EXCLUSIVE: The inaugural Henry Awards for Public Interest Documentary has named its 15 semifinalists, with the winner set to receive $100,000.
The new prize, created by the Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, recognizes “nonfiction films that advance public understanding of the critical issues of our time while demonstrating outstanding cinematic achievement,” according to a release. “Guided by the hallmarks of ethical practice, rigorous investigation, and courageous storytelling, the Henry Awards are intended to honor and encourage a documentary filmmaking practice grounded in its essential role to a thriving society and focused on the public good.”
Among the 15 semifinalists announced Tuesday are the Oscar nominated documentary Four Daughters, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, and the Oscar-shortlisted documentaries Queendom, directed by Agniia Galdanova, and Hollywoodgate, directed by Ibrahim Nash’at. Scroll for the full list of semifinalists.
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Candidates for the Henry Awards were nominated by an international committee of experts from around the world “who see, support, and champion contemporary nonfiction work,” per the release. “The Nominations Committee includes festival programmers, scholars, foundation leaders, journalists, and film critics. Nominations were accepted for feature-length documentary films from around the world that have been released for at least a year and have exhibited a notable impact on audiences.”
Financial support for the Henry Awards Program is provided by Linda and John Henry. The program is administered by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
In a statement, Shorenstein Center Director Nancy Gibbs commented, “We are living through historic shifts in where, how, and from whom people get the information that shapes their understanding of the world. At such a moment, when ‘truth’ is often reduced to a cage match between fact and faith, documentary film serves as a vital witness to the public interest. The Henry Awards aim to elevate and celebrate films that play a critical role in an information ecosystem that serves as a foundation for a free society.”
Sara Archambault, director of the Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative at the Shorenstein Center, led the team that designed the awards. “At a time when major studios and streaming platforms are prioritizing documentary as entertainment or commerce, the Henry Awards seek to champion the essential work of documentaries that elevate public understanding,” Archambault said. “Anchored by core values like ethical practice, investigative excellence, and artistic integrity, this award seeks to spotlight films and film teams committed to contributing to the common good through their craft.”
Starting with the 2025 Henry Awards, a grand prize of $100,000 will be awarded annually; four finalists will also receive cash prizes. The grand prize winner and finalists, to be determined by a jury of film industry professionals and journalists, will be announced in April.”
These are the 15 semifinalists for the 2025 Henry Awards:
ANHELL69 | Director: Theo Montoya; Producers: Bianca Oana, David Hurst, Juan P. Castrillón, Theo Montoya | Colombia, Romania, France, Germany
ANOTHER BODY | Directors: Sophie Compton & Reuben Hamlyn; Producers: Elizabeth Woodward, Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn | United States, United Kingdom
COCONUT HEAD GENERATION | Director: Alain Kassanda; Producers: Emilie Guitard, Alain Kassanda | France, Nigeria
FOUR DAUGHTERS | Director: Kaouther Ben Hania; Producers: Nadim Cheikhrouha with Habib Attia, Thanassis Karathanos, Martin Hampel | Tunisia, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia
HOLLYWOODGATE | Director: Ibrahim Nash’at; Producers: Talal Derki, Odessa Rae, Shane Boris | Germany, United States
IF WE BURN | Directors: James Leong & Lynn Lee; Producers: James Leong, Lynn Lee | Hong Kong
KOKOMO CITY | Director: D. Smith; Producers: D. Smith, Harris Doran, Bill Butler | United States
MILISUTHANDO | Director: Milisuthando Bongela; Producers: Marion Isaacs, Milisuthando Bongela | South Africa, Colombia
Q | Director: Jude Chehab; Producers: Jude Chehab, Fahd Ahmed | United States, Lebanon
QUEENDOM | Director: Agniia Galdanova; Producers: Igor Myakotin, Agniia Galdanova | France, United States
THE STROLL | Directors: Kristen Lovell & Zackary Drucker; Producer: Matt Wolf | United States
THREE PROMISES | Director: Yousef Srouji; Producer: Marielle Olentine | Palestine, United States
WHILE WE WATCHED | Director: Vinay Shukla; Producers: Vinay Shukla, Luke W Moody, Khushboo Ranka | India, United Kingdom
YOUR FAT FRIEND | Director: Jeanie Finlay; Producer: Jeanie Finlay | United Kingdom, United States
YOUTH (SPRING) | Director: Wang Bing; Producers: Sonia Buchman, Mao Hui, Nicolas R. De La Mothe, Vincent Wang | France, Luxemburg, Netherlands
The post ‘Queendom,’ ‘Hollywoodgate,’ ‘Four Daughters’ And More In Running For Inaugural Henry Awards for Public Interest Documentary; Winner To Receive $100,000 appeared first on Deadline.
