OSCAR HISTORY: Best Documentary Short Subject

Non-fiction can sometimes be more dramatic than the most dramatic of narrative motion pictures. Over the years, the Academy has recognized some extraordinary documentary features and shorts, which in one way or another, help to illuminate our lives by showing us some amazing true stories, and sometimes in films that were not afraid to take on powerful forces to illuminate some very important points.


2023: THE LAST REPAIR SHOP     (View Film)
2022: THE ELEPHANT WHISPERERS     (View Film Trailer)
2021: THE QUEEN OF BASKETBALL     (View Film)
2020: COLETTE     (View Film)
2019: LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WAR ZONE (IF YOU'RE A GIRL)     (View Film Trailer)
2018: PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE.     (Watch Full Movie)
2017: HEAVEN IS A TRAFFIC JAM ON THE 405     (View Film Trailer)
2016: THE WHITE HELMETS     (Watch Full Movie)
2015: A GIRL IN THE RIVER: THE PRICE OF FORGIVENESS     (Watch Full Movie)
2014: CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1     (View Film Trailer)
2013: THE LADY IN NUMBER 6: MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE     (View Film Trailer)
2012: INOCENTE     (View Film Trailer)
2011: SAVING FACE     (View Film Trailer)
2010: STRANGERS NO MORE     (View Film Trailer)
2009: MUSIC BY PRUDENCE     (View Film Trailer)
2008: SMILE PINKI     (Watch Full Movie)
2007: FREEHELD     (View Film Trailer)
2006: THE BLOOD OF YINGZHOU DISTRICT     (View Film Trailer)
2005: A NOTE OF TRIUMPH: THE GOLDEN AGE OF NORMAN CORWIN     (View Film Clip)
2004: MIGHTY TIMES: THE CHILDRENS MARCH     (View Film Clip)
2003: CHERNOBYL HEART     (Watch Full Movie)
2002: TWIN TOWERS     (View Film)
2001: THOTH     (Watch Full Movie)
2000: BIG MAMA     (View Film Clip)
1999: KING GIMP     (Watch Full Movie)
1998: THE PERSONALS    
1997: A STORY OF HEALING     (Watch Full Movie)
1996: BREATHING LESSONS: THE LIFE AND WORK OF MARK O'BRIEN     (View Oscar Moment)
1995: ONE SURVIVOR REMEMBERS     (View Film Trailer)
1994: A TIME FOR JUSTICE     (View Film Clip)
1993: DEFENDING OUR LIVES     (Watch Full Movie)
1992: EDUCATING PETER     (Watch Full Movie)
1991: DEADLY DECEPTION: GENERAL ELECTRIC, NUCLEAR WEAPONS, AND OUR ENVIRONMENT     (Watch Full Movie)
1990: DAYS OF WAITING     (View Film Trailer)
1989: THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD     (Watch Full Movie)
1988: YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIE     (Watch Full Movie)
1987: YOUNG AT HEART     (View Film)
1986: WOMEN -- FOR AMERICA, FOR THE WORLD     (Watch Full Movie)
1985: WITNESS TO WAR: DR. CHARLIE CLEMENTS     (View Oscar Moment)
1984: THE STONE CARVERS     (View Film Trailer)
1983: FLAMENCO AT 5:15     (Watch Full Movie)
1982: IF YOU LOVE THIS PLANET     (Watch Full Movie)
1981: CLOSE HARMONY     (View Film)
1980: KARL HESS: TOWARD LIBERTY     (Watch Full Movie)
1979: PAUL ROBESON: TRIBUTE TO AN ARTIST     (View Film Clip)
1978: THE FLIGHT OF THE GOSSAMER CONDOR     (Watch Full Movie)
1977: GRAVITY IS MY ENEMY     (View Oscar Moment)
1976: NUMBER OUR DAYS     (View Film Clip)
1975: THE END OF THE GAME     (View Oscar Moment)
1974: DON'T     (Watch Full Movie)
1973: PRINCETON: A SEARCH FOR ANSWERS     (Watch Full Movie)
1972: THIS TINY WORLD     (View Oscar Moment)
1971: SENTINELS OF SILENCE     (Watch Full Movie)
1970: INTERVIEWS WITH MY LAI VETERANS     (Watch Full Movie)
1969: CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1968    
1968: WHY MAN CREATES     (Watch Full Movie)
1967: THE REDWOODS     (View Film)
1966: A YEAR TOWARD TOMORROW     (Watch Full Movie)
1965: TO BE ALIVE!     (Watch Full Movie)
1964: NINE FROM LITTLE ROCK     (Watch Full Movie)
1963: CHAGALL     (View Film Clip)
1962: DYLAN THOMAS     (Watch Full Movie)
1961: PROJECT HOPE     (Watch Full Movie)
1960: GUISEPPINA     (Watch Full Movie)
1959: GLASS     (Watch Full Movie)
1958: AMA GIRLS     (View Film)
1957: ---NOT GIVEN---    
1956: THE TRUE STORY OF THE CIVIL WAR     (View Film)
1955: MEN AGAINST THE ARCTIC     (Watch Full Movie)
1954: THURSDAY'S CHILDREN     (Watch Full Movie)
1953: THE ALASKAN ESKIMO     (Watch Full Movie)
1952: NEIGHBOURS     (Watch Full Movie)
1951: BENJY    
1950: WHY KOREA?    
1949: A CHANCE TO LIVE / SO MUCH FOR SO LITTLE     (Watch Full Movie)
1948: TOWARD INDEPENDENCE     (Watch Full Movie)
1947: FIRST STEPS     (Watch Full Movie)
1946: SEEDS OF DESTINY     (View Film Clip)
1945: HITLER LIVES?     (Watch Full Movie)
1944: WITH THE MARINES AT TARAWA     (Watch Full Movie)
1943: DECEMBER 7TH     (Watch Full Movie)
1942: THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY / KOKODA FRONT LINE! / MOSCOW STRIKES BACK / PRELUDE TO WAR     (Watch Full Movie)
1941: CHURCHILLS ISLAND     (View Film)