• “The Beaches of Agnes”
  Agnes Varda, director (Cine-Tamaris)
• “Burma VJ”
  Anders Ostergaard, director (Magic Hour Films)
• “The Cove”
  Louie Psihoyos, director (Oceanic Preservation Society)
• “Every Little Step”
  James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo, directors (Endgame Entertainment)
• “Facing Ali”
  Pete McCormack, director (Network Films Inc.)
• “Food, Inc.”
  Robert Kenner, director (Robert Kenner Films)
• “Garbage Dreams”
  Mai Iskander, director (Iskander Films, Inc.)
• “Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders”
  Mark N. Hopkins, director (Red Floor Pictures LLC)
• “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers”
  Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith, directors (Kovno Communications)
• “Mugabe and the White African”
  Andrew Thompson and Lucy Bailey, directors (Arturi Films Limited)
• “Sergio”
  Greg Barker, director (Passion Pictures and Silverbridge Productions)
• “Soundtrack for a Revolution”
  Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman, directors (Freedom Song Productions)
• “Under Our Skin”
  Andy Abrahams Wilson, director (Open Eye Pictures)
• “Valentino The Last Emperor”
  Matt Tyrnauer, director (Acolyte Films)
• “Which Way Home”
  Rebecca Cammisa, director (Mr. Mudd)

Other celebrated documentaries that did not make the cut include: “Anvil! The Story of Anvil,” “The September Issue,” “Tyson,” “It Might Get Loud,”  and “We Live in Public". The list of 15 films will be culled down to the five nominations that will be announced on Tuesday, February 2nd in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Sandy Mandelberger, Awards Watch Editor