Michael Moore a greater documentary filmmaker than Robert Flaherty?

According to the International Documentary Association, he is. Moore’s Bowling for Columbine topped the list of 20 all-time favorite non-fiction films selected by members of the organization.

The announcement of the Top 20 coincided with the 20^th anniversary of the organization.

Moore’s 1989 debut, Roger & Me, finished third, while the Maysles brothers, Albert and David, had three films on the list, including Salesman (#5), Grey Gardens (#9) and Gimme Shelter (#12). Errol Morris nabbed two, including The Thin Blue Line (#2) and Fast, Cheap and Out of Control (#14).

The list coincides with a weekend of events, including the 2002 IDA Distinguished Documentary Achievement Award winners tomorrow night (12/13) at the Director’s Guild of America theatre in L.A. Other highlights include the presentation of the Career Achievement award to Ken Burns and the Pioneer Award to Agnes Varda. On Saturday night, the org will hold its annual DocuFest, featuring screenings of the 2002 IDA Award-winning films. IDA has some 2,700 members in 50 countries.

The Complete Top 20 List:

Moore’s Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Morris’ The Thin Blue Line (’88)
Moore’s Roger & Me (’89)
Steve James’ Hoop Dreams (’94)
The Maysles’ Salesman (’69)
Robert Flaherty’s Nanook of the North (’22)
Alain Resnais’ Night and Fog (’55)
Barbara Kopple’s Harlan County USA (’76)
The Maysles’ Grey Gardens (’75)
Ken Burns’ The Civil War (’90)
Terry Zwigoff’s Crumb (’94)
The Maysles’ Gimme Shelter (’70)
Michael Apted’s 7 Up series (’63)
Morris’ Fast, Cheap and Out of Control (’97)
Frederick Wiseman’s Titticut Follies (’67)
Leon Gast’s When We Were Kings (’96)
Chris Smith’s American Movie: The Making of Northwestern (’99)
Claude Lanzmann’s Shoah (’85)
Dziga Vertov’s The Man With a Movie Camera (’29)
Ross McElwee’s Sherman’s March (’86)