Oscars 2007 Best Documentaries Shortlist

Tricia Regan's uplifiting documentary shows the transformative power of theater, as austic children and their parents stage a musical in Los Angeles.

By focusing on a soldier who has returned from the Iraq War as a paraplegic, filmmakers Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue put a very personal face on the perils of conflict in the Middle East. Unfortunately, even the high profiles of Phil Donahue and Eddie Vedder, who did the music for the film, haven't gotten this film a release date. But, keep it on your radartor--the shortlisting should help.

Daniel Karslake's compelling documentary exposes how religous zealots' have misquoted Scripture to discriminate against homosexuals.

In this controversial two-and-a-half-hour film about abortion and freedom of choice, director Tony Kaye shoots entirely in black and white, presenting graphic images of medical procedures and heartwrenching interviews with women who are faced with the dilemma of unwanted pregnancy to raise consciousness about the pros and cons of one of the most hotly debated issues in modern America.

Due for theatrical release in December, Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman's stirring documentary shows the brutal 1937 Japanese military occupation of Nanking by intercutting archival footage with dramatic readings of eyewitness accounts written by members of Nanking's foreign community who tried to help the Chinese victims, and with interviews of Chinese survivors.

Director Charles Ferguson's film is a serious attempt to find answers about the debacle in Iraq, and his very credible and thorough investigation delivers shocking results. The film is executive produced by Alex Gibney, who's also shortlisted for 2007 Oscar consideration for Taxi To The Dark Side.

Weijun Chen probes the effectiveness of democracy as way of governing, as eight year old children in Wuhan, the most populous city in central China, compete to be elected as class monitor. This is an unprecedented experiment in China's governing process. The film has aired on PBS' Independent Lens.

Paul Newman narrates this documentary that reveals the horrible inhumane conditions Haitians are forced to endure while growing and harvesting cane in the Dominican Republic.

The film is exploration of writer Ariel Dorfman's life, memories and thoughts about democracy following his escape and exile from Chile when dictator Augosto Pinchet seized power from president Salvador Allende.