‘Compellingly told and beautifully visualised’
This film employs never-before-seen archival footage, cutting-edge visual effects, and AI-enhanced historical reconstructions to tell two interconnected stories – that of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated 1914 expedition to the South Pole and that of the 2022 mission to find his ship, lost nearly two miles beneath the Antarctic ice.
The result was visually stunning, with 100-year-old images colourised for the first time sitting alongside images from the 2022 search’s deep-sea sonar technology, and emotional, as the use of AI technology allowed the team to recreate the speech styles of Shackleton’s crew members to ‘read’ excerpts from their diaries.
Judges found both stories “compellingly told and beautifully visualised”, and commended the film’s blend of technology and expertise.
Audiences and critics agreed – the film at a sold-out Royal Festival Hall in London, and its initial limited UK/Irish theatrical release was expanded to over 100 screens due to audience demand, before it aired on Disney+.
It has also had a lasting educational impact, having been shown in classrooms to tens of thousands of schoolchildren alongside specially developed teaching materials.
SHORTLISTED
Corridors of Power: Should America Police the World?
Dror Moreh Productions for BBC
This project, a decade in the making, examines the decisions made by the White House over a 30-year period, spanning four administrations from the end of the Cold War to Obama’s second term. The interviews with a wide range of key players and Meryl Streep’s narration helped the series attract more than 1.4 million requests on BBC iPlayer.
Dogs of War
Two Rivers Media for BBC Scotland & BBC iPlayer
Dogs of War tells the incredible real-life story of Dave Tomkins, who rose from humble working-class origins to become one of the world’s most notorious mercenaries and illegal arms dealers. The incredible access to Tomkins himself followed two years of negotiation, and resulted in an unexpectedly humorous interview which filmmakers skilfully balanced with darker explorations of his crimes.
Klitschko: More Than a Fight
Docsville Studios & Sky Studios for Sky Documentaries
This film follows Ukrainian former professional boxers Wladimir and Vitali as they battle on the frontlines in the war with Russia. The documentary pairs observational filming with access to the brothers’ personal archives to tell the retrospective story of their Soviet childhood and rise to the sporting stardom, ultimately exploring why victory is so important to the Ukrainian people.
Mhairi Black: Being Me Again
Indelible Telly for BBC Scotland & BBC iPlayer
This highly personal film about former MP Mhairi Black combines an observational look behind the scenes in the House of Commons during a tumultuous set of debates with an intimate interview in which Black, the youngest person elected to the commons since 1932, opens up about her breakdown and her ADHD diagnosis.
Unbreakable: England 2003
Buzz 16 for discovery+
This thought-provoking documentary about England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup winning team explores masculinity, male friendship and men’s mental health. Rather than interviews, the players open up through candid conversations with former team member Phil Vickery, laying bare the cost of success on the players’ physical health, mental health and financial security.
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