Oscar-Winning Documentary ‘Free Solo’ Lands Seven Emmy Nominations

Five months after winning the Oscar for best documentary feature, Free Solo has picked up seven Emmy nominations. The film about mountain climber Alex Honnold’s breathtaking ascent of Yosemite’s El Capitan — without ropes — received noms today for directing, editing, cinematography, interactive media, sound editing, sound mixing, and music composition.

The National Geographic docu, from filmmakers Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, is the latest example of a TV project to have success at the Oscars followed by Emmy praise as well. ESPN’s O.J.: Made In America was released as a five-part miniseries and in theatrical format. It won best documentary at the 89th Academy Awards in 2017 and went on to win directing and editing Emmys that same year.

Vasarhelyi and Chin are up for outstanding documentary directing against Chris Smith for FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, Dan Reed for Leaving Neverland, Julie Cohen and Betsy West for RGB and Tim Wardle for Three Identical Strangers.