Golden Globes Introduces First Documentary Awards in Partnership with Artemis Rising Foundation
Historically, the Golden Globes has not included a category for Best Documentary Film, and none will be announced during Sunday night’s ceremony. However, two notable nonfiction filmmakers can now call themselves Golden Globe winners.
In the lead-up to the broadcast, directors Eugene Jarecki and Ross McElwee received bespoke trophies as the inaugural recipients of the newly established Golden Globes Prize for Documentary, presented by the Artemis Rising Foundation.
According to a press release, “The Prize is a landmark collaboration between the Golden Globes and Artemis Rising Foundation, which underscores a shared commitment to the cultural and artistic impact of documentary storytelling. It honors a non-fiction film or filmmaker whose work demonstrates both exceptional creative merit and keen potential to inspire positive social change.”
Julian Assange in ‘The Six Billion Dollar Man’
Jarecki secured the inaugural prize at the Cannes Film Festival last May for *The Six Billion Dollar Man*, a documentary that revisits the work and incarceration of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. At the Venice Film Festival last September, McElwee received the prize for *Remake*, a deeply personal film that explores his journey as a filmmaker alongside his son Adrian, who tragically succumbed to substance abuse.
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To honor their accomplishments, Jarecki and McElwee were awarded specially crafted statuettes, inscribed with the Artemis Rising Foundation logo, at a cocktail reception held in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
Director Ross McElwee attends the photocall for ‘Remake’ at the Venice Film Festival on September 3, 2025.
Regina K. Scully, founder and CEO of the Artemis Rising Foundation, emphasized the necessity of highlighting non-fiction narratives. “There is an urgent need for non-fiction stories to be made, recognized and seen,” she remarked. “This Prize is an extension of the work Artemis Rising Foundation has engaged in for decades to champion powerful stories about some of the most challenging social justice issues of our time; I hope it helps to push these incredible creative works further into the spotlight.”
Think-Film Impact Production, an international film impact producer committed to ensuring that powerful independent films resonate widely for societal change, also played a vital role in launching the documentary prize and promoting it during the Cannes and Venice film festivals.
The Golden Globes will present awards in 28 categories during the ceremony on Sunday night, and there are indications that a documentary category may be added in the future.
Golden Globes President Helen Hoehne stated during the Thursday night reception, “The Globes is proud to take the lead with this initiative to uplift documentary filmmaking, which I hope will lead to wider industry recognition of the crucial documentary genre.”
A press release announcing the new award also noted, “As the Globes prepares for its main ceremony this weekend, which includes a new podcast award, many in the industry are now asking when a documentary category will be included.”
