2026 Contenders Television: Documentary Lineup

Fifty years ago this year, a film called Taxi Driver premiered, confirming the emergence of an incredible talent in the medium of cinema: director Martin Scorsese. Five decades after that milestone — and with dozens more extraordinary films to his credit — Scorsese’s stunning artistic achievements come into focus in the Apple TV documentary series Mr. Scorsese, directed by Rebecca Miller.

Miller is among the panelists on hand Saturday for Deadline’s Contenders Television: Documentary, our in-person showcase of some of the most exceptional nonfiction films and series in contention for Emmy recognition. Mr. Scorsese features the participation of a who’s who of Hollywood, from the director’s collaborators Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jodie Foster and Sharon Stone to filmmaking colleagues Steven Spielberg and Spike Lee.

Today’s Contenders TV: Documentary is taking place live for the first time, at the newly opened PMC Theater in Los Angeles, and kicks off at 10 a.m. PT. (See the full lineup below.)

Also part of this year’s lineup is a Prime Video doc about an icon of comedy who gets a powerful tribute in the emotional John Candy: I Like Me. Director Colin Hanks and John Candy’s children — Chris Candy and Jennifer Candy-Sullivan — will share insights into the making of their film, which premiered last September at the Toronto Film Festival in Candy’s hometown.

Fellow Canadian Sarah McLachlan, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, founded Lilith Fair in 1997, a landmark music festival devoted to women recording artists. The remarkable success of that festival is explored in the Hulu documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery, another headliner in the lineup. Joining us are director Ally Pankiw and executive producer Cassidy Hartmann (who also, coincidentally, premiered their film at TIFF).

Fresh from winning the NCAA women’s basketball championship, UCLA coach Cori Close joins the Contenders starting lineup for a discussion of You See L.A., the Fox Sports documentary that chronicles the team’s rise. Executive producers Kelsey Trainor, Jeff Luini and Harshal Dave also suit up for the conversation.

Oscar winner Octavia Spencer has become one of the entertainment industry’s most respected and beloved actors, as well as a powerhouse producer. She serves as executive producer and narrator of Lost Women of Alaska, the Investigation Discovery documentary series that chillingly explores the case of a serial killer who targeted Indigenous women. Spencer and fellow E.P. Matt Robins represent the series with a panel conversation.

Stick with Deadline.com and our social media platforms (via #DeadlineContenders) to follow today’s coverage, and check back Monday when we launch the event’s streaming site featuring the complete panel videos.