In the world of documentaries, the journey from Oscars to Emmys can be complex. This article explores how several documentaries, despite being overlooked by the Oscars, have found new life and recognition at the Emmys.
Snubbed by Oscars, Redeemed by Emmys
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, I Am: Celine Dion, The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, and Will & Harper share a common thread: all four documentaries were overlooked at the 2025 Oscars but have since garnered nominations at the 77th Emmys.
Understanding Eligibility Rules
This unusual situation arises from a specific eligibility rule. Despite launching full Oscar campaigns, these documentaries can still compete at the Emmys if they do not secure an Oscar nomination. However, the rules can be confusing; any film that earns an Oscar nomination in any category becomes ineligible for the Emmys. This has led to uncertainty about the submission process for documentaries, the categories they qualify for, and why some films can compete at both the Oscars and Emmys while others cannot.
Emmy and Oscar Campaigns
Complicating matters further is the fact that documentaries that first campaign for an Emmy, even if they win, can still pursue an Oscar. For instance, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie won the Emmy for Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special and then launched an Oscar campaign, making the shortlist but ultimately missing out on a nomination.
As a representative from the TV Academy explains to Gold Derby, “Eligibility is only affected if the documentary has been nominated for an Oscar prior to being submitted to the Emmys. No rule exists in the Emmy competition that would disallow a program from submitting to the Oscars after it has been awarded the Emmy.”
Winning Both Awards
In essence, a documentary can win both an Emmy and an Oscar, provided the Emmy is awarded first.
Categories for Submission
Another layer of complexity comes from the distinction between two Emmy categories: Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking and Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special. The Television Academy clarifies that producers or networks decide the category for submission, but all entries submitted to Exceptional Merit are reviewed for eligibility. If a documentary has an extended theatrical run (more than 70 days), it cannot compete as a Documentary Special but can be eligible in Exceptional Merit if produced by a media company focused primarily on television and intended for national distribution.
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A key eligibility criterion states that a documentary’s television broadcast or streaming debut must occur within one year of its initial public exhibition, excluding film festival screenings, which do not count as theatrical releases. The Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking category aims to honor documentaries that had a significant theatrical run before airing on television.
Current Nominees
With the rules clarified, let’s look at the nominees. Prime Video’s I Am: Celine Dion and Netflix’s The Remarkable Life of Ibelin are both contenders in the Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking category, alongside Disney’s Patrice: The Movie. However, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, despite earning four other Emmy nominations for directing, editing, writing, and musical score, was excluded from this top category. Gold Derby’s early Emmy predictions show The Remarkable Life of Ibelin as the early front-runner over I Am: Celine Dion.
Meanwhile, Netflix’s Will & Harper is competing in the Documentary or Nonfiction Special category against Deaf Presidents Now! (Apple TV+), Martha (Netflix), Pee-wee as Himself (HBO Max), and Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius) (Hulu). Current data indicates Pee-wee as Himself as the favorite, with Will & Harper closely behind.
Winners will be announced at the 2025 Creative Arts Emmys taking place on September 6 and 7 in Los Angeles.
