Oscars 2026: Geeta Gandbhir Misses Out On Documentary Wins, But Makes History With Dual Nominations

The filmmaker was nominated in both documentary categories at the 98th Academy Awards with 'The Perfect Neighbor' and 'The Devil Is Busy'. The awards went to 'Mr Nobody Against Putin' and 'All the Empty Rooms'

Team THR India
By Team THR India
LAST UPDATED: MAR 16, 2026, 07:07 IST|4 min read
Oscars (1Geeta Gandbhir speaks during the 19th Annual Women In Film Oscar Nominees Celebration Presented by Max Mara with additional support from ShivHans Pictures on March 13, 2026 at Wheelhouse in West Hollywood, California.
Geeta Gandbhir speaks during the 19th Annual Women In Film Oscar Nominees Celebration Presented by Max Mara with additional support from ShivHans Pictures on March 13, 2026 at Wheelhouse in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Unique Nicole/Getty Images for Women In Film)

Filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir’s historic double Oscar bid ended without a win, but her presence in two documentary races at the same ceremony remained one of the more notable milestones of the 98th Academy Awards.

Gandbhir had been nominated in both documentary categories this year. Her feature-length film The Perfect Neighbor competed for best documentary feature, while her short film The Devil Is Busy, co-directed with Christalyn Hampton, was nominated for best documentary short.

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Ultimately, the best documentary feature Oscar went to Mr Nobody Against Putin, while All the Empty Rooms won best documentary short.

Despite the losses, Gandbhir’s double nomination was a rare achievement. Filmmakers competing in both documentary categories in the same year are uncommon.

Her feature The Perfect Neighbor reconstructs the 2023 killing of Ajike “AJ” Owens, a Black mother of four in Ocala, Florida, who was fatally shot by her neighbour following a long-running dispute. Built largely from police body-camera footage and emergency calls, the film examines the escalation of the conflict while probing the broader context of race and Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” self-defence laws.

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In the documentary short category, The Devil Is Busy follows a single day inside an abortion clinic in Atlanta. The 31-minute film centres on the clinic’s head of security as she protects patients and staff while navigating protests and mounting restrictions around reproductive healthcare in the United States following the rollback of federal abortion protections.

Earlier this year, Gandbhir told The Hollywood Reporter India, "I think for a lot of us who work in this field, particularly in documentary or in making films that have an underlying message, the opportunity that the Oscars afford us is one to really elevate the issues. So for us, that’s huge." For the filmmaker the attention that the Oscars bring to her work matter more than winning or losing. "It’s incredible when attention is brought to the film, but also to the film’s focus on specific societal problems. It’s amazing to have that spotlight," she added.

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