Acclaimed Documentarian Rory Kennedy to receive The Pennebaker Award presented by Chris Hegedus at the Ninth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards

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CHELSEA CLINTON AND AMANDA ZURAWSKI ANNOUNCED AS AWARD PRESENTERS

BRIDGET MOYNAHAN, LORRAINE TOUSSAINT, KEN LEUNG, ALI WENTWORTH, LAUREN GREENFIELD, MICHAEL CYRIL CREIGHTON, DAPHNE RUBIN-VEGA, AND R.J. CUTLER JOIN THE LINEUP OF PRESENTERS

GALA EVENT TO HONOR AWARD WINNERS ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2024 AT THE EDISON BALLROOM

The Ceremony Will Be Live-Streamed Through Facebook Live, YouTube, and X and on THE CRITICS CHOICE ASSOCIATION WEBSITE at 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, November 10

Los Angeles, CA (Tuesday, October 29, 2024) — The Critics Choice Association (CCA) has announced a prestigious honor, The Pennebaker Award, will be presented to esteemed documentarian Rory Kennedy at the Ninth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at The Edison Ballroom in New York City. The award is named for the late Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award winner D A Pennebaker, and will be presented by Chris Hegedus, Pennebaker’s producing partner and widow.

Rory Kennedy is an Academy Award-nominated, Primetime Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker. She has made over 40 films, including Downfall: The Case Against Boeing (Netflix), Last Days in Vietnam (American Experience), and Ethel (HBO), all of which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Her film, The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari, was the #1 Netflix film in the world during its release week in December, 2022. Kennedy most recently directed and produced The Synanon Fix, an HBO docu-series about the long celebrated addiction treatment center that transformed over the decades into an organization engaging in cult-like activity. Her films have appeared on networks and streamers including Netflix, HBO, National Geographic and Hulu. She has appeared on The Daily Show, The Today Show, CNN, and NPR. Kennedy served two terms as Governor of AMPAS and is a founding member of Climate Emergency Fund.

The ceremony will be hosted by longtime event supporter and actor Erich Bergen. Joining as presenters are Bridget Moynahan (Blue Bloods), Lorraine Toussaint (The Equalizer), Ken Leung (Industry), Ali Wentworth (Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields), Lauren Greenfield (Social Studies), Michael Cyril Creighton (Only Murders in the Building), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Only Murders in the Building) and R.J. Cutler (Elton John: Never Too Late).

Chelsea Clinton and Amanda Zurawski will also participate as presenters on behalf of their powerful, harrowing and critical documentary, Zurawski V Texas, that follows a group of women, led by Amanda Zurawski, who were denied access to healthcare and decided to band together with a fearless attorney from the Center for Reproductive Rights to sue the state of Texas. 

The nominees for the 18 award categories of the Ninth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards (CCDA) were announced on Monday, October 14. 

The Critics Choice Documentary Awards will be live-streamed through Facebook, YouTube,and X.Viewing links will be available on the Critics Choice Association website at 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, November 10.

The Critics Choice Associationhonors the year’s finest achievements in documentaries released in theaters, on TV, and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of qualified CCA members. The ninth annual awards ceremony is produced by Bob Bain of Bob Bain Productions.

The Catalyst Sponsors for the event are Amazon MGM Studios, National Geographic Documentary Films, Netflix, and Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

At the Eighth Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie took home five trophies including the top award of the evening, Best Documentary Feature. The film’s other victories were Best Director for Davis Guggenheim, Best Editing for Michael Harte, Best Narration for Michael J. Fox, and Best Biographical Documentary.

The Critics Choice Association recognizes the year’s finest achievements in documentaries released in theaters, on TV and on major digital platforms, as determined by the voting of qualified CCA members. 

Critics Choice Documentary Awards Timeline

Tuesday, November 5, 2024 – Final ballots emailed to membership

Friday, November 8, 2024 – Midnight (PT) deadline for final ballots

About the Critics Choice Awards

The Critics Choice Documentary Awards are an offshoot of the Critics Choice Awards, which are bestowed annually by the CCA to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Historically, the Critics Choice Awards are the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations.

The 30th annual Critics Choice Awards ceremony will be held on January 12, 2025 at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA, hosted by Chelsea Handler. It will air live on E! and will be available the next day on Peacock

About the Critics Choice Association (CCA) 

The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 600 media critics and entertainment journalists. It was established in 2019 with the formal merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, recognizing the intersection between film, television, and streaming content. For more information, visit CriticsChoice.com.

For press inquiries and more information, please contact: Laura Danford Mandel/LDMPR, [email protected], (917) 848-1460

For talent and bookings, please contact: Robin Reinhardt, [email protected]

For tickets and table sales, please contact: David Freedman, [email protected]

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