The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced the nominations for the 89th Oscars and Independent Lens was thrilled to learn that I Am Not Your Negro [official site] received a nomination for Best Feature Documentary. Raoul Peck‘s film, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson and which was called “one of the best movies you are likely to see this year” by New York Times critic Manhola Dargis and “staggering…the year’s most essential film” by Jason Bailey in Flavorwire, will air on Independent Lens next season.
Haitian-born filmmaker Raoul Peck was awarded Human Rights Watch’s Nestor Almendros Prize and Lifetime Achievement Award, and his film Lumumba: Death of a Prophet was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in 2002.
This makes eight Academy Award nominations for Independent Lens films: The Invisible War and How to Survive a Plague in 2013; Hell and Back Again (2012); Waste Land (2011); Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2006); The Weather Underground (2004); and the short documentary Why Can’t We Be a Family Again? (2002).
“We are exceptionally proud to have funded I Am Not Your Negro four years ago when Raoul began active production on his masterpiece,” said Lois Vossen, Independent Lens Executive Producer, who worked with Peck throughout the making of his film. “He has given us a completely original film that brings James Baldwin’s words to life.”
Watch the trailer for I Am Not Your Negro below, and please join us in congratulating Raoul on this amazing achievement. A full list of all the nominees is available here. We’d also like to give a shout out to director Roger Ross Williams, nominated in the same category for Life, Animated and whose film God Loves Uganda aired on Independent Lens in 2014.
The 89th Academy Awards show will be broadcast on ABC Sunday, February 26th.
