Sir David Attenborough and Chris Packham lead the shortlist for this year’s Grierson documentary Awards.

Sir David is nominated with three programmes across both Science and Natural History categories but Packham is shortlisted a record four times.

The BBC has 45 entries in the running, Channel 4 follows with 21 and Netflix has seven in the mix. ITV, Channel 5, NatGeo and Field of Vision each have two films apiece with Sky Arts making a solo appearance for the Sky channels.

The remainder is made up of festival and university screenings alongside theatrical releases and smaller digital outlets.
 
Eleven films are shortlisted in multiple categories with Chris Packham’s personal piece Asperger’s and Me on Domestic, Presenter and Science lists where he also features with The Real T.rex.  Stacey Dooley and Gary Younge join him on the Presenter list and in Current Affairs with Stacey Dooley: Face to Face with Isis and Angry, White and American respectively.

BBC Two’s The Funeral Murders features in Domestic and Historical categories where two Series shortlisted films also make an appearance BBC One’s Stephen: The Murder that Changed a Nation and Wild Wild Country.

Current Affairs listed film The Fight for Mosul makes its second appearance on the International list whilst Raped: My Story features in Domestic. Finally Cinematic heavy-hitter The Work is also in the running in the International category. Meanwhile, Sir David’s three entries are in Science for Attenborough’s Wonder of Eggs and in Natural History for Attenborough and the Empire of the Ants and Blue Planet II.

Elsewhere, Channel 4’s hit ‘Educating’ series returns to the shortlist with this year’s Educating Greater Manchester in Best Entertaining whilst the Best Constructed category sees The Great British Bake Off  make an appearance for the first time alongside some of the year’s most talked about TV including Hunted, Old People’s Homes for 4 Year Olds and SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Lorraine Heggessey, Chair of The Grierson Trust, said: "The Griersons recognise the crème de la crème of documentary making with young newcomer directors standing shoulder to shoulder with Grierson-winning alumni. It’s also encouraging to see lesser known digital channels such as nowness, BFI Flair and Field of Vision on the list alongside our major national broadcasters."

The Grierson Awards also have a new headline sponsor for 2018, All3Media, which is also supporting the Best Student Documentary category.

Envy Best Single Documentary – Domestic   
Being Blacker    
RTO Pictures for BBC Two
Chris Packham: Asperger’s and Me    
Raw TV for BBC Two
The Funeral Murders   
Wild Pictures for BBC Two
Kingdom of Us   
Pulse Films for General theatrical release
Raped: My Story    
Lambent Productions  for Channel 5
Rehab: Lives Addicted   
Rare Day for BBC Three
School of Life and Deaf   
Flashing Lights Media  for Channel 4
Talking to Anorexia   
BBC Studios – The Documentary Unit for BBC Two

Channel 4 Best Single Documentary – International   
Another News Story   
Gallivant Film, Wislocki Films for General theatrical release
Chasing Coral
Exposure Labs for Netflix
The Cinema Travellers   
Cave Pictures India for General theatrical release
The Fight for Mosul   
Mongoose Pictures for Channel 4
Icarus   
Impact Partners, Diamond Docs, Chicago Media Project & Alex Productions for Netflix
No Greater Law   
Pulse Films for General theatrical release
Strong Island   
Yanceville Films & Louverture Films for Netflix
The Work: Four Days to Redemption    
Blankfort Media for BBC Four

Getty Images Best Current Affairs Documentary   

Angry White & American    
Sugar Films for Channel 4
The Fight for Mosul   
Mongoose Pictures for Channel 4
Myanmar’s Killing Fields   
Evan Williams Productions & Mongoose Pictures for Channel 4
Nobody Speak: The Trials of the Free Press   
Netflix for Netflix
Raped: My Story    
Lambent Productions  for Channel 5
Stacey Dooley: Face to Face with Isis   
Insight TWI for BBC Three
Undercover: Britain’s Immigration Secrets    
BBC Studios for BBC One
Working with Weinstein   
Tigerlily Productions for Channel 4

Storm HD Best Arts or Music Documentary

Ballet’s Dark Knight – Sir Kenneth MacMillan   
BBC Studios – Pacific Quay Productions for BBC Four
Basquiat: Rage to Riches   
BBC Studios for BBC Two
Dying Swan   
Clearstory for BBC Four
Handmade in Hull   
BBC Studios – Pacific Quay Productions for BBC Four
Hansa Studios:  By the Wall 1976-90   
Sky Italia S.R.L., Christie HQ for Sky Arts
Leonora Carrington – The Lost Surrealist   
BBC Studios for BBC Four
Stanley and His Daughters   
1212 Productions for BBC Four
Stop All the Clocks: W.H. Auden in an Age of Anxiety   
Hopscotch Films for BBC Two

Best Historical Documentary   
Bobby Robson: More Than A Manager   
Noah Media Group for General theatrical release
Diana: In Her Own Words   
1895 Films for National Geographic
Epidemic: When Britain Fought AIDs   
Blast! Films  for Channel 4
The Funeral Murders    
Wild Pictures for BBC Two
A House Through Time – Episode 2   
Twenty Twenty for BBC Two
Stephen: The Murder that Changed a Nation – The Loss of Joy    
On The Corner Films in association with Rogan Productions for BBC One
Trump: An American Dream – Episode 3   
72 Films for Channel 4
Wild Wild Country – Part 3   
A Duplass Brothers Production in association with Stardust Frames Productions & Submarine Entertainment for Netflix

Sargent Disc Best Science Documentary   
Attenborough’s Wonder of Eggs   
Mike Birkhead Associates for BBC Two
Bring Me Back To Life   
The Garden Productions for Channel 4
Chris Packham: Asperger’s and Me   
Raw TV for BBC Two
Guy Martin vs The Robot Car   
North One for Channel 4
Mercury 13   
Fine Point Films for Netflix
One Strange Rock:  Gasp   
Nutopia for National Geographic
The Real T.rex with Chris Packham   
Talesmith & Cineflix for BBC Two
Surgeons: At the Edge of Life – Last Chance Saloon   
Dragonfly for BBC Two

Best Natural History Documentary   
Attenborough and the Empire of the Ants   
Terra Mater Factual Studios in association with BBC & ABC Australia produced by Ammonite for BBC Two
Blue Planet II: One Ocean   
BBC Studios – Natural History Unit for BBC One
H is for Hawk: A New Chapter   
Mike Birkhead Associates for BBC Two
The Hunt (Sùlaisgeir: An t-Sealg)   
MacTV for BBC Alba
The Last Animals   
Atlas Films, Foxtail Entertainment, British Film Company for Sheffield Doc/Fest
Red Ape: Saving the Orangutan   
Offspring Films for BBC Two
South Korea: Earth’s Hidden Wilderness   
A Terra Mater Factual Studios, Oxford Scientific Films Co-Production (in association with CJ E&M & Buzz) for BBC Two
Sue Perkins and the Chimp Sanctuary    
Minnow Films for BBC Two

Nyman Libson Paul Best Entertaining Documentary   
999: What’s Your Emergency:  Brexit   
Blast! Films  for Channel 4
Ask the Sexpert   
Coast to Coast Films for Sheffield Doc/Fest
Celebrity Hunted   
Shine for Channel 4
Educating Greater Manchester  – Episode 1   
Twofour  for Channel 4
Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago – Episode 1   
CTVC for BBC Two
The Real Full Monty   
Spun Gold TV for ITV
Robbie’s War: The Rise and Fall of a Playboy Billionaire   
Century Films for BBC Two
Valley Cops:  I just Hope He Hasn’t Done It   
Minnow Films for BBC Three

Netflix Best Documentary Series   
24 Hours in Police Custody    
The Garden Productions  for Channel 4
Catching A Killer   
True Vision for Channel 4
Drugsland   
BBC Studios for BBC Three
Hospital   
Label1 Television for BBC Two
Love & Hate Crime   
Top Hat Productions for BBC Three
Miriam’s Big American Adventure    
Wild Pictures  for BBC One
Stephen: The Murder That Changed A Nation   
On The Corner Films in association with Rogan Productions for BBC One
Wild Wild Country   
A Duplass Brothers Production in association with Stardust Frames Productions & Submarine Entertainment for Netflix

Best Constructed Documentary Series   
The Great British Bake Off   
Love Productions for Channel 4
A House Through Time   
Twenty Twenty for BBC Two
Hunted    
Shine TV for Channel 4
MisFITS Like Us   
Hello Halo for BBC iPlayer
Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds    
CPL Productions for Channel 4
Rich House Poor House   
Hat Trick Productions for Channel 5
SAS: Who Dares Wins    
Minnow Films for Channel 4
Secret Agent Selection:  WW2   
Wall to Wall Media for BBC Two

Best Cinema Documentary   
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story   
Alexandra Dean for General theatrical release
City of Ghosts   
Matthew Heineman for General theatrical release
The Final Year   
Greg Barker for General theatrical release
I Called Him Morgan   
Kasper Collin Produktion for General theatrical release
Kingdom of Us   
Pulse Films for General theatrical release
The Last Men in Aleppo    
Larm Films for General theatrical release
Unrest   
Shella Films & Little by Little Films for General theatrical release
The Work   
Blankfort Media for General theatrical release

Docsville Best Documentary Short   
44 Messages from Catalonia   
Anna Giralt Gris, Ross Domoney for Field of Vision
Boys from the Back of Beyond   
Just So for Red Bull TV
Circle   
Jayisha Patel Films & National Film & Television School for University/College screening
Duterte’s Hell   
Field of Vision for Field of Vision
Landline   
Pulse Films for BFI Flair
My Stolen Childhood   

On Our Radar for BBC iPlayer
Rebirth is Necessary   
Iconoclast for Nowness
White Riot: London   
Smoking Bear for Sheffield Doc/Fest

All3Media Best Student Documentary   
After the Silence   
Natalie Cubides-Brady, National Film & Television School
As a Man   
Preston Hartley, University for the Creative Arts
China In Ethiopia   
Paul Zhou, Open City Docs School at UCL
Circle   
Jayisha Patel, National Film & Television School
Fake News Fairytale   
Kate Stonehill, National & Television School
On Common Ground   
Tom Besley, National & Television School
Whale Bowl   
Emily George, University of Greenwich
The Why   
Piotr Bernas, National & Television School

Warner Bros TV Production Best Documentary Presenter   
ANITA RANI for My Family, Partition and Me: India 1947   
Wall to Wall Media for BBC One
CHRIS PACKHAM for Chris Packham: Asperger’s and Me    
Raw TV for BBC Two
GARY YOUNGE for Angry, White and American   
Sugar Films for Channel 4
JOANNA LUMLEY for Joanna Lumley’s India   
Burning Bright Pictures for ITV
PATRICK KIELTY for My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me   
Dragonfly Film and Television for BBC One
PROFESSOR GREEN for Working Class White Men   
Swan Films for Channel 4
STACEY DOOLEY for Stacey Dooley: Face to Face with Isis   
Insight TWI for BBC iPlayer
WILL MILLARD for My Year With The Tribe   
KEO films for BBC Two

Staff Reporter

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