Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
Awarded for	Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
Country	United States
Presented by	Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Currently held by	Matt Wolf, Pee-wee as Himself (2025)
Website	emmys.com

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program is awarded to one program each year. The category was split in 2018 to separately recognize documentary/nonfiction and reality programs.^[1]

In the following list, the first titles listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place:

Winners and nominations

1970s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominee(s)	Network
1979	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming^[2]^{[note 1]}
1979	Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids?		John Korty	ABC

1980s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominee(s)	Network
1983	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming^[3]^{[note 2]}
1983	The Body Human: The Living Code		Charles A. Bangert and Alfred R. Kelman	PBS
1984	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming^[4]^{[note 3]}
	He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin'		Emile Ardolino	PBS
	A Walk Through the 20th Century with Bill Moyers	"Marshall, Texas"	David Grubin	PBS
1986	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming^[5]^{[note 4]}
1986	The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn		David Heeley	PBS
1987	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming - Directing^[6]^{[note 5]}
	American Masters	"Unknown Chaplin"	Kevin Brownlow and David Gill	PBS
	Minnelli on Minnelli: Liza Remembers Vincente		Richard Schickel	PBS
1989	Outstanding Directing in Informational Programming^[7]^{[note 6]}
	Destined to Live		Linda Otto	NBC
	Entertainment Tonight	"Lucille Ball Memorial"	Ron de Moraes	Syndicated

1990s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominee(s)	Network
1990	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming^[8]^{[note 7]}
	American Masters	"W. Eugene Smith: Photography Made Difficult"	Gene Lasko	PBS
	The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic		Jack Haley Jr.	CBS
1991	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming^[9]^{[note 8]}
	Soldiers of Music: Rostropovich Returns to Russia		Bob Eisenhardt, Susan Froemke, Peter Gelb and Albert Maysles	PBS
	The Astronomers	"Waves of the Future"	Linda Feferman	PBS
	Motel		Christian Blackwood
	The Power of the Past with Bill Moyers: Florence		David Grubin
1992	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming^[10]^{[note 9]}
1992	Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse		Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper and Eleanor Coppola	Showtime
1993	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming^[11]^{[note 10]}
	Earth and the American Dream		Bill Couturié	HBO
	Gridiron Gang		Lee Stanley	Syndicated
	Dancing	"Dance Centerstage"	Geoff Dunlop	PBS
	Dancing	"New Worlds, New Forms"	Orlando Bagwell	PBS
	Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson		Barbara Kopple	NBC
	Healing and the Mind with Bill Moyers	"The Mystery of Chi"	David Grubin	PBS
	Lincoln		Peter Kunhardt	ABC
1994	Outstanding Individual Achievement - Informational Programming^[12]^{[note 11]}
	Cats & Dogs	"Dogs Segment"	Robin Lehman	TBS
	I Am a Promise: The Children of Stanton Elementary School		Susan Raymond	HBO

2000s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominee(s)	Network
2003 ^[13]	Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming
	American Experience	"The Murder of Emmett Till"	Stanley Nelson Jr.	PBS
	American Idol	"Finale"	Bruce Gowers	Fox
	Da Ali G Show	"Politics"	James Bobin	HBO
	Expedition: Bismarck		Andrew Wight and James Cameron	Discovery
	Journeys with George		Alexandra Pelosi and Aaron Lubarsky	HBO
	Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives		Ed Bell and Thomas Lennon	HBO
2004 ^[14]
	Jockey		Kate Davis	HBO
	American Experience	"Tupperware!"	Laurie Kahn	PBS
	American Masters	"Judy Garland: By Myself"	Susan Lacy	PBS
	Born Rich		Jamie Johnson	HBO
	Queer Eye for the Straight Guy	"Richard Miller"	Becky Smith	Bravo
2005 ^[15]
	Death in Gaza		James Miller (posthumously)	HBO
	American Idol	"Finale"	Bruce Gowers	Fox
	The Apprentice	"Finale"	Glenn Weiss	NBC
	Extreme Makeover: Home Edition	"The Dore Family"	Patrick Higgins	ABC
	Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson		Ken Burns	PBS
2006 ^[16]
	Baghdad ER		Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill	HBO
	All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise		Shari Cookson	HBO
	American Masters	"John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend"	Samuel D. Pollard	PBS
	American Masters	"No Direction Home: Bob Dylan"	Martin Scorsese	PBS
	Children of Beslan		Ewa Ewart and Leslie Woodhead	HBO
2007 ^[17]	When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts		Spike Lee	HBO
	Ghosts of Abu Ghraib		Rory Kennedy	HBO
	Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed		Kevin Burns	History
	Thin		Lauren Greenfield	HBO
	This American Life	"God's Close-Up"	Christopher Wilcha	Showtime
2008 ^[18]	This American Life	"Escape"	Adam Beckman and Christopher Wilcha	Showtime
	The Amazing Race	"Honestly, They Have Witch Powers or Something"	Bertram van Munster	CBS
	Autism: The Musical		Tricia Regan	HBO
	Project Runway	"En Garde!"	Tony Sacco	Bravo
	The War	"Pride of Our Nation (June–August 1944)"	Ken Burns and Lynn Novick	PBS
2009 ^[19]	Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired		Marina Zenovich	HBO
	The Amazing Race	"Don't Let a Cheese Hit Me"	Bertram van Munster	CBS
	Project Runway	"Finale, Part 1"	Paul Starkman	Bravo
	This American Life	"John Smith"	Adam Beckman and Christopher Wilcha	Showtime
	Top Chef	"The Last Supper"	Steve Hryniewicz	Bravo

2010s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominee(s)	Network
2010 ^[20]	American Experience	"My Lai"	Barak Goodman	PBS
	The Amazing Race	"I Think We're Fighting the Germans, Right?"	Bertram van Munster	CBS
	By the People: The Election of Barack Obama		Amy Rice and Alicia Sams	HBO
	Monty Python: Almost the Truth (Lawyers Cut)	"Lust for Glory"	Bill Jones and Ben Timlett	IFC
	Terror in Mumbai		Dan Reed	HBO
2011 ^[21]	Gasland		Josh Fox	HBO
	The Amazing Race	"You Don't Get Paid Unless You Win"	Bertram van Munster	CBS
	American Masters	"A Letter to Elia/Reflecting on Kazan"	Kent Jones and Martin Scorsese	PBS
	Becoming Chaz		Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato	OWN
	Top Chef	"Give Me Your Huddled Masses"	Paul Starkman	Bravo
2012 ^[22]	George Harrison: Living in the Material World		Martin Scorsese	HBO
	The Amazing Race	"Let Them Drink Their Haterade"	Bertram van Munster	CBS
	American Masters	"Woody Allen: A Documentary"	Robert B. Weide	PBS
	Project Runway	"Finale, Part 2"	Craig Spirko	Lifetime
	Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory		Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky	HBO
2013 ^[23]	American Masters	"Mel Brooks: Make a Noise"	Robert Trachtenberg	PBS
	Ethel		Rory Kennedy	HBO
	Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God		Alex Gibney	HBO
	Survivor	"Live Finale and Reunion (Caramoan: Fans vs. Favorites)"	Glenn Weiss	CBS
	Survivor	"Live Finale and Reunion (Philippines)"	Michael Simon	CBS
2014 ^[24]	The Square		Jehane Noujaim	Netflix
	The Amazing Race	"Part Like the Red Sea"	Bertram van Munster	CBS
	Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey	"Standing Up in the Milky Way"	Brannon Braga	Fox
	Project Runway	"Sky's the Limit"	Craig Spirko	Lifetime
	Shark Tank	"Episode 501"	Ken Fuchs	ABC
2015 ^[25]	Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief		Alex Gibney	HBO
	Citizenfour		Laura Poitras	HBO
	Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways	"Washington D.C."	Dave Grohl
	The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst	"Chapter 2: Poor Little Rich Boy"	Andrew Jarecki
	Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck		Brett Morgen
2016 ^[26]	Making a Murderer	"Fighting for Their Lives"	Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi	Netflix
	Cartel Land		Matthew Heineman	A&E
	Chef's Table	"Gaggan Anand"	David Gelb	Netflix
	He Named Me Malala		Davis Guggenheim	Nat Geo
	What Happened, Miss Simone?		Liz Garbus	Netflix
2017 ^[27]	O.J.: Made in America	"Part 3"	Ezra Edelman	ESPN
	Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds		Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens	HBO
	Planet Earth II	"Cities"	Fredi Devas	BBC America
	Planet Earth II	"Islands"	Elizabeth White	BBC America
	13th		Ava DuVernay	Netflix
2018 ^[28]	Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
	Jane		Brett Morgen	Nat Geo
	Icarus		Bryan Fogel	Netflix
	The Vietnam War	"Episode 8: The History of the World (April 1969-May 1970)"	Ken Burns and Lynn Novick	PBS
	Wild Wild Country	"Part 3"	Chapman Way and Maclain Way	Netflix
	The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling		Judd Apatow	HBO
2019 ^[29]
	Free Solo		Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin	Nat Geo
	Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened		Chris Smith	Netflix
	Leaving Neverland		Dan Reed	HBO
	RBG		Julie Cohen and Betsy West	CNN
	Three Identical Strangers		Tim Wardle	CNN

2020s

Year	Program	Episode	Nominee(s)	Network
2020 ^[30]
	American Factory		Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert	Netflix
	Apollo 11		Todd Douglas Miller	CNN
	Becoming		Nadia Hallgren	Netflix
	The Cave		Feras Fayyad	Nat Geo
	The Last Dance	"Episode 7"	Jason Hehir	ESPN
	Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness	"Cult of Personality"	Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin	Netflix
2021 ^[31]
	Dick Johnson Is Dead		Kirsten Johnson	Netflix
	Allen v. Farrow	"Episode 3"	Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering	HBO
	The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart		Frank Marshall	HBO
	Boys State		Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss	Apple TV+
	The Social Dilemma		Jeff Orlowski	Netflix
	Tina		Dan Lindsay and T. J. Martin	HBO
2022 ^[32]
	The Beatles: Get Back	"Part 3: Days 17-22"	Peter Jackson	Disney+
	The Andy Warhol Diaries	"Shadows: Andy & Jed"	Andrew Rossi	Netflix
	George Carlin's American Dream		Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio	HBO Max
	Lucy and Desi		Amy Poehler	Prime Video
	Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy	"Venice"	Ian Denyer	CNN
	We Need to Talk About Cosby	"Part 1"	W. Kamau Bell	Showtime
2023 ^[33]
	Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie		Davis Guggenheim	Apple TV+
	Judy Blume Forever		Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok	Prime Video
	Moonage Daydream		Brett Morgen	HBO
	Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields		Lana Wilson	Hulu
	The Territory		Alex Pritz	Nat Geo
	The U.S. and the Holocaust	"Episode 3: The Homeless, Tempest-tossed (1942-)"	Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein	PBS
2024 ^[34]
	Girls State		Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss	Apple TV+
	Albert Brooks: Defending My Life		Rob Reiner	HBO
	Beckham	"What Makes David Run"	Fisher Stevens	Netflix
	The Greatest Night in Pop		Bao Nguyen	Netflix
	Jim Henson Idea Man		Ron Howard	Disney+
	Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces		Morgan Neville	Apple TV+
2025 ^[35]
	Pee-wee as Himself		Matt Wolf	HBO
	Deaf President Now!		Nyle DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim	Apple TV+
	Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music		Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and Oz Rodríguez	NBC
	Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story		Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui	HBO
	Will & Harper		Josh Greenbaum	Netflix

Individuals with multiple nominations

4 nominations

Ken Burns

3 nominations

2 nominations

Notes

^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

References

^ Petski, Denise (December 12, 2017). "TV Academy Reclassifies Variety Special Emmy Categories; Splits Some Costume, Directing & Sound Editing Fields". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 24, 2025.

External links

Academy of Television Arts and Sciences website

[3] As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

[5] As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

[7] As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

[9] As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

[11] As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given.

[13] As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given.

[15] As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

[17] As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

[19] As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

[21] As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

[23] As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award.

[1] Petski, Denise (December 12, 2017). "TV Academy Reclassifies Variety Special Emmy Categories; Splits Some Costume, Directing & Sound Editing Fields". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 12, 2017.

[2] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

[4] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

[6] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

[8] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

[10] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

[12] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

[14] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

[16] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

[18] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

[20] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

[22] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Television Academy. Retrieved April 18, 2020.

[24] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 22, 2017.

[25] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 22, 2017.

[26] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 22, 2017.

[emmys-27] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved May 22, 2017.

[28] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.

[emmys2-29] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.

[emmys3-30] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.

[emmys4-31] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.

[emmys5-32] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.

[emmys6-33] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.

[emmys7-34] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.

[emmys8-35] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.

[emmys9-36] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 27, 2016.

[37] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2018.

[38] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2018.

[39] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2018.

[40] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 16, 2019.

[41] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 29, 2020.

[42] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 15, 2021.

[43] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 12, 2022.

[44] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 13, 2023.

[45] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 19, 2024.

[46] "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 24, 2025.

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