McElwee has made nine feature-length documentaries as well as a number of shorter films. SHERMAN’S MARCH, one of McElwee’s most acclaimed docs has won numerous awards, including Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival. His nonfiction hit BRIGHT LEAVES was nominated for Best Documentary of 2004 by both the Director’s Guild of America and the Writer’s Guild of America and other titles, including TIME INDEFINITE and SIX O’CLOCK NEWS, both won a number of festival awards before being distributed theatrically throughout the United States. McElwee’s contributions to the film industry were commended in 2007 when he received the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival’s Career Award.