Grenfell: Uncovered, The Mother of All Cons and Molly vs The Machines among titles with double nods
Grenfell: Uncovered, The Mother of All Cons and Molly vs The Machines are among the high-profile titles to score double nominations in the Grierson British Documentary Awards longlist, released today (20 July).
Centurion Sir David Attenborough has been honoured by the Grierson Trust with the best science and natural history documentary category renamed after the iconic naturalist.
Rogan Productions’ Netflix landmark Grenfell: Uncovered, which won a Broadcast Award earlier this year, has been longlisted in the best history documentary and best single documentary – domestic categories, facing off against Snowstorm Productions, Storyboard Studios and Marc Silver Ltd.’s Channel 4 film Molly vs The Machines in the latter.
Also longlisted in best single documentary – domestic are L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes (Wall to Wall for the BBC), Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt? (DM Productions for ITV), One Day in Southport (Amos Pictures for C4), Poison Water (Keo Films and Button Down for the BBC), The Dunblane Tapes (Candour Productions for C4), The Shadow Scholars (Whiteteeth/Lammas Park for C4).
Molly vs The Machines is also in the best cinema documentary category, alongside fellow double-longlisted titles 2000 Metres to Andriivka (Frontline, AP for Sky Documentaries) and Come See Me in the Good Light (Tripod Media, Amplify Pictures, Treat Media, Something Fierce Productions for Apple TV) – both of which are in the Broadcast International best single documentary – international category.
Breakout BBC2 doc The Mother of All Cons (BBC Studios) is longlisted in the best crime and justice documentary and the best documentary series categories.
Other titles to gain two longlist category nods are Hostage (Story Films/Basement Films for the BBC), Moxie Films’ Netflix title Queen of Chess and The Dunblane Tapes in best history documentary, while Hostage is also in best documentary series and Queen of Chess in best sports documentary.
Songs from the Hole, (Netflix, Cocomotion Pictures, Question Culture in association with Impact Partners and Artemis Rising Foundation) is longlisted in best arts and music documentary and best single documentary – international; The Darkest Web (BBC World Service for BBC Storyville made it into best current affairs and best crime and justice documentary categories; while The Secret of Me (Rogan Scotland, Film 4, Channel 4, Screen Scotland, Dogwoof for C4) gets the nod in best science and natural history and best single documentary – international.
The BBC again tops this year’s awards longlist with 32 entries across its channels and on iPlayer, followed by Channel 4 with 19, Netflix with 17, Disney+ (incorporating National Geographic) with eight, Sky Documentaries with seven, Apple TV, ITV and The Guardian (three each), and HBO Max, Prime Video, 5, and Discovery gained one apiece.
London and Glasgow-based Rogan is the production company with the highest number of entries on the longlist, with documentaries in five categories. Alongside The Secret of Me and Grenfell: Uncovered, Boombox: Beats and Betrayal (HBO Max) is in the best documentary series category.
The Trust has refreshed the categories this year, with the addition of Best Digital Documentary and the return of two awards: best constructed and formatted documentary series, and most entertaining documentary.
Sylvia Bednarz, managing director of the Grierson Trust, said: “As the documentary sector continues to face a challenging landscape, it is hugely encouraging to see the originality and calibre of this year’s Grierson Awards longlist.
“With an exceptional 511 entries, the breadth and quality of submissions this year has been remarkable, showcasing the extraordinary creativity of documentary makers across the industry. We’re particularly pleased that more than 40% of the longlisted titles are directed by women, underlining the importance of supporting and trusting female directors to tell stories with authority and vision.”
Tom McDonald, chair of the Grierson Trust, added: “This longlist shows that, despite the challenges facing the industry across the globe, documentary storytelling is vibrant and vital.
”Many of the longlisted films and series reflect some of the most pressing stories and issues of our time from the impact of AI and technology on our lives; to stories of incarceration, of war, of civil unrest as well as films which reflect the joys of life and love in these most complex of times.”
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