"14th," Ava DuVernay's documentary on the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, leads the 2026 Critics Choice Documentary Awards with six nominations — the strongest single showing of any film this cycle.

What does "14th" compete for?

The Netflix release, which world-premiered at the New York Film Festival days before the nominations landed, drew bids for best documentary feature, best director (DuVernay), best editing (Spencer Averick), best score (Jason Moran), best political documentary and best historical documentary.

How close is the rest of the field?

Three films tie for second place at five nominations apiece: "You Can See Everything" (directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, A24), "Once Upon a Time in Harlem" (Neon) and "Nuisance Bear" (Mubi). Seven more titles sit one slot behind at four nods: "Everybody to Kenmure Street," "Remake," "The History of Concrete," "Everest: The Other Side," "EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert," "Lion" and "Rehearsals for a Revolution."

Alex Gibney's four-hour Elon Musk examination "Musk" and the Israel-Gaza war film "NAZA" landed three nominations each.

What is the best documentary feature lineup?

The marquee slot lists ten titles: "14th," "Everest: The Other Side," "Everybody to Kenmure Street," "The History of Concrete," "Musk," "NAZA," "Once Upon a Time in Harlem," "Rehearsals for a Revolution," "Remake" and "You Can See Everything." The slate reaches across at least nine distributors — a fairly even market for the year.

What did the critics say about the slate?

Christopher Campbell, vice president of documentary at the Critics Choice Association, framed the nominees as broad. "This year's nominees reflect the range of voices, perspectives and stories that make documentary filmmaking so compelling," Campbell said in a statement. "These films challenge us to see the world in new ways and reinforce the vital role documentaries play in informing, engaging and inspiring audiences. We are proud to recognize the exceptional talent and creativity behind this year's nominated films."

Who has already locked up a prize?

The Critics Choice Association confirmed earlier that Ron Howard will collect the Critics Choice Impact Award. Jehane Noujaim receives the Pennebaker Award, the ceremony's lifetime-achievement honor.

Where and when does this all happen?

The 11th annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards ceremony runs Sunday, Nov. 8, at New York's Edison Ballroom. Ross Mathews hosts. A complete list of categories and nominees, spanning 17 fields from best science/nature documentary to best short documentary, follows in the official release.

The race, in one paragraph

DuVernay's six-nomination haul stacks against a notably stretched field. Twelve different films appear at three nominations or better, and "14th" alone converts that visibility into three category-level leads: feature, director and historical documentary. No clear front-runner behind her. The Nov. 8 ceremony will sort it out.