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By Nina Heyn – Your Culture Scout
It’s a sign of the times that documentaries now seem to be more interesting than features. While some feature movies this year focus on exceptional situations (such as the last man on Earth’s travels to a polar station, or a moment in history from the anti-war protests in the ’60s, or a couple stuck in a time loop), the recent crop of documentaries tackles current newspaper headlines or dives deep into social issues previously unknown if not downright hidden. This year’s Oscar contenders for Best Documentary include a record number of 238 documentaries from all over the world, surpassing last year’s 170 entrants. Beyond the truly outstanding and already popular recent ones like My Octopus Teacher and The Social Dilemma, there is a long list of great forays into non-fiction on screen that are frontrunners in this awards season.
