In my listings of the nominees, I make an effort to list the names of the people, beyond the actors, who did the work. I skip the convention for Best Picture because the Producers are the names the Academy highlights. While I'm sure they frequently provide something beyond money, most of the names are just people lucky enough to be able to place good bets on creative types. These people, though, are either the original visionary or are essential in the creation of the doc. They have the talent to make compelling film, but don't chase the almighty dollar. I love them for this (and, also, because this has been my justification for living paycheck-to-paycheck for my entire adult life).

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• Shiori Ito, Eric Nyari and Hanna Aqvilin, Black Box Diaries

  • Their names are black boxes as well, at least from a pronunciation perspective.

• Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham, No Other Land

  • This is the movie that describes our world's current state. An intractable problem everyone wants solved, but no one is willing to look at honestly. Let's be clear: you have an opinion on Israel vs. the Palestinians. You're wrong. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. They were attacked the minute the country was founded and have been under siege ever since. Also, Hamas are bad people. Yes, they were "elected" in 2006, but there hasn't been another election since. Also, lots of completely innocent people, whose families have been living in the same place for at least 200 years, have been made homeless or killed. Indicative of our inability to even discuss the issues, no company would pick this picture up for distribution, fearing reprisal (politically, financially or physically). This is why you can't watch it anywhere online. Given the tumultuous year the Middle East has had (after centuries of nothing but tumult), this is likely the winner.

• Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev, Aniela Sidorska and Paula DuPre' Pesmen, Porcelain War

  • I value these movies and strive to support them both with ticket sales and commentary. But I ain't driving to an art house theater in Brooklyn to see a movie. Sorry.

• Johan Grimonprez, Daan Milius and Rémi Grellety, Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat

  • Absolutely brilliant! I consider myself a student of the Cold War (as well as a child of it), but there is a ton of history presented that I was oblivious to. Satchmo Armstrong being used as a tool of the CIA (and considering renouncing his US citizenship because of the affront); Dizzie Gillespie, Max Roach, Nina Simone all being used for propaganda. It's not just the actual footage of the end of colonialism in Africa and the carving up of the continent into East/West spheres of influence. The juxtaposition of the music against the events is fascinating. Highly recommended. This would be my choice, if not for No Other Land.

• Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie and Kellen Quinn, Sugarcane

  • Just when you thought we had a full accounting of the atrocities against Native Americans, we get the story of a school that abused children (interesting timing with the release of Nickel Boys -- the story of the Dozier school that did the same to black kids). Touching, if also upsetting.