‘The Rescue,’ ‘The First Wave’ Among Top Documentary Emmy Winners

National Geographic’s The First Wave took home the top award at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards in New York City on Thursday.

Matthew Heineman’s documentary details the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic in NYC, as healthcare workers at Long Island Jewish Medical Center risked their lives in the epic battle to keep the virus at bay.

Presenters at the Documentary ceremony included Frontline’s Tamara Shogaolu, In the Shadow of 9/11 and Four Hours at the Capitol’s Dan Reed, The Rescue‘s Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, Pray Away‘s Kristine Stolakis and Vice News’ Alzo Slade.

Biologist and filmmaker Sir David Attenborough received the Lifetime Achievement honors at the ceremony, which was presented to him by Louie Schwartzberg, the award-winning cinematographer, time-lapse photographer and documentarian. Dame Judi Dench also appeared via video to celebrate Attenborough.

“What a journey we have all traveled to get us here tonight,” said Adam Sharp, NATAS President & CEO. “As indicated by our record-breaking number of documentaries this year, the breadth and scope of the work nominated tonight has revealed that in spite of the difficult circumstances of the last few years, the talent, innovation and sheer passion exhibited by the professionals we honor this evening has never been higher.”

See the full winners list below.

Best Documentary

FRONTLINE PBS
A Thousand Cuts

FRONTLINE in Partnership with ProPublica and Berkeley Journalism’s PBS
Investigative Reporting Program
American Insurrection

HBO Documentary Films HBO
Four Hours at the Capitol

HBO Documentary Films HBO
A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

HBO Documentary Films HBO
Obama: In Search of a More Perfect Union

HBO Documentary Films HBO
In the Same Breath

MSNBC Films MSNBC
Paper and Glue

The First Wave Hulu (WINNER)

The Line Apple TV+

The Rescue National Geographic

Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary

137 Shots Netflix

Convergence: Courage in a Crisis Netflix

FRONTLINE PBS
China’s COVID Secrets

FRONTLINE In Partnership with ProPublica and Berkeley Journalism’s PBS
Investigative Reporting Program
American Insurrection

HBO Documentary Films HBO
In the Same Breath

The Rescue National Geographic (WINNER)

Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary

3212 Un-Redacted ABC

HBO Documentary Films HBO
Obama: In Search of as More Perfect Union

HBO Max HBO
A La Calle

POV PBS
Mayor (WINNER)

Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror Netflix

Outstanding Social Issue Documentary

CNN Films CNN
Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street

End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock Fuse

FRONTLINE PBS
A Thousand Cuts (WINNER)

MSNBC Films MSNBC
In the Dark of the Valley

Pray Away Netflix

The New York Times Presents FX
To Live and Die in Alabama

Outstanding Investigative Documentary
Assassins Starz

FRONTLINE PBS
Escaping Eritrea

FRONTLINE PBS
In the Shadow of 9/11

HBO Documentary Films HBO
The Forever Prisoner (WINNER)

The Line Apple TV+

Outstanding Historical Documentary

9/11: One Day in America National Geographic (WINNER)

Desert One History Channel

Downing of a Flag PBS

POV: The Neutral Ground PBS

The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song PBS

Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary

HBO Documentary Films HBO
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street (WINNER)

HBO Documentary Films HBO
A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

MSNBC Films MSNBC
Paper and Glue

The One and Only Dick Gregory Showtime

The Real Charlie Chaplin Showtime

Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary

The Hunt for Planet B CNN Films CNN (WINNER)

Down to Earth: The Astronaut’s Perspective NASA TV

Fathom Apple TV+

Coded Bias Independent Lens PBS

Picture a Scientist NOVA PBS

Outstanding Nature Documentary

Lucy The Human Chimp HBO/HBO Max

Nature PBS
The Elephant and the Termite

Nature PBS
My Garden of a Thousand Bees

Playing with Sharks Disney+

Puff: Wonders of the Reef Netflix (WINNER)

Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary

FRONTLINE and Chasing the Dream PBS
The Power of the Fed

Independent Lens PBS
Storm Lake

Local, USA WORLD Channel
Entangled

Vice News Vice
The Big Squeeze

WeWork: or The Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn Hulu (WINNER)

Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary

Buried Showtime

HBO Documentary Films HBO
Life of Crime 1984-2020 (WINNER)

HBO Documentary Films HBO
The Murders at Starved Rock

HBO Documentary Films HBO
The Slow Hustle

Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller National Geographic

Outstanding Short Documentary

A Broken House The New Yorker

HBO Documentary Films HBO
The Last Cruise

Op-Docs The New York Times
Takeover

Through Our Eyes: Apart HBO/HBO Max (WINNER)

Through Our Eyes: Shelter HBO/HBO Max

Outstanding Interactive Media

Alchemy Immersive Oculus TV
Kingdom of Plants with David Attenborough

Alchemy Immersive Oculus TV
David Attenborough’s First Life

CNN Visuals CNN
Assault on Democracy: Paths to the Insurrection

Re-Educated The New Yorker (WINNER)

The New York Times Opinion Video The New York Times
Postcards from a World on Fire

Outstanding Interactive Media: Innovation
FRONTLINE PBS
Un(re)solved (WINNER)

Goliath: Playing with Reality Oculus

Inaccessible Cities AJ Contrast / Al Jazeera Digital

POV POV
The Changing Same: American Pilgrimage

What the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Destroyed The New York Times

Outstanding Writing: Documentary

9/11: One Day in America National Geographic

HBO Documentary Films HBO
The Forever Prisoner

Nature PBS
The Elephant and the Termite (WINNER)

The Rescue National Geographic

Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller National Geographic
Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs

Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller National Geographic
Romance Scams

Outstanding Research: Documentary

9/11: I Was There History Channel

9/11: One Day in America National Geographic

HBO Documentary Films HBO
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street

Independent Lens PBS
Cured

The Rescue National Geographic (WINNER)

Outstanding Direction: Documentary

HBO Documentary Films HBO
In the Same Breath
Director: Nanfu Wang

HBO Documentary Films HBO
Simple As Water
Director: Megan Mylan

Misha and the Wolves Netflix
Director: Sam Hobkinson

The First Wave Hulu
Director: Matthew Heineman

The Rescue National Geographic
Directors: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin (WINNER)

Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary

Buried Showtime

Nature PBS
Pumas: Legends of the Ice Mountains

Nature PBS
The Elephant and the Termite

Puff: Wonders of the Reef Netflix

The First Wave Hulu (WINNER)

The Reason I Jump Netflix

Outstanding Editing: Documentary

9/11: Inside the President’s War Room Apple TV+

HBO Documentary Films HBO
A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

HBO Documentary Films HBO
Four Hours at the Capitol

The First Wave Hulu (WINNER)

Vice News Vice
Toxic Pigs of Fukushima

Outstanding Graphic Design and Art Direction: Documentary
Camp Confidential: America’s Secret Nazis Netflix

CNN Films CNN
Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street (WINNER)

Coded: The Hidden Love of J.C. Leyendecker MTV Documentary Films

Gossip Showtime

Vox Vox
Missing Chapterxz