‘A complex and emotional story brought to life with skill and wit. Excellent and raw interviews and powerful reveals that constantly surprise’
‘Momfluencer’ Ruby Franke, was arrested for child abuse in August 2023. Devil in the Family: the Fall of Ruby Franke probes deeper into the case, utilising an archive of some 1,300 hours from the Franke family’s YouTube channel, and telling the story in collaboration with the family themselves.
The programme explores themes of social media, therapy, religious extremism and the pandemic to take what judges called a “sophisticated” and “utterly devasting but uniquely relatable” look at this tale of an influencer gone wrong.
The show works closely with Ruby’s eldest children, Shari and Chad Franke, as well as her estranged husband Kevin, while also protecting the welfare of the four unnamed and unidentified younger children. Judges said the interviews “showed real trust in the team” and “thoughtfully elicited the psychological truth and tragedy of this family’s experience”, in a way that managed to feel fresh, despite widespread previous coverage of the case.
They also praised the “clever cinematography”, which allowed “plenty of time and space to contemplate the testimony”.
The series was a huge success, attracting 8 million global views within five days of release and demonstrating how documentaries can transform a much-sensationalised story into a product of cinematic ambition, depth, and nuance.
Shortlisted
Back From the Dead: Who Kidnapped Me?
Wag Entertainment for U&W
Delimar Vera, a kidnapping victim, works alongside the team to figure out why her abduction happened and who else was involved 20 years later. By exploring Delimar’s emotional journey throughout, the series puts the spotlight on issues of trauma, identity and reconciliation.
Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown
72 Films for National Geographic & Disney+
This show is a comprehensive, thoroughly-researched investigation of the largest mass murder-suicide in American history and a study of the cult whose leader, Rev. Jim Jones, caused the tragedy. The documentary set out to give a new perspective on a well-known event.
Teen Predator/Online Killer
DoubleBand Films for BBC
Teen Predator/Online Killer explores the intersection between social media, technology, and crime through the lens of Alexander McCartney, whose obsession with the online world drove one girl and her father to suicide. It uses the horrific crimes of this one man to expose the trauma he left behind.
The Body Next Door
Raw for Sky Documentaries
The Body Next door examines the peaceful village of Baddau in Wales, where a body is found, wrapped in 40 layers of plastic. Police work, community reactions, family tensions, and historical context, all come together to create a cohesive and compelling narrative.
The Hunt for Peter Tobin
Firecrest Films for BBC Scotland
Though the crimes of Peter Tobin have been covered in other documentaries, the programme takes a new angle on the case by hearing from family members who have never spoken in-depth before and paying more attention to previously neglected aspects of the case.
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