Oscars: ‘Citizenfour,’ ‘Grim Sleeper’ among 15 films on doc shortlist

Laura Poitras’ Edward Snowden movie “Citizenfour,” Nick Broomfield’s serial-killer investigation “Tales of the Grim Sleeper” and Steve James’ Roger Ebert bio “Life Itself” are among the 15 films that have made the Oscar shortlist for documentary features, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Tuesday.

Among the notable documentaries that didn’t make the cut were “Merchants of Doubt,” Robert Kenner’s look at media manipulators and spin doctors; “Red Army, Gabe Polsky’s chronicle of the rise and fall of Soviet hockey during the Cold War; and “Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me,” Chiemi Karasawa’s portrait of the late Broadway star.

Members of the documentary branch narrowed the field from 134 entries and will next select five nominees from among the 15 titles. Oscar nominations are to be announced Jan. 15.

The 15 documentaries and their production companies are:

• “Art and Craft,” Purple Parrot Films
• “The Case against 8,” Day in Court
• “Citizen Koch,” Elsewhere Films
• “CitizenFour,” Praxis Films
• “Finding Vivian Maier,” Ravine Pictures
• “The Internet’s Own Boy,” Luminant Media
• “Jodorowsky’s Dune,” City Film
• “Keep On Keepin’ On,” Absolute Clay Productions
• “The Kill Team,” f/8 filmworks
• “Last Days in Vietnam,” Moxie Firecracker Films
• “Life Itself,” Kartemquin Films and Film Rites
• “The Overnighters,” Mile End Films West
• “The Salt of the Earth,” Decia Films
• “Tales of the Grim Sleeper,” Lafayette Film
• “Virunga,” Grain Media

The 87th Academy Awards are scheduled for Feb. 22.

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