Rogan Productions for Netflix
A forensic investigation into the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, this powerful documentary from Rogan Productions exposes the corruption and failures that turned neglect into a national tragedy.
The film reconstructs the timeline leading up to the fire, revealing how a preventable disaster unfolded in plain sight. It uncovers a systematic failing in the fire service rescue operation as well as the effect of corporate greed on ordinary people.
Judges praised the programme for its “meticulous reporting” which drew on evidence from the public enquiry, investigative journalism and first-hand testimonies. Heartbreaking personal stories from survivors and bereaved families are at the heart of the narrative, which also features “moving” testimony from the firefighters.
Judges also recognised the programme had avoided sensationalism, instead crafting a “patient, devastating account of how avoidable the tragedy was”.
Olaide Sadiq’s direction was commended as “beautiful”, with a sense of “emotional clarity”. Judges commented on the balance between personal testimony and investigation that was both “compassionate” and “unsparing” in its coverage of the tragedy.
For the judges, the film was an urgent call for justice that tells the ongoing story of a past tragedy. One described the programme as “an important film that leaves you feeling the injustice that is ongoing for the residents and those who lost their lives.”
SHORTLISTED
Flight 149: Hostage of War
Drum Studios for Sky Documentaries
Flight 149 tells the incredible and little-known story of aeroplane passengers taken hostage in Iraq in 1990 and their contemporary legal battle for justice. Director Jenny Ash weaves together these narratives in a non-linear structure that sheds light on a shocking state-level cover up.
Life and Death in Gaza
BBC Eye & BBC Storyville for BBC
BBC Eye and Storyville made this documentary over the course of the first year of the war in Gaza. The film focuses on underreported stories and was made by an all-female team, with the intention of humanising Palestinians without reproducing narratives around victimhood.
One Day in October
Amos Pictures for Channel 4
Amos Pictures’ close examination of the events of 7 October tells its harrowing story through the eyes of the victims. Filmed across five trips to Israel, the documentary homes in on a single day as part of Channel 4’s wider catalogue on Gaza and the West Bank.
Trump: The Criminal Conspiracy Case
72 Films for BBC
This film takes an unprecedented look inside Donald Trump’s attempted political coup, examining the case without falling into sensationalism. A methodical investigation with a strong human focus, the film weaves together sensitive personal testimony and behind-the-scenes footage to construct a picture of Trump’s actions through the lens of a criminal case.
Undercover: Exposing the Far Right
Tigerlily & Marking Inc in assoc with Hidden Light & Doc Society for Channel 4
An urgent film for today’s political moment, Undercover: Exposing the Far Right set out to make a current affairs exposé within the classic spy genre. The documentary effectively uses undercover footage to expose far-right networks, brought about by the courage of the contributors for whom lives were at stake.
No comments yet