Oscars Show Love for Outdoor and Adventure Films
Four of 15 listed documentary films highlight another stirring year in cinema
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The short list of Oscar-nominated documentary features was released yesterday; four of the 15 listed films stem from heated controversy or great achievement in the realm of nature, exploration, and world-class athletes.
The films include The Armstrong Lie, Blackfish, The Crash Reel, and Which Way Is the Front Line from Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington, according to reports from Variety.
The Armstrong Lie, directed by Alex Gibney, actually began as a documentary about Armstrong’s 2009 comeback, but eventually became an exploration of his infamous fall from stardom and coming clean about doping.
Blackfish, directed by Gabriella Cowperthwaite, was inspired by the Outside article “Killer in the Pool.” The award-winning film examines the SeaWorld orca whale Tilikum, who has been associated with three human deaths during his life in captivity.
The Crash Reel, directed by Lucy Walker, tracks the life of Kevin Pearce in the lead up to the 2010 Olympics, which Pearce was forced to miss due a nearly life-threatening traumatic brain injury. The film emerges as true voice for TBI’s as these issues garner more of the public’s attention.
Which Way Is the Front Line from Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington, directed by Sebastian Junger, profiles one of the most influential journalists in recent history. Tim Hetherington died in Lybia in 2011, just weeks after he attended the Oscars for his nominated film Restrepo.
The list of 15 documentary films will be voted on to select five nominees on January 16. The Oscars will be held on March 2.
Also: See Outside’s “The Best Adventure Films of 2013” for more great flicks.