We are thrilled to announce that SUGARCANE (dir. Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie), made with the support of the WMM Production Assistance Program, has been nominated for Best Documentary in the 96th Academy Awards®! This documentary, which recently won Best Political Documentary and Best True-Crime Documentary at the Critic’s Choice Awards, reveals a groundbreaking investigation into unmarked graves discovered on the grounds of an Indigenous residential boarding school run by the Catholic Church in Canada.
Also, program alum Ema Ryan Yamazaki has credits on two nominated films: she is the editor of BLACK BOX DIARIES, nominated for Best Picture; and director of INSTRUMENT OF A BEATING HEART, nominated for Best Short Documentary.
Additionally, we want to shout out Jocelyn Barnes, producer of STRONG ISLAND (made with the support of our Production Assistance Program), who is a producer and co-writer of Nickel Boys, which is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture.
This marks the 22nd year in a row that a WMM film and/or filmmaker has been nominated for or won an Academy Award.
Congratulations to the teams behind these remarkable films. The Academy Awards® premieres on Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 6:00 PM.
