Ron Howard will receive the Critics Choice Impact Award at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards on 8 November 2026. The ceremony takes place at the Edison Ballroom in New York City and marks the 11th year of the awards.
Ross Matthews will host the event, while Chris Hegedus is scheduled to present the Pennebaker Award to Jehane Noujaim. Directing nominees include DuVernay, Fielder, and Oppenheim.
Additional directing nominations feature Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor for "NAZA", Felipe Bustos Sierra for "Everybody to Kenmure Street", Ross McElwee for "Remake", and Orlando von Einsiedel for "The Cycle of Love". Past winners of the top prize include "O.J.: Made in America" (2016), which won an Academy Award, and "Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)" (2021).
Recent top prize nominees that crossed over to the Oscars include "Will & Harper" (2024) and "The Perfect Neighbor" (2025). Eligibility for nomination requires a commercial release in the United States between 1 January and 31 December 2026, though "Good Night Oppy" (2022) failed to reach the preliminary shortlist.
