- Title: REFILE: A look at the 2026 Oscars documentary feature film nominees
- Date: 9th March 2026
- Summary: BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE - FEBRUARY 10, 2026) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-DIRECTOR SARA KHAKI, SAYING: "I was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, and I grew up witnessing so many tenacious individuals like Sarah Shahverdi, who were fighting for their independence and then I moved to the United States at a young age and now having lived equally
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: AWARDS Alisa Payne Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman CLIPS Come See Me in the Good Light Cutting through Rocks DOCUMENTARIES David Borenstein FILE Geeta Gandbhir Mr. Nobody against Putin Nikon Kwantu and Sam Bisbee OSCARS Pavel Talankin and Helle Faber Ryan White Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni The 98th Academy Awards The Alabama Solution The Perfect Neighbor documentary feature
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: Various
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Film
- Reuters ID: LVA00L223503022026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Five documentaries spanning murder, incarceration, war, poetry and politics will compete for best documentary feature at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday (March 15).
The nominees are "The Perfect Neighbor," "The Alabama Solution," "Come See Me in the Good Light," "Cutting Through Rocks" and "Mr. Nobody Against Putin."
When filmmakers Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman visited an Alabama prison in 2019 to capture footage of a revival meeting, inmates began approaching them about the "terrible things" they said were taking place within its walls. Jarecki and Kaufman were soon told to stop filming, but their quest to find out more led to a six-year investigation into the U.S. state's prison system and the documentary "The Alabama Solution."
In "Come See Me in the Good Light," filmmakers Ryan White, Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro and Stef Willen capture the relationship between poet Andrea Gibson and their spouse Megan Falley as Gibson battles terminal cancer. The film also shows the couple's relationship with the world around them.
Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni's "Cutting Through Rocks" follows Sara Shahverdi, the first Iranian woman elected as a councillor in a village, as she teaches resilience, strength and skills to young girls.
Russian filmmaker Pavel Talankin and American filmmaker David Borenstein's "Mr. Nobody Against Putin" documents the changes to Talankin's role as a Russian primary school videographer as his country goes to war in Ukraine, highlighting the challenges faced by ordinary citizens under military mobilisation.
"The Perfect Neighbor" by filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir follows the events leading up to a deadly neighbourhood dispute and the murder of her friend Ajike 'AJ' Owens by neighbour Susan Lorincz, who claimed defence under Florida's controversial "stand your ground" laws. Using dozens of police body-cam tapes and doorbell camera footage, the film includes the moment the victim is declared deceased and the immediate reaction of her family members.
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