prime minister The film won the grand prize for best documentary at the 2026 News and Documentary Emmy Awards on Thursday.
The documentary, which hails from HBO Documentary Films and CNN Films, traces Jacinda Ardern’s path to becoming New Zealand’s 40th Prime Minister.
Other top honors of the night went to Simon Schama: The Holocaust, 80 Years LaterFor an outstanding historical documentary; Tyler Peck for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary Tyler Peck: Suspension time; And National Geographic Secrets of penguins With the Outstanding Documentary Nature Award.
The documentary winners were presented at a jazz concert at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall on Thursday evening, with Michael Ian Black hosting. Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker and Academy Award-winning director Sam Pollard was honored with a lifetime achievement honor.
Presenters at Thursday night’s awards ceremony included Serena Davis (National Geographic, NASA), producer Stephanie Jenkins, Cynthia Lopez (CEO of New York Women in Film & Television), and Tyler Peck (NYC Ballet, Tyler Peck: Suspension time(and Simon Shama)Simon Schama’s story about us). Christina Ruffini also moderated discussions with nominees on the challenges of documentary filmmaking.
On Wednesday night, award winners in the news categories were announced, with ABC News and National Geographic among the night’s top winners.
ABC World News Tonight with David Muir It won the award for Outstanding Live News Program. ABC took home the most awards on the night with eight, followed by… She was trafficked to Mariana van Zeller Via National Geographic/Muck Media with seven and CNN with four.
See below for a complete list of Documentary Emmy Award winners.
Outstanding current affairs documentary
Lost in the woods
Little monster movies [Lightbox | Pacha Films | Señal Colombia | Demolition Films | National Geographic Documentary Films]
An outstanding political and governmental documentary
prime minister
Madison Wells [HBO Documentary Films | CNN Films | Dark Doris | Divergent Pictures]
An outstanding documentary film about social issues
The journey forward
American documentary film | POV | TV show [LikeRightNow Films]
Outstanding investigative documentary
Serious incident: death at the border
HBO documentaries [Midnight Films | crazyrose | Film 45]
Outstanding historical documentary
Simon Schama: The Holocaust, 80 Years Later
Oxford Film and Television | TV show [BBC | The WNET Group]
The distinguished artistic and cultural documentary film
Tyler Peck: Suspension time
Great offers
Late Autumn Productions, LLC. | TV show [THIRTEEN Productions LLC]
An outstanding documentary film about science and technology
The memory of darkness, light and ice
Metamorph Films, LLC
Outstanding nature documentary
Secrets of penguins
Talissmith [National Geographic]
Outstanding commercial and economic documentary
Can’t Look Away: The Case Against Social Media
Bloomberg Origins [DCTV]
Outstanding documentary on crime and justice
The hit
Independent lens
Public Broadcasting Latino | TV show
Outstanding short documentary
Drop the protest
Scripps News [Clement Cinema]
Best Documentary Film
prime minister
Madison Wells [HBO Documentary Films | CNN Films | Dark Doris | Divergent Pictures]
Distinguished Writing – Documentary
The underdogs
Wild Star Movies [Maximum Effort | National Geographic]
Distinguished Research – Documentary
Turning Point: The Vietnam War
Netflix [Luminant Media | Netflix]
Distinguished Direction – Documentary
2000 meters to Andriivka
Front Line Features | TV show [Associated Press]
Outstanding Cinematography – Documentary
Heart of Emperors
Secrets of penguins
Talissmith [National Geographic]
Outstanding Editing – Documentary
Cover up
Netflix [Plan B | Netflix | Praxis Films]
Outstanding graphic design – documentary
In waves and war
Aka Studio | Netflix [Netflix | Actual Films]
Outstanding musical composition – documentary
Pangolin: Colo’s Journey
Netflix [Dog Star Films | Water Creature Film | Netflix | Anonymous Content]
Distinguished Voice – Documentary
The underdogs
Wild Star Movies [Maximum Effort | National Geographic]
Outstanding Lighting Direction – Documentary
Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders
Netflix [Third Eye Motion Picture Company | Netflix | Radical Media | MA Productions | Silvio Films]
Distinguished Artistic Direction / Decoration / Scenic Design – Documentary
Songs from the hole
Netflix [Cocomotion Pictures | Question Culture | Impact Partners | Artemis Rising Foundation | Netflix]
Outstanding promotional advertisement – documentary
Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember
National Geographic [Mattock]
Outstanding regional documentary film
Blue – The Life and Art of Georges Rodrigue
WLAE-TV
