If you want to see legacy documentarian Ken Burns’s works:
The American Revolution is a six-part, PBS 12-hour documentary series that covers the eight-year war that transformed 13 colonies into the United States. Co-directed with Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, is looks at the military conflict and the social realities of women, enslaved African Americans, free African Americans, and Native people. Idk can bee seen now on the PBS app.
Before that, Leonardo da Vinci was a two-part doc exploring the life and work of the the 15th-century Renaissance artist. He co-directed this one with Sarah Burns and David McMahon. The American Buffalo was an earlier two-part series on American buffalo and its connection with Indigenous people to them almost becoming extinction and the efforts to save them. The U.S. and the Holocaust was a three-part series co-directed with Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein. It’s looks at how the USA responded to the Holocaust and Benjamin Franklin was a two-part series on revolutionary life, science and his political career as a founding member of the country.
- Critics Choice Association Honors
In November of 2025, the filmmaker was honored by the Critics Choice Association with the Critics Choice Impact Award at the 10th Annual Critics Choice Documentary Awards. The award was given to those who help illuminate our shared story, made complex issues accessible to broad audiences, and spark meaningful dialogue.
CCA says Burns exemplifies those qualities through a career that’s helped audiences better understand American history.
The award recognized his extraordinary career and lasting impact on documentary filmmaking.
This was part of the CCA’s Documentary Awards ceremony, not the main Critics Choice film/TV awards show. It was a career honor by CCA, not a competitive win.
In his acceptance speech, Burns discussed his focus on history and storytelling, spoke about why he chose documentary filmmaking early in life, touched on his The American Revolution series and emphasized the power of ordinary people who shape history.
So well deserved. (And you just can’t edit without thinking of him 🙂
