DOC NYC Lifetime Achievement Awards announced

Wim Wenders and Orlando Bagwell are recipients

by Anne-Katrin Titze

Wim Wenders to be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award and will present Pope Francis: A Man Of His Word at DOC NYC
Wim Wenders to be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award and will present Pope Francis: A Man Of His Word at DOC NYC Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

At the fifth annual DOC NYC Visionaries Tribute luncheon, Wim Wenders (Pope Francis: A Man Of His Word in the Short List program) and Orlando Bagwell (A Hymn For Alvin Ailey in Docs Redux) will be presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (Free Solo in Short List) will receive the Robert and Anne Drew Award for observational filmmaking.

Free Solo and Meru directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi with Tom Brokaw at 21 Club
Free Solo and Meru directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi with Tom Brokaw at 21 Club Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

Among those on the host committee are Jon Alpert, Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, Barbara Kopple, Dan Cogan, Michael Moore, Chris Hegedus, DA Pennebaker, Sheila Nevins, Andrew Rossi, Dawn Porter, Tom Quinn, and Roger Ross Williams.

Last year’s honorees were Errol Morris, Sheila Nevins, Cara Mertes, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady.

Tabitha Jackson, director of the Documentary Film Program at Sundance Institute, will receive the Leading Light Award for distinguished service to documentary in a role outside filmmaking.

“We’re honoured by the rising number of films making their world and US premières at DOC NYC for the festival’s ninth year,” said Director of Programming Basil Tsiokos. “We’re delighted to connect these films with the diverse and influential audience that comes together only in New York.” Tsiokos led the programming team in collaboration with Artistic Director Thom Powers.

Netflix is the co-presenter of the Visionaries Tribute. Additional support for the Visionaries Tribute is provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies and National Geographic Documentary Films.

John Chester’s The Biggest Little Farm will be the Opening Night film of the ninth DOC NYC which runs from November 8-15.

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