Last year we gave you ten documentaries to look out for in the coming year. Due to documentary releases being varied in their timing and method we’ve decided to do something a little different this year. We asked a group of people who work in the documentary industry in different capacities, and who often watch documentaries for a living, to give you their recommendations for the year. There was little criteria and so the lists range from those having recently played at festivals to those that will be released on DVD or broadcast this year. We are extremely grateful to all who took part and really hope you can take some great recommendations from the lists.

I also can’t help but mention that this year will see the premiere of Beauty Day, the first feature by the Editor of The Documentary Blog, Jay Cheel. Stay tuned to the blog for updates, and the film’s site here.

Sean’s list is up first and the rest are after the jump.

Sean Farnel, Director of Programming at HotDocs

THE PIPE
TABLOID
THE GOOD LIFE
THE INTERRUPTERS
VODKA FACTORY
ALL FOR THE GOOD OF THE WORLD AND NOSOVICE
NEW CASTLE
REDEMPTION OF GENERAL BUTT NAKED
FOREIGN PARTS
THE FORGOTTEN SPACE

Sky Sitney, Festival Director of Silverdocs

List is in alphabetical order:
1. 12th & DELAWARE
2. A FILM UNFINISHED
3. BUDRUS
4. INSIDE JOB
5. LAST TRAIN HOME
6. MARWENCOL
7. STEAM OF LIFE
8. SWEETGRASS
9. THE OATH
10. THE WOMAN WITH THE 5 ELEPHANTS

Jeff Deutchman, Director/Curator of 11/04/08 and Acquisitions Manager at IFC Films (check out our podcast with Jeff here)

1) Nostalgia for the Light (Icarus releasing in the US some time in 2011)
2) Cave of Forgotten Dreams (IFC releasing in the US on April 29)
3) His & Hers (premiering on Sundance Channel in various European territories in 2011)
4) The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu (Icarus releasing in the US some time in 2011)
5) Bill Cunningham New York (Zeitgeist releasing in the US some time in 2011)
6) The Arbor (Strand releasing in the US some time in 2011)

Basil Tsiokos, Documentary Programming Associate for the Sundance Film Festival

List One (perhaps more under the radar titles):
AS LILITH
CINEMA KOMUNISTO
DIVINE PIG
DONOR UNKNOWN
FAMILY INSTINCT
HOW I FILMED THE WAR
KATI WITH AN I
THE PEDDLER
SECRETS OF THE TRIBE
VLAST (POWER)

List Two (have generated press, but don’t miss)
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MCKINLEY NOLAN
DOUBLE TAKE
THE GOOD LIFE
HENRI-GEORGES CLOUZOT’S INFERNO
INTO ETERNITY
THE INVENTION OF DR NAKAMATS
THE SOUND OF MUMBAI: A MUSICAL
SUMMER PASTURE
THIS WAY OF LIFE
WHEN WE WERE BOYS
(Note: We at the Documentary Blog also recommend checking out the film Basil co-produced last year, THE CANAL STREET MADAM)

Christopher Campbell, writer for Cinematical
(check out his excellent column Doc Talk)

Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Into Eternity
Armadillo

David Wilson, Co-Director of the True/False Film Festival

Ten movies that you should see in 2011

Tabloid
Project NIM
The Interrupters
Marathon Boy
Armadillo
Putty Hill
The Arbor
Benda Bilili
Bocca Del Lupo
Foreign Parts

Ten Movies that People Will Be Talking About One Year From Today

Dragonslayer
Marathon Boy
Family Instinct
Project NIM
To Be Heard
Better This World
Girl Model
Low and Clear
The Interrupters
To Hell & Back

Martijn te Pas, Programme Department Coordinator for IDFA

El Sicario Room 164
Nostalgia for the Light (Nostalgia de la Luz)
The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu
Coming Home
Patria o Muerte (Vitaly Mansky)