# American Cinema Editors Award for Best Edited Documentary – Feature

The American Cinema Editors Award for Best Edited Documentary – Feature is one of the annual awards given by the American Cinema Editors, awarded to what members of the American Cinema Editors Guild deem as the best edited feature documentary film for a given year. Until 2013, this category included television documentaries, both single films and episodes of documentary series.
This award has been a good indicator of the winners and nominees for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing as in the case of Hoop Dreams.

## Winners and nominees
### 1970s

Best Edited Documentary (Feature or Television)
| Year | Program | Episode(s) | Nominees | Network |
| 1972 |
| 1972 | The Bengal Tiger | The Bengal Tiger | Axel Hubert Sr. | Axel Hubert Sr. |
| 1972 | Julie | Julie | Peter C. Johnson, Arthur Schneider, and David Newhouse | Peter C. Johnson, Arthur Schneider, and David Newhouse |
| 1972 | The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau | "The Forgotten Mermaids" | John Soh | ABC |
Best Edited Documentary
| Year | Program | Episode(s) | Nominees | Network |
| 1973 |
| 1973 | Survival | "Flight of the Snow Geese" | Leslie Parry | NBC |
| 1973 | The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau | "The Forgotten Mermaids" | John Soh | ABC |
| 1973 | Walls of Fire | Walls of Fire | Gene Fowler Jr. | Gene Fowler Jr. |
| 1974 |
| 1974 | That's Entertainment! | That's Entertainment! | Bud Friedgen and David Blewitt | Bud Friedgen and David Blewitt |
| 1974 | Animals Are Beautiful People | Animals Are Beautiful People | Jamie Uys | Jamie Uys |
| 1974 | Following the Tundra Wolf | Following the Tundra Wolf | Peter Honess | Peter Honess |
| 1975 |
| 1975 | National Geographic Specials | "Search for the Great Apes" | David Saxon | PBS |
| 1975 | National Geographic Specials | "This Britain: Heritage of the Sea" | David Newhouse | PBS |
| 1975 | The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau | "The Seabirds of Isabela" | John Soh | ABC |
| 1976 |
| 1976 | Life Goes to the Movies | Life Goes to the Movies | Robert K. Lambert and Peter C. Johnson | NBC |
| 1976 | The Memory of Justice | The Memory of Justice | Inge Behrens | Inge Behrens |
| 1976 | That's Entertainment, Part II | That's Entertainment, Part II | Bud Friedgen and David Blewitt | Bud Friedgen and David Blewitt |
| 1977 |
| 1977 | Life Goes to War: Hollywood and the Home Front | Life Goes to War: Hollywood and the Home Front | David Blewitt and John Wright | NBC |
| 1977 | Gentile Giants of the Pacific | Gentile Giants of the Pacific | Leslie Parry | Leslie Parry |
| 1977 | Oscar Presents: The War Movies and John Wayne | Oscar Presents: The War Movies and John Wayne | William Cartwright and Jeffery Weston | William Cartwright and Jeffery Weston |
| 1978 |
| 1978 | The Living Sands of Namib | The Living Sands of Namib | David Saxon | David Saxon |
| 1978 | Mickey's 50 | Mickey's 50 | Lloyd L. Richardson | NBC |
| 1978 | The Secret Life of Plants | The Secret Life of Plants | Robert K. Lambert, Chris Lebenzon and Ian Masters | Robert K. Lambert, Chris Lebenzon and Ian Masters |
| 1979 |
| 1979 | Wild Kingdom | "Desert Spring" | Bernard Braham | Syndication |
| 1979 | National Geographic Specials | "Gold" | David Saxon | PBS |

### 1980s

| Year | Program | Episode(s) | Nominees | Network |
| 1980 |
| 1980 | Can't It Be Anyone Else | Can't It Be Anyone Else | Michael Chandler | ABC |
| 1980 | The Superliners: Twilight of an Era | The Superliners: Twilight of an Era | Barry Nye | PBS |
| 1980 | Whatever Happened to Lori Jean Lloyd | Whatever Happened to Lori Jean Lloyd | David Saxon | David Saxon |
| 1981 |
| 1981 | The Day After Trinity | The Day After Trinity | David Webb Peoples and Ralph Wikke | David Webb Peoples and Ralph Wikke |
| 1981 | Clipperton: The Island Time Forgot | Clipperton: The Island Time Forgot | John Soh | John Soh |
| 1981 | Wild Kingdom | "Before the Storms of Winter" | Bernard Braham | Syndication |
| 1982 (22nd) |
| 1982 (22nd) | The Thames | The Thames | Peter C. Johnson | Peter C. Johnson |
| 1982 (22nd) | Burden of Dreams | Burden of Dreams | Maureen Gosling | Maureen Gosling |
| 1983 |
| 1983 | The Weavers: Wasn't That a Time! | The Weavers: Wasn't That a Time! | Paul Barnes | Paul Barnes |
| 1983 | Adapt or Die | Adapt or Die | Pat Cook | ABC |
| 1983 | Say Amen, Somebody | Say Amen, Somebody | Paul Barnes | Paul Barnes |
| 1984 |
| 1984 | Among the Wild Chimpanzees | Among the Wild Chimpanzees | Barry Nye | |
| 1984 | Heritage: Civilization and the Jews | "Out of the Ashes" | Laurence Solomon | |
| 1984 | Wild Kingdom | "Lions of the Mara" | Bernard Braham | Syndication |
| 1985 |
| 1985 | Land of the Tiger | Land of the Tiger | Barry Nye | PBS |
| 1985 | Creation of the Universe | Creation of the Universe | Robert Estrin and Lisa Day | PBS |
| 1985 | The Statue of Liberty | The Statue of Liberty | Paul Barnes | PBS |
| 1986 |
| 1986 | Home Free: Return of the Bald Eagle | Home Free: Return of the Bald Eagle | Christopher Knight | Christopher Knight |
| 1986 | Grizzly: The Shining Mountains | Grizzly: The Shining Mountains | John Howe | John Howe |
| 1986 | Mother Teresa | Mother Teresa | Thomas Haneke | PBS |
| 1986 | Realm of the Alligator | Realm of the Alligator | Barry Nye | PBS |
| 1987 |
| 1987 | The Infinite Voyage | "Unseen Worlds" | John Soh and Catherine Shields | PBS |
| 1987 | Lions of the African Night | Lions of the African Night | Barry Nye | PBS |
| PBS ||
| 1988 |
| 1988 | The Explorers: A Century of Discovery | The Explorers: A Century of Discovery | Barry Nye and Catherine Shields | PBS |
| 1988 | Eyes on the Prize | Eyes on the Prize | Charles Scott, Jeanne Jordan, Ann Bartholomew and Dan Eisenberg | PBS |
| 1988 | The Thin Blue Line | The Thin Blue Line | Paul Barnes | Paul Barnes |
| 1989 |
| 1989 | Roger & Me | Roger & Me | Wendey Stanzler and Jennifer Beman | Wendey Stanzler and Jennifer Beman |
| 1989 | Gary Cooper: American Life, American Legend | Gary Cooper: American Life, American Legend | Murray Jordan | TNT |
| 1989 | The Infinite Voyage | "The Great Dinosaur Hunt" | John Soh | PBS |

### 1990s

| Year | Program | Episode(s) | Nominees | Network |
| 1990 |
| 1990 | This Reporter | "Episode 1" | Deborah Peretz and Edward R. Murrow | |
| 1990 | The Civil War | "'The Better Angels of Our Nature' (1865)" | Paul Barnes, Bruce Shaw and Tricia Reidy | PBS |
| 1990 | Journey to the Forgotten River | Journey to the Forgotten River | Barry Nye | PBS |
| 1991 |
| 1991 | Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse | Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse | Michael Greer and Jay Miracle | Michael Greer and Jay Miracle |
| 1991 | Berkeley in the Sixties | Berkeley in the Sixties | Veronica Selver | Veronica Selver |
| 1991 | Madonna: Truth or Dare | Madonna: Truth or Dare | Barry Alexander Brown | Barry Alexander Brown |
| 1992 |
| 1992 | MGM: When the Lion Roars | MGM: When the Lion Roars | Robert L. Sinise | TNT |
| 1992 | American Experience | "The Donner Party" | Bruce Shaw | PBS |
| 1992 | Fires of Kuwait | Fires of Kuwait | Barbara Kerr | Barbara Kerr |
| 1993 |
| 1993 | National Geographic Specials | "Survivers of the Skeleton" | Barry Nye and Leslie Parry | PBS |
| 1993 | Baraka | Baraka | Ron Fricke, Mark Magidson and David Aubrey | Ron Fricke, Mark Magidson and David Aubrey |
| 1993 | Visions of Light | Visions of Light | Arnold Glassman | Arnold Glassman |
| 1994 |
| 1994 | Hoop Dreams | Hoop Dreams | Steve James, Frederick Marx and William Haugse | Steve James, Frederick Marx and William Haugse |
| 1994 | Africa: The Serengeti | Africa: The Serengeti | Tim Huntley | Tim Huntley |
| 1994 | That's Entertainment! III | That's Entertainment! III | Bud Friedgen and Michael J. Sheridan | Bud Friedgen and Michael J. Sheridan |
| 1995 |
| 1995 | Unzipped | Unzipped | Paula Heredia | Paula Heredia |
| 1995 | 30 Years of National Geographic Specials | 30 Years of National Geographic Specials | Barry Nye | PBS |
| 1995 | Crumb | Crumb | Victor Livingston | Victor Livingston |
| 1996 |
| 1996 | Looking for Richard | Looking for Richard | William A. Anderson, Ned Bastille, Andre Ross Betz and Pasquale Buba | William A. Anderson, Ned Bastille, Andre Ross Betz and Pasquale Buba |
| 1996 | National Geographic Specials | "Last Feast of the Crocodiles" | Barry Nye and David Hughes | PBS |
| 1996 | The Wild Bunch: An Album in Montage | The Wild Bunch: An Album in Montage | Paul Seydor | Paul Seydor |
| 1997 |
| 1997 | Frank Capra's American Dream | Frank Capra's American Dream | Arnold Glassman | Arnold Glassman |
| 1997 | Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery | Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery | Paul Barnes and Erik Ewers | PBS |
| 1997 | Year of the Horse | Year of the Horse | Jay Rabinowitz | Jay Rabinowitz |
| 1998 |
| 1998 | Dancemaker | Dancemaker | Pam Wise | Pam Wise |
| 1998 | The Cruise | The Cruise | Michael Levine | Michael Levine |
| 1998 | The Last Days | The Last Days | James Moll | James Moll |
Best Edited Documentary Film
| Year | Program | Episode(s) | Nominees | Network |
| 1999 |
| 1999 | Old Man River | Old Man River | Allan Holzman | Allan Holzman |
| 1999 | Buena Vista Social Club | Buena Vista Social Club | Brian Johnson and Monica Anderson | Brian Johnson and Monica Anderson |
| 1999 | Hitchcock: Shadow of a Genius | Hitchcock: Shadow of a Genius | Arnold Glassman | Arnold Glassman |

### 2000s

| Year | Program | Episode(s) | Nominees | Network |
| 2000 |
| 2000 | Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport | Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport | Kate Amend | Kate Amend |
| 2000 | Judy's Time | Judy's Time | Erin Flannery and David Klagsbrun | Erin Flannery and David Klagsbrun |
| 2000 | Shooting War | Shooting War | Bryan McKenzie | Bryan McKenzie |
| 2001 |
| 2001 | New York: A Documentary Film | "The City and the World (1945–2000)" | Julie Parroni | PBS |
| 2001 | Chop Suey | Chop Suey | Angelo Corrao | Angelo Corrao |
| 2001 | The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition | The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition | Joshua Waletzky | Joshua Waletzky |
| 2002 |
| 2002 | Bowling for Columbine | Bowling for Columbine | Kurt Engfehr | Kurt Engfehr |
| 2002 | The Kid Stays in the Picture | The Kid Stays in the Picture | Jun Diaz | Jun Diaz |
| 2002 | Sounds of Memphis | Sounds of Memphis | Allan Holzman | Allan Holzman |
| 2003 |
| 2003 | Spellbound | Spellbound | Yana Gorskaya | Yana Gorskaya |
| 2003 | Capturing the Friedmans | Capturing the Friedmans | Richard Hankin | Richard Hankin |
| 2003 | The Fog of War | The Fog of War | Doug Abel, Chyld King and Karen Schmeer | Doug Abel, Chyld King and Karen Schmeer |
| 2004 |
| 2004 | Riding Giants | Riding Giants | Paul Crowder | Paul Crowder |
| 2004 | Fahrenheit 9/11 | Fahrenheit 9/11 | Kurt Engfehr, Woody Richman, Christopher Seward | Kurt Engfehr, Woody Richman, Christopher Seward |
| 2004 | My Architect | My Architect | Sabine Krayenbühl | Sabine Krayenbühl |
| 2005 |
| 2005 | March of the Penguins | March of the Penguins | Sabine Emiliani | Sabine Emiliani |
| 2005 | Grizzly Man | Grizzly Man | Joe Bini | Joe Bini |
| 2005 | James Dean: Forever Young | James Dean: Forever Young | Michael J. Sheridan, Jack Tucker, Patrea Patrick and Fred Roth | Michael J. Sheridan, Jack Tucker, Patrea Patrick and Fred Roth |
| 2006 |
| 2006 | An Inconvenient Truth | An Inconvenient Truth | Jay Cassidy and Dan Swietlik | Jay Cassidy and Dan Swietlik |
| 2006 | Baghdad ER | Baghdad ER | Joe Bini | HBO |
| 2006 | When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts | "Part One" | Samuel D. Pollard | HBO |
Best Edited Documentary
| Year | Program | Episode(s) | Nominees | Network |
| 2007 |
| 2007 | Sicko | Sicko | Geoffrey Richman, Christopher Seward and Dan Swietlik | Geoffrey Richman, Christopher Seward and Dan Swietlik |
| 2007 | Darfur Now | Darfur Now | Edgar Burcksen and Leonard Feinstein | Edgar Burcksen and Leonard Feinstein |
| 2007 | The Pixar Story | The Pixar Story | Leslie Iwerks and Stephen R. Myers | Leslie Iwerks and Stephen R. Myers |
| 2008 |
| 2008 | Man on Wire | Man on Wire | Jinx Godfrey | Jinx Godfrey |
| 2008 | Chicago 10 | Chicago 10 | Stuart Levy | Stuart Levy |
| 2008 | Frontline | "Bush's War: Part I" & "Bush's War: Part II" | Steve Audette | PBS |
| 2009 |
| 2009 | The Cove | The Cove | Geoffrey Richman | Geoffrey Richman |
| 2009 | Food, Inc. | Food, Inc. | Kim Roberts | Kim Roberts |
| 2009 | Michael Jackson's This Is It | Michael Jackson's This Is It | Don Brochu, Brandon Key, Timothy Patterson and Kevin Stitt | Don Brochu, Brandon Key, Timothy Patterson and Kevin Stitt |

### 2010s

| Year | Program | Episode(s) | Nominees | Network |
| 2010 |
| 2010 | Exit Through the Gift Shop | Exit Through the Gift Shop | Tom Fulford and Chris King | Tom Fulford and Chris King |
| 2010 | Inside Job | Inside Job | Chad Beck and Adam Bolt | Chad Beck and Adam Bolt |
| 2010 | Waiting for "Superman" | Waiting for "Superman" | Jay Cassidy, Greg Finton and Kim Roberts | Jay Cassidy, Greg Finton and Kim Roberts |
| 2011 |
| 2011 | Freedom Riders | Freedom Riders | Lewis Erskine and Aljernon Tunsil | Lewis Erskine and Aljernon Tunsil |
| 2011 | Cave of Forgotten Dreams | Cave of Forgotten Dreams | Joe Bini and | Joe Bini and |
| 2011 | George Harrison: Living in the Material World | George Harrison: Living in the Material World | David Tedeschi | HBO |
Best Edited Documentary - Feature
| Year | Film | Editor(s) |
| 2012 |
| 2012 | Searching for Sugar Man | Malik Bendjelloul |
| 2012 | Samsara | Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson |
| 2012 | West of Memphis | Billy McMillin |
| 2013 |
| 2013 | 20 Feet from Stardom | Jason Zeldes, Kevin Klauber and Doug Blush |
| 2013 | Blackfish | Eli B. Despres |
| 2013 | Tim's Vermeer | Patrick Sheffield |
| 2014 |
| 2014 | Citizenfour | Mathilde Bonnefoy |
| 2014 | Finding Vivian Maier | Aaron Wickenden |
| 2014 | Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me | Elisa Bonora |
| 2015 |
| 2015 | Amy | Chris King |
| 2015 | Cobain: Montage of Heck | Joe Beshenkovsky and Brett Morgen |
| 2015 | Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief | Andy Grieve |
| 2015 | He Named Me Malala | Greg Finton, Brian Johnson and Brad Fuller |
| 2015 | The Wrecking Crew | Claire Scanlon |
| 2016 |
| 2016 | O.J.: Made in America | Bret Granato, Maya Mumma and Ben Sozanski |
| 2016 | 13th | Spencer Averick |
| 2016 | Amanda Knox | Matthew Hamachek |
| 2016 | The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years | Paul Crowder |
| 2016 | Weiner | Eli B. Despres |
| 2017 |
| 2017 | Jane | Joe Beshenkovsky, Will Znidaric and Brett Morgen |
| 2017 | Cries from Syria | Aaron I. Butler |
| 2017 | Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold | Ann Collins |
| 2017 | LA 92 | Daniel Lindsay, T.J. Martin and Scott Stevenson |
| 2018 |
| 2018 | Free Solo | Bob Eisenhardt |
| 2018 | RBG | Carla Gutierrez |
| 2018 | Three Identical Strangers | Michael Harte |
| 2018 | Won't You Be My Neighbor? | Jeff Malmberg and Aaron Wickenden |
| 2019 |
| 2019 | Apollo 11 | Todd Douglas Miller |
| 2019 | American Factory | Lindsay Utz |
| 2019 | Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice | Jake Pushinsky and Heidi Scharfe |
| 2019 | Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound | David J. Turner and Thomas G. Miller |

### 2020s

| Year | Film | Editor(s) |
| 2020 |
| 2020 | My Octopus Teacher | Pippa Ehrlich, Dan Schwalm |
| 2020 | All In: The Fight for Democracy | Nancy Novack |
| 2020 | Dick Johnson Is Dead | Nels Bangerter |
| 2020 | The Dissident | Scott D. Hanson, James Leche, Wyatt Rogowski, Avner Shiloah |
| 2020 | The Social Dilemma | Davis Coombe |
| 2021 | Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) | Joshua L. Pearson |
| 2021 | Flee | Janus Billeskov Jansen |
| 2021 | The Rescue | Bob Eisenhardt |
| 2021 | Val | Ting Poo and Leo Scott |
| 2021 | The Velvet Underground | Affonso Gonçalves and Adam Kurnitz |