Passion Pictures & Kailash Films for BBC
Capturing the reality of war through the eyes of frontline soldiers, Helmand: Tour of Duty stood out to judges as a “remarkable portrait of the unshakable bonds between men”.
The film tells the story of the Welsh Guards, whose six-month tour of Helmand, Afghanistan became the bloodiest summer of fighting in nearly half a century. Released a decade after the withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan in 2014, it tackles the war’s legacy through the experiences of ordinary soldiers.
The judges commended the film for its use of interviews, which contrasted veteran testimonies with the experiences of the wives and mothers they left behind. The use of archive footage alongside filming in Welsh towns and villages resulted in “fantastic storytelling, pace and voices”, according to one judge.
Judges also highlighted the film’s ability to secure the trust of highly traumatised servicemen and their loved ones. This was particularly impressive given that it was made without an access agreement with the MOD.
One judge said: “The soldiers’ reflections throughout built horror and sadness as events unfolded. The film made clear that world conflicts continue beyond the Second World War, giving voice to those still putting their lives on the line in more recent times.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED
The Lost Music of Auschwitz
Windfall Films for Sky Arts
Windfall Film’s unconventional documentary uses a live orchestra to tell the story of the prisoners who were forced to play music in Auschwitz concentration camps. Led by composer and conductor Leo Geyer, it sheds light on the purpose of music as both a weapon of terror and mode of resistance.
SHORTLISTED
7/7: The London Bombings
The Slate Works for BBC
Commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 2005 attacks, this four-part documentary from The Slate Works set out to tell its story through the lens of the state. Access to key players, including the Met Commissioner and MI5 Director General, provides a detailed examination of England’s deadliest bombing since the Second World War.
Children of the Cult (Exposure)
DM Productions for ITV1
When Wild Wild Country, a documentary about the controversial Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, was released in 2018, survivors of the Rajneesh Communes felt it had sanitised the cult’s most important secret. The result is a damning examination of systemic child abuse that holds abusers to account and offers evidence that led to real legal action.
Simon Schama: The Road to Auschwitz
Oxford Films for BBC
Veteran historian Simon Schama travels across Europe to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp for this deeply personal, unscripted film. With antisemitism and Holocaust denial on the rise, this critically acclaimed documentary confronts painful truths about history and humanity to much critical acclaim.
Unforgotten: The Bradford City Fire
Acme for BBC & BBC iPlayer
The team behind Unforgotten: The Bradford City Fire faced the challenge of asking a community to relive memories it had buried. With access to real-time archive footage considered so traumatic it has been locked away since 1985, a diverse production team from Acme took a sensitive approach to retelling the story of this forgotten tragedy.
No comments yet