A real ‘buzz’ about this year’s science factual documentary awards

Filming a science programme. Image by Tim Sandle.

The World Congress of Science & Factual Producers (WCSFP) has revealed the nominees for the 2025 Buzzies Awards. This comes after the highest number of entries in the award’s sixyear history.

Highquality sciencerelated documentaries are essential in the age of Trump infused misinformation, piloting a course towards understanding and, if we are lucky, enlightenment.

Submissions came from over 40 production companies and 20 broadcasters, across more than a dozen countries.

The Buzzies Awards celebrate excellence in science, history, and factual programming across both linear and digital platforms, as well as exceptional individual achievements. The 2025 edition showcases the breadth and creative vitality that define the global factual landscape of today.

Previous winner

The impactful documentary Narco Wars: Chasing the Dragon was announced as the winner of the Best History Long Format category in 2022.

Six winners will be announced live at the Awards Ceremony (Rio de Janeiro, from December 811, 2025), including the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising outstanding contributions to the field, and the Sloan Buzzies Award (a $10,000 prize for an outstanding digitalfirst creator or team whose work brings clarity, creativity, and rigor to complex scientific topics through innovative use of online platforms).

In a statement, Paul Lewis, Conference Director captures the excitement around these awards: “The 2025 Buzzies nominees reflect a worldclass standard of factual storytelling and an extraordinary breadth of creative ambition on both linear and digital platforms.”

2025 nominees

Among the contenders for 2025 are Frozen in Time, Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time, Lions of the Skeleton Coast, Ocean with David Attenborough, Secrets of the Penguins, The Kimberley, The Manhattan Project in Colour, and The Secret Lives of Animals.

WCSFP was founded to bring together the global science and factual content community. The organisation promotes “evidencebased rational discourse; a spirit of international cooperation, collaboration and mutual respect; and the open and honest exchange of knowledge and insight between members.”

The continuing aim is to foster collaboration, innovation, and dialogue across filmmakers, producers, broadcasters, platforms, and funders.

Example categories

• Rising Star of the Year, for early stage factual and digital producers in science, history and natural history.
• Mentor of the Year, honouring an individual’s dedication to mentorship and developing talent in a media position.
• Best MultiPlatform Project, for a project that is designed specifically to be experienced on two or more platforms.

The notforprofit organization focuses on factual filmmaking, digital production and the wider industry, enabling science, history and natural history content creators and executives gather to share, explore and reveal how advancements within these industries are communicated to the world.