As if the first critics awards on Monday weren’t a big enough sign that the awards season is already in full gear, today’s announcement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences will convince you. The organization that hands out the Oscars announced the 15 films that will compete for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar.
The list includes two front runners. Steve James’ Life Itself, which centers on the late beloved film critic Roger Ebert, and Laura Poitras’ controversial CitizenFour, which is about Edward Snowden and how he leaked NSA documents, are both on the shortlist.
The other 13 films on the list are:
Art and Craft
The Case Against 8
Citizen Koch
Finding Vivian Maier
The Internet’s Own Boy
Keep On Keepin’ On
The Kill Team
Last Days in Vietnam
The Overnighters
The Salt of the Earth
Takes of the Grim Sleeper
Virunga
The Documentary Branch of the Academy had to watch 134 submitted films to whittle down to 15. Now, the branch will cut that list to five for the final nominees.
All the nominees vying for Oscars at the 87th annual ceremony will be announced on Jan. 15 at 8:30 a.m. ET from the Goldwyn Theater. Neil Patrick Harris is hosting the ceremony, which is scheduled for Feb. 22 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center live on ABC.