The 19th Annual Cinema Eye Honors unfolded in New York City on Thursday night, celebrating the year’s most impactful nonfiction storytelling. Leading the evening’s accolades was Come See Me in the Good Light, directed by Ryan White, which captured the award for Best Feature Documentary of 2025. The poignant film chronicles the final year in the life of acclaimed poet Andrea Gibson and their partner Megan Falley, resonating deeply with audiences and critics alike.
Other major honors highlighted the wide spectrum of nonfiction creativity. The Tale of Silyan, directed by Tamara Kotevska, earned the coveted Audience Choice Award, reflecting its deep connection with viewers. In the Direction category, Geeta Gandbhir triumphed for her work on The Perfect Neighbor. The Production Award resulted in a rare tie — Petra Costa and Alessandra Orofino for Apocalypse in the Tropics shared the honor with Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman for The Alabama Solution.
Emerging talent was recognized as Brittany Shyne’s debut feature Seeds secured the Best First Feature Award, along with the Cinematography prize. The Spotlight Award went to David Bim’s To the West in Zapata, a film deserving broader recognition, while Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab received the Heterodox Award for its innovative blend of fiction and nonfiction storytelling.
The ceremony also spotlighted technical artistry. Seeds won for its striking cinematography, The Perfect Neighbor for editing, It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley for visual design, Deaf President Now! for sound design, and Come See Me in the Good Light for its original music score by Blake Neely.
Television and broadcast work had their moment as well. Conan O’Brien Must Go took home the Anthology Series award, Social Studies claimed Nonfiction Series, and Pee-wee as Himself was crowned Broadcast Film of the Year.
Historically, Cinema Eye winners often go on to achieve Oscars success — five have matched in the past 18 years, including last year’s No Other Land. This year, multiple honorees such as Come See Me in the Good Light, The Alabama Solution, Apocalypse in the Tropics, The Perfect Neighbor, and Seeds are already shortlisted for the Academy Awards’ Documentary Feature category.
The event, hosted at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem, also honored notable subjects in its “Unforgettables” segment, including Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley (Come See Me in the Good Light), journalist Seymour Hersh (Cover-Up), and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (Prime Minister).
With its mix of heartfelt storytelling and groundbreaking craft, the 2025 Cinema Eye Honors once again proved why it remains a pinnacle celebration for documentary filmmakers worldwide.
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