathan Cianfrani, Producer

Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee • Netflix • Embassy Row
Jerry Seinfeld, Executive Producer George Shapiro, Executive Producer Tammy Johnston, Executive Producer Melissa Miller, Producer

Leah Remini: Scientology And The Aftermath • A&E • The Intellectual Property Corporation in association with No Seriously Productions
Leah Remini, Executive Producer
Eli Holzman, Executive Producer
Aaron Saidman, Executive Producer Myles Reiff, Executive Producer
Mike Rinder, Co-Executive Producer Meaghan Rady, Co-Executive Producer Kai Bowe, Co-Executive Producer

My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman • Netflix • Zero Point Zero Production, Inc. and Worldwide Pants
Chris Cechin-De La Rosa, Executive Producer
Lydia Tenaglia, Executive Producer
Tom Keaney, Executive Producer Sandra Zweig, Executive Producer Mary Barclay, Executive Producer Michael Steed, Producer
Helen Cho, Producer

Surviving R. Kelly • Lifetime • Kreativ Inc.
Joel Karsberg, Executive Producer Dream Hampton, Executive Producer Tamra Simmons, Executive Producer Jesse Daniels, Executive Producer
Brie Miranda Bryant, Executive Producer Jessica Everleth, Co-Executive Producer Maria Pepin, Co-Executive Producer
_________________________________________________________________________________

Outstanding Directing For A Documentary/Nonfiction Program

Free Solo • National Geographic • National Geographic Documentary Films, Little Monster Films, Itinerant Media, Parkes+MacDonald/Image Nation
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Directed by
Jimmy Chin, Directed by

FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened • Netflix • Jerry Media, Library Films, Matte Projects and Vice Studios
Chris Smith, Directed by

Leaving Neverland • HBO • HBO Documentary Films in association with Channel 4 and Amos Pictures
Dan Reed, Directed by

RBG • CNN • CNN Films, Storyville Films
Julie Cohen, Directed by Betsy West, Directed by

Three Identical Strangers • CNN • CNN Films, RAW
Tim Wardle, Directed by
_________________________________________________________________________________

Outstanding Picture Editing For A Nonfiction Program

Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown • Lower East Side • CNN • CNN Original Series, Zero Point Zero Production, Inc.
Tom Patterson, Editor

Free Solo • National Geographic • National Geographic Documentary Films, Little Monster Films, Itinerant Media, Parkes+MacDonald/Image Nation
Bob Eisenhardt, ACE, Editor

Leaving Neverland • HBO • HBO Documentary Films in association with Channel 4 and Amos Pictures
Jules Cornell, Editor

RBG • CNN • CNN Films, Storyville Films
Carla Gutierrez, ACE, Editor
​
Three Identical Strangers • CNN • CNN Films, RAW
Michael Harte, Editor
_________________________________________________________________________________

Outstanding Cinematography For A Nonfiction Program

Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown • Bhutan • CNN • CNN Original Series, Zero Point Zero Production, Inc.
Morgan Fallon, Director of Photography Todd Liebler, Director of Photography Zach Zamboni, Director of Photography

Free Solo • National Geographic • National Geographic Documentary Films, Little Monster Films, Itinerant Media, Parkes+MacDonald/Image Nation
Jimmy Chin, Director of Photography
Clair Popkin, Director of Photography
Mikey Schaefer, Cinematography by

Our Planet • Coastal Seas • Netflix • Silverback Films
Doug Anderson, Director of Photography Gavin Thurston, Director of Photography

Our Planet • Jungles • Netflix • Silverback Films
Alastair MacEwen, Director of Photography Matt Aeberhard, Director of Photography

Our Planet • One Planet • Netflix • Silverback Films
Jamie McPherson, Director of Photography Roger Horrocks, Director of Photography
_________________________________________________________________________________

Outstanding Sound Editing For A Nonfiction Program (Single Or Multi- Camera)

Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown • Far West Texas • CNN • CNN Original Series, Zero Point Zero Production, Inc.
Benny Mouthon, Sound Supervisor Hunter Gross, Sound Editor

Free Solo • National Geographic • National Geographic Documentary Films, Little Monster Films, Itinerant Media, Parkes+MacDonald/Image Nation
Deborah Wallach, Sound Supervisor
Filipe Messeder, Sound Effects Editor
Jim Schultz, Music Editor Roland Vajs, Foley Editor Nuno Bento, Foley Artist

FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened • Netflix • Jerry Media, Library Films, Matte Projects and Vice Studios
Nathan Hasz, Sound Supervisor Tom Paul, Sound Designer
Jeremy Bloom, Sound Effects Editor Esther Regelson, Dialogue Editor Daniel Ward, Dialogue Editor
Curtis Henderson, Foley Artist

Leaving Neverland • HBO • HBO Documentary Films in association with Channel 4 and Amos Pictures
Ross Millership, Dialogue Editor Poppy Kavanagh, Music Editor

Our Planet • Frozen Worlds • Netflix • Silverback Films
Kate Hopkins, Sound Supervisor Tim Owens, Sound Editor
_________________________________________________________________________________

Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Nonfiction Program (Single or Multi-Camera)

Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown • Kenya • CNN • CNN Original Series, Zero Point Zero Production, Inc.
Brian Bracken, Re-Recording Mixer

Free Solo • National Geographic • National Geographic Documentary Films, Little Monster Films, Itinerant Media, Parkes+MacDonald/Image Nation
Tom Fleischman, CAS, Re-Recording Mixer
Ric Schnupp, Re-Recording Mixer
Tyson Lozensky, Scoring Mixer Jim Hurst, Production Mixer

FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened • Netflix • Jerry Media, Library Films, Matte Projects and Vice Studios
Tom Paul, Re-Recording Mixer

Leaving Neverland • HBO • HBO Documentary Films in association with Channel 4 and Amos Pictures
Matt Skilton, Re-Recording Mixer Marguerite Gaudin, Production Mixer
​
Our Planet • One Planet • Netflix • Silverback Films
Graham Wild, Re-Recording Mixer
_________________________________________________________________________________

Outstanding Music Composition For A Documentary Series Or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

Free Solo • National Geographic • National Geographic Documentary Films, Little Monster Films, Itinerant Media, Parkes+MacDonald/Image Nation
Marco Beltrami, Music by
Brandon Roberts, Music by

Game Of Thrones: The Last Watch • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Glimmer Films
Hannah Peel, Music by

Hostile Planet • Oceans • National Geographic • Plimsoll Productions
Benjamin Wallfisch, Music by

Love, Gilda • CNN • CNN Films, 3 Faces Films, Motto Pictures
Miriam Cutler, Music by

Our Planet • One Planet • Netflix • Silverback Films
Steven Price, Music by
​
RBG • CNN • CNN Films, Storyville Films
Miriam Cutler, Music by