Last night the winners of AJ Schnack’s Cinema Eye Awards were announced and Louie Psihoyos’ The Cove took home three Cinema Eye Honors for Outstanding Nonfiction Feature, Outstanding Production and Outstanding Cinematography. As Jay mentioned when the nominees were announced, it’s fantastic to see an award for cinematography in documentary and The Cove certainly deserved to receive the award.

Other notable wins were Anders Østergaard’s Burma VJ and Donal Mosher’s October Country both receiving two awards and RJ Cutler’s The September Issue, which took the Audience Choice Prize. Ross McElwee’s 1986 documentary classic Sherman’s March was presented with the first Cinema Eye Legacy Award.

Presenters of the awards included Albert Maysles, Academy Award winners Barbara Kopple and Peter Davis, Ellen Kuras, Amir Bar-Lev and Bill Plympton and the event was hosted by Cinema Eye co-chairs Esther Robinson and AJ Schnack.

Full list of winners:

2010 Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Filmmaking:

Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking:
The Cove, directed by Louie Psihoyos, produced by Paula DuPre Pesman and Fisher Stevens

Outstanding Achievement in a Debut Feature Film:
October Country, directed by Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher

Outstanding Achievement in Direction:
Agnes Varda, The Beaches of Agnes

Outstanding Achievement in Production:
Paula DuPre Pressman and Fisher Stevens, The Cove

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography:
Brook Aitken for The Cove

Outstanding Achievement in Editing:
Janus Billeskov-Jansen and Thomas Papapetros for Burma VJ

Outstanding Achievement in Grapic Design and Animation:
Tie: Big Star for Food, Inc and RIP – Remix Manifesto

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Score:
October Country: Danny Grody, Donal Mosher, Michael Palmieri and Kenric Taylor

Outstanding Achievement in an International Feature:
Burma VJ, directed by Anders Ostergard, produced by Lise-Lense Moeller

Audience Choice Prize:
The September Issue, directed by RJ Cutler

Spotlight Award:
Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo, directed by Jessica Oreck

Cinema Eye Legacy Award:
Sherman’s March, directed by Ross McElwee

Head over to the official website for more information on the awards and share your views in the comments!