“Come See Me in the Good Light” shines at Cinema Eye honors, Alongside Other Documentary Standouts
new York City played host to the 19th annual Cinema Eye Honors on Thursday, where Ryan White’s deeply moving documentary, “Come See Me in the Good Light”, took home the top prize for Outstanding Nonfiction Feature [[1]]. The film,a poignant portrayal of poets Andrea Gibson and Megan falley as they navigate Gibson’s cancer journey,resonated wiht the over 800 documentary film experts who comprise the cinema Eye Honors voting body. The documentary also secured wins for Original Music Score and the Unforgettables honor, recognizing Gibson and Falley themselves for thier powerful story [[2]],[[3]].
A Night of Recognition for Diverse Storytelling
While “come See Me in the Good Light” was the night’s biggest winner, the Cinema Eye Honors celebrated a wide range of compelling documentary filmmaking. Geeta Gandbhir was honored with the Outstanding Director award for “The Perfect Neighbor”, while Viridiana Lieberman received the Outstanding editing award for the same film. Brittany Shyne’s “Seeds” garnered two awards: Outstanding Debut Feature and Outstanding Cinematography, marking a notable achievement for the emerging filmmaker.
Production Triumphs and Oscar Prospects
the awards for Outstanding Production were shared by two impactful films: Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman’s “The Alabama Solution” and Petra Costa and Alessandra Orofino’s “Apocalypse in the Tropics”. This tie underscores the strength and diversity of documentary filmmaking currently being recognized. Notably, “Come See Me in the Good Light,” “The Perfect Neighbor,” “seeds,” “The Alabama Solution,” and “Apocalypse in the Tropics” have all been shortlisted for the Academy Awards’ Documentary Feature category, suggesting a strong showing for these films during awards season [[3]].
Beyond Features: Honoring Excellence in Series and Short Form
The Cinema Eye Honors extended its recognition beyond feature-length films. Lauren Greenfield’s FX series “Social Studies” was awarded Outstanding Nonfiction Series and Outstanding Broadcast Editing, highlighting the power of long-form documentary storytelling on television. The awards also acknowledged excellence in shorter formats, with Joshua seftel’s “All The empty Rooms” taking the prize for Nonfiction Short.
A Full List of Honorees
Here’s a complete rundown of the 2025 cinema Eye Honors winners:
- Feature: “Come See Me in the Good Light” (Ryan White, Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, Stef Willen, Brandon Somerhalder, Berenice Chávez, Blake Neely, Dave Richards, Brent Kiser, andrea Gibson and Megan Falley)
- Direction: Geeta Gandbhir, “The Perfect Neighbor”
- Editing: Viridiana Lieberman, “The Perfect Neighbor”
- Production: (tie) Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, “The Alabama Solution” and Petra Costa and Alessandra Orofino, “Apocalypse in the Tropics”
- Cinematography: Brittany Shyne, “Seeds”
- Original Music Score: Blake Neely, “Come see Me in the Good Light”
- Sound Design: James LeBrecht, Greg Francis and Nina Hartstone, “Deaf President Now!”
- Visual Design: Sara Gunnarsdóttir, Josh Shaffner and Kevin Eskew, “It’s never Over, Jeff Buckley”
- Debut: “Seeds” (Directed by Brittany Shyne)
- Audience Choice Prize: “The Tale of SIlyan” (Directed By Tamara Kotevska)
- Nonfiction Short: “All The Empty Rooms” (Directed by Joshua seftel)
- Spotlight Award: “To the West, in Zapata” (Directed By David Bim)
- Heterodox Award: “the Voice of hind Rajab” (Directed By Kaouther Ben Hania)
- Unforgettables Honorees: Noam Shuster-Eliassi (“Coexistence, My Ass!”), Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley (“Come See Me in the Good light”), Seymour Hersh (“Cover-Up”), Sara Shahverdi (“Cutting Through Rocks”), Pavel Talankin (“Mr. nobody Against Putin”), Jacinda Ardern (“Prime Minister”), Fatma Hassona (“Put Your Soul On Your Hand and walk”)
- Broadcast Film: “Pee-wee as Himself” (Directed by Matt Wolf, HBO | Max)
- Nonfiction Series: “Social Studies” (Directed by Lauren Greenfield, FX on Hulu)
- anthology Series: “Conan O’Brien Must Go” (Executive Producers Conan O’Brien and Jeff Ross, HBO | Max)
- Broadcast Editing: “Social Studies” (Edited by Alyse Ardell Spiegel, Helen Kearns, Catherine Bull and Charles Little II, FX on Hulu)
- broadcast Cinematography: “Omnivore” (Director of Photography Tom Elliott, Sy Turnbull and Jurgen Lisse, Apple TV+)
The Cinema Eye Honors serve as a vital platform for recognizing the artistry and impact of nonfiction filmmaking.The success of “Come See Me in the Good Light” and the diverse range of honorees demonstrate the continued power of documentaries to illuminate crucial stories and connect with audiences on a deeply emotional level. As these films move forward in the awards season, they promise to continue sparking conversations and inspiring viewers worldwide.
