The Solzy Awards for Documentaries in 2022

The Solzy Awards

The Solzy Awards for Documentaries in 2022 honor the best of the documentary films that were released during the past year.

I’m a member of the Critics Choice Association’s Documentary Branch so I’ve had to watch a lot of documentaries this year. This would have run sooner but there were some additional documentaries that I needed to watch before publishing. One of them was a three-part documentary that I put off until I could give it my undivided attention despite the emotional toll that it would take in viewing the film.

Best Documentaries of the Year

  1. Good Night Oppy
  2. The U.S. and the Holocaust
  3. Groucho and Cavett
  4. If These Walls Could Sing
  5. “Sr.”
  6. George Carlin’s American Dream
  7. A Tree of Life
  8. Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen
  9. Descendant
  10. Sidney
  11. Fire of Love
  12. The Redeem Team
  13. Lucy and Desi
  14. Aftershock

Best Documentary Feature: Good Night Oppy

Best Documentary Series: The U.S. and the Holocaust

Best Director: Ryan White, Good Night Oppy

Best First Documentary Feature (Tie): Mary McCartney, If These Walls Could Sing; Amy Poehler, Lucy and Desi

Best Editing: Helen Kearns, Good Night Oppy; Joe Beshenkovsky, George Carlin’s American Dream

Best Score: Blake Neely, Good Night Oppy

Best Narration: Good Night Oppy, Written by Ryan White & Helen Kearns; Performed by Angela Bassett

Best Archival Documentary (TIE): Groucho and Cavett, Fire of Live

Best Comedy Documentary (TIE): Groucho and Cavett, George Carlin’s American Dream

Best Historical Documentary: The U.S. and the Holocaust

Best Biographical Documentary (Tie): “Sr.”, George Carlin’s American Dream, Sidney, Lucy and Desi

Best Music Documentary: If These Walls Could Sing

Best Political Documentary: Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down

Best Science/Nature Documentary: Good Night Oppy

Best Basketball Documentary: The Redeem Team

Best Baseball Documentary: Say Hey, Willie Mays!

Best LGBTQ Documentary: Framing Agnes

Best Documentary Short: Queer and Frum

Festival Favorites

The Solzy Awards for Film in 2022 will run later this year.

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Danielle Solzman

Danielle Solzman is native of Louisville, KY, and holds a BA in Public Relations from Northern Kentucky University and a MA in Media Communications from Webster University. She roots for her beloved Kentucky Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Boston Celtics. Living less than a mile away from Wrigley Field in Chicago, she is an active reader (sports/entertainment/history/biographies/select fiction) and involved with the Chicago improv scene. She also sees many movies and reviews them. She has previously written for Redbird Rants, Wildcat Blue Nation, and Hidden Remote/Flicksided. From April 2016 through May 2017, her film reviews can be found on Creators.