The Grierson Trust has unveiled the shortlist for the 2017 Grierson Awards for documentary.
Of the 103 films on the shortlist across 14 category awards, the BBC has 41 films in the running, Channel 4 follows with 19, Sky has five films, with ITV and Channel 5 having three apiece.
Many directors are shortlisted in more than one category: Pip Broughton’s Abferfan: The Green Hollow features in Best Single Documentary – Domestic and Best Historical; Dan Edge and Lauren Mucciolo’s Last Days in Solitary in Best Single Documentary – International and Best Current Affairs; and, Raoul Peck’s I Am Not Your Negro in Best Historical and Best Cinema.
Meanwhile, Director Daniel Gordon features in the same year with two different documentaries: Hillsborough in Best Single Documentary – Domestic and The Fall in Best Single Documentary – International.
Grayson Perry, a previous winner in 2013 and 2015, who will be hoping to make it a hat-trick win with Grayson Perry: All Man in the best presenter category.
Announcing the shortlist, Lorraine Heggessey, Chair of the Grierson Trust said: "The 2017 list features our widest range of broadcasters and platforms ever represented, thanks in part to the new Shorts category which will allow punchy and impactful films, with a running time of under 25 minutes, the recognition they deserve.”
National Geographic, Al Jazeera, theguardian.com, Netflix, Vice, BBC Three and wired.com all feature alongside mainstream cinema and festival releases. Heggessey added: “It’s reassuring to see these digital platforms funding high quality documentaries that bring fresh perspectives to our screens being represented on the shortlist."
Thirty four women directors are represented this year, with 98 male directors shortlisted.
Many former Grierson winners have made the cut. James Newton (Conviction: Murder at the Station), Marc Williamson (Hospital) and James Bluemel (Exodus) are all previous Series winners in 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Last year’s Constructed Series winner – The Secret Life of Four and Five Year Olds – appears again in 2017 alongside The Trial: Murder in the Family co-directed by Nick Holt who won in 2011 and 2014.
Winner of the 2014 International award, Marcel Mettelsiefen, is shortlisted again for his latest Children in the Frontline: The Escape. And last year’s Trustees’ Award winner, Louis Theroux is back again in the Cinema shortlist for My Scientology Movie with director John Dower.
These 103 films will now go forward to final nominations and judging ahead of 45th annual star-studded awards ceremony on 6th November 2017 at The Mermaid, London.
The full shortlist:
Splice Best Single Documentary – Domestic
Abferfan: The Green Hollow
Pip Broughton for BBC Wales & Vox Pictures; first shown: BBC Four
The Accused
Rob McCabe for Brinkworth Films; first shown: Channel 5
Hillsborough
Daniel Gordon for Very Much So Productions; first shown: BBC Two
The Murder of Sadie Hartley
Jamie Batten for Raw Cut; first shown: ITV
No Place to Call Home
Luke Sewell for BBC Studios; first shown: BBC Two
One Killer Punch
Tim Wardle for Raw TV; first shown: Channel 4
Rio Ferdinand: Being Mum and Dad
Matt Smith for Only the Best Productions; first shown: BBC One
A World Without Down’s Syndrome?
Clare Richards for Dragonfly Film & TV Productions; first shown: BBC Two
Channel 4 Best Single Documentary – International
Children on the Frontline: The Escape
Marcel Mettelsiefen for ITN Productions; first shown: Channel 4
Europe or Die
Marco Salustro, Aws Al-Jazairy, Milene Larsson, Fabio Basone for VICE News; first shown: VICELAND UK
The Fall
Daniel Gordon for Hillside Productions in association with Passion Pictures; first shown: Picturehouse Cinemas & Sky Atlantic
The Gun Shop
John Douglas for Rogan Productions; first shown: Channel 4
Last Days of Solitary
Dan Edge & Lauren Mucciolo for Mongoose Pictures; first shown: BBC Four
Machines
Rahul Jain for Jann Pictures, IV Films & Pallas FIlms; first shown: General theatrical release
Rich Hall’s Presidential Grudge Match
Chris Cottam for Open Mike Productions; first shown: BBC Four
Unarmed Black Male
James Jones for BBC Current Affairs; first shown: BBC Two
The Open University Best Current Affairs Documentary
Battle for Mosul
Joshua Baker for Mongoose Pictures Ltd; first shown: PBS FRONTLINE & theguardian.com
Behind the Zero Line
Frederick Paxton for VICELAND UK; first shown: VICELAND UK
Goodbye Aleppo
Christine Garabedian for BBC Arabic; first shown: BBC Arabic
Last Days of Solitary
Dan Edge, Lauren Mucciolo for Mongoose Pictures; first shown: BBC Four
MPs: Behind Closed Doors
Rachel Tracy for Sundog Pictures; first shown: Channel 5
The Secret Life of Prisons
Tom Barrow for Shine TV; first shown: Channel 4
The Spy in the IRA
Nick London for Films of Record; first shown: BBC One
Yemen: Britain’s Unseen War
Patrick Wells for Quicksilver Media; first shown: Channel 4
Silverglade Best Arts Documentary
Bricks!
Clare Beavan for BBC; first shown: BBC Four
Francis Bacon: A Brush with Violence
Richard Curson-Smith for IWC Media; first shown: BBC Two
Grayson Perry All Man – Episode 1
Neil Crombie, Arthur Cary for Swan Films; first shown: Channel 4
Imagine: The Triumphs and Laments of William Kentridge
Adam Low for Lone Star Productions; first shown: BBC One
Joe Cocker: Mad Dog with Soul
John Edginton for Eagle Rock Films & Otmoor Productions; first shown: Sky Arts
Manic Street Preachers: Escape from History
Kieran Evans for CC-Lab; first shown: Sky Arts
Paula Rego: Secrets and Stories
Nick Willing for Kismet Film Company; first shown: BBC Two
The Secret Life of Sue Townsend (Aged 68 3/4)
Jude Ho for BBC Studios; first shown: BBC Two
Best Historical Documentary
13th
Ava DuVernay for Forward Movement LLC & Kandoo Films; first shown: Netflix
Abferfan: The Green Hollow
Pip Broughton for BBC Wales & Vox Pictures; first shown: BBC Four
The Big Picture: The People vs America
Sanjiev Johal for Al Jazeera English; first shown: Al Jazeera
Breaking the Silence: Britain’s Adoption Scandal
Alice Perman for Ronachan Films; first shown: ITV
Destination Unknown
Claire Ferguson for Gigatel; first shown: Sheffield Doc/Fest
I Am Not Your Negro
Raoul Peck for Velvet Film, Inc. (USA), Velvet Film (France), Artémis Productions, & Close Up Films; first shown: General theatrical release
ISIS: The Origins of Violence
Kevin Sim for Blakeway; first shown: Channel 4
Six Wives with Lucy Worsley – Episode 3
Russell England for Wall to Wall Media; first shown: BBC One
Best Science Documentary
Attenborough’s Life That Glows
Martin Dohrn, Joe Loncraine for Terra Mater Factual Studios, Ammonite in co-production with CuriostityStream in association with BBC and ABC Australia; first shown: BBC Two
China: Between Clouds and Dreams – A Letter from Russia
Phil Agland for River Films; first shown: Channel 4
The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs – Episode 1
Emeka Onono, Jack Rampling for Raw TV; first shown: BBC One
The Drug Trial: Emergency at the Hospital
Barbie MacLaurin for Raw TV; first shown: BBC Two
Forces of Nature with Brian Cox: Episode 2, Somewhere in Spacetime
Stephen Cooter for BBC Studios Science; first shown: BBC One
How to Build a Human – Episode 1
Stephen Mizelas for Little Gem Media Ltd; first shown: Channel 4
Man Made Planet: Earth from Space
Kenny Scott for Arrow Media; first shown: Channel 4
Michael Mosley vs The Superbugs
Peter Gauvain for Renegade Pictures (UK) Ltd; first shown: BBC Four
Best Natural History Documentary
Birds of Paradise: The Ultimate Quest – Episode 2
Simon Davies for Tigress Productions; first shown: BBC Two
The Eagle Huntress
Otto Bell for Kissaki Films, Stacey Reiss Productions & Warrior Poets; first shown: General theatrical release
Into the Inferno
Werner Herzog for Spring Films Ltd, Werner Herzog Film GmbH & Matter of Fact Media Inc. in association with Dogwoof Ltd; first shown: Netflix
Monkeys: An Amazing Animal Family – Asia
Clare Dornan, Alex Williamson for Offspring Films; first shown: Sky 1
New Zealand: Earth’s Mythical Islands – Cast Adrift
Mark Flowers, Nick Easton for BBC, NDR Naturfilm & National Geographic Channels; first shown: BBC Two
Planet Earth II – Islands
Elizabeth White for BBC Studios co-produced with BBC America, ZDF, Tencent & France Télèvisions; first shown: BBC One
Spy in the Wild – Love
John Downer for John Downer Productions; first shown: BBC One
Wild Ireland: The Edge of the World – Episode 1
John Murray, Cepa Giblin for Crossing the Line Productions; first shown: BBC Two
Nyman Libson Paul Best Entertaining Documentary
999: What’s Your Emergency? – Nobody ever said, ‘When I grow up I want to answer 999 calls"
James Incledon, Sam Barnes, Chris Rowe for Blast! Films; first shown: Channel 4
Absolutely Fashion: Inside British Vogue – Episode 2
Richard Macer for Lightbox Media; first shown: BBC Two
Boy George’s 1970s: Save Me from Suburbia
Ian Denyer for IWC Media; first shown: BBC Two
Chronicles of Nadiya – Episode 1
Martha Delap for Love Productions; first shown: BBC One
Fake! The Great Masterpiece Challenge: Urban Landscapes
Simon Arnold; first shown: Sky Arts
First Dates (Series 8, Episode 1)
Richard Mears, Tom Locking for Twenty Twenty; first shown: Channel 4
Get Shirty
Andy Wells for Fox Films & Ten Monkeys; first shown: ITV
Marigold on Tour – Florida
Simon Draper for Two Four; first shown: BBC Two
Envy Best Documentary Series
24 Hours in Police Custody
Graeme Macauley, Gemma Brady, Stuart Bernard for The Garden Productions; first shown: Channel 4
American Justice
Arthur Cary, Jonathan Taylor for Minnow Films; first shown: BBC Two
Conviction: Murder at the Station
James Newton for Raw TV; first shown: BBC Two
Exodus
James Bluemel, Jack McInness, Paul Glynn, Robin Barnwell for Keo Films; first shown: BBC Two
Hospital
Holly Challinor, Daniel Dewsbury, Jack Rampling, Amanda Richardson, Marc Williamson for Label1 – ITV Studios; first shown: BBC Two
Kids on The Edge
Peter Beard, Tim Lawton for Century films; first shown: Channel 4
Mr v Mrs: Call the Mediator
Barnaby Peel and Jenny Dames for Wild Pictures; first shown: BBC Two
OJ: Made in America
Ezra Edelman; first shown: BBC Four
Evolutions Best Constructed Documentary Series
First Dates Hotel
David Symmons for Twenty Twenty; first shown: Channel 4
Hunted
Sam Eastall for Shine; first shown: Channel 4
Muslims Like Us
Production Team for Love Productions; first shown: BBC Two
Mutiny
Sophie Todd for Windfall; first shown: Channel 4
Rich House, Poor House
Simon Joslin, Marcus English, Adrian Hylton for Hat Trick Productions; first shown: Channel 5
SAS: Who Dares Wins
Alex Kiehl for Minnow; first shown: Channel 4
Secret Life of Four and Five Year Olds
Jackie Waldock for RDF Television; first shown: Channel 4
The Trial: Murder in the Family
Nick Holt, Kath Mattock for Dragonfly; first shown: Channel 4
Bertha DocHouse Best Cinema Documentary
Dancer
Steven Cantor; first shown: General theatrical release
Half Way
Daisy-May Hudson; first shown: General theatrical release
I Am Not Your Negro
Raoul Peck for Velvet Film, Inc. (USA), Velvet Film (France), Artémis Productions, Close Up Films; first shown: General theatrical release
Letters from Baghdad
Sabine Krayenbühl, Zeva Oelbaum for Between the Rivers Productions; first shown: General theatrical release
Life, Animated
Roger Ross Williams; first shown: General theatrical release
My Scientology Movie
John Dower for Red Box Films; first shown: General theatrical release
Notes on Blindness
Peter Middleton, James Spinney for Archer’s Mark, in association with Fee Fie Foe Films & 104 Films, in co-production with Agat Films & Cie; first shown: General theatrical release
Weiner
Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg; first shown: General theatrical release
Yaddo Best Documentary Short
Adrift
Cath Le Couteur for Adrift Films; first shown: National Geographic
Fish Story
Charlie Lyne for Loop; first shown: BFI Future Film Festival
Johanna
Ian Derry for Archer’s Mark; first shown: NOWNESS
Let’s Dance: Bowie Down Under
Rubika Shah for Smoking Bear Productions; first shown: Picturehouse Cinemas
The Moderators
Ciarán Cassidy, Adrian Chen; first shown: wired.com
The Refugee Diaries – episode three
Jack Collins for Rogan Productions; first shown: BBC Three
Seventeen
Mollie Mills for Green Door Pictures; first shown: BBC Three
Swan
Lindsay Brown for ammfilm; first shown: Edinburgh International Film Festival
ITV Best Student Documentary
Acta Non Verba
Yvann Yagchi for NFTS; first shown: University/College screening
The Adventures of an Aspiring Rock Star
Sam Oldmeadow for NFTS; first shown: University/College screening
Babies & Bellyboards
Giulia Franchi for Falmouth University; first shown: University/College screening
Chomo
Maayan Arad for NFTS; first shown: University/College screening
Homebound
Tom Jeffery for London College of Communication; first shown: University/College screening
Life Time
Adam Drake for Falmouth University; first shown: University/College screening
Pride in Rags
Tom Whitaker for NFTS; first shown: University/College screening
Unspeakable
Kate Stonehill for NFTS; first shown: University/College screening
Warner Bros TV Production UK Best Documentary Presenter
ADAM PEARSON for My Amazing Twin
James Newton for BBC Studios Science; first shown: BBC Two
CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN for The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs
Emeka Onono, Jack Rampling for Raw TV; first shown: BBC One
GRAYSON PERRY for Grayson Perry: All Man
Neil Crombie for Swan Films; first shown: Channel 4
NADIYA HUSSAIN for Chronicles of Nadiya
Martha Delap for Love Productions; first shown: BBC One
RICH HALL for Rich Hall’s Presidential Grudge Match
Chris Cottam for Open Mike Productions; first shown: BBC Four
SALLY PHILLIPS for A World Without Down’s Syndrome?
Clare Richards for Dragonfly; first shown: BBC Two
STACEY DOOLEY for Stacey Dooley Investigates: Young Sex for Sale in Japan
Joyce Trozzo for BBC Current Affairs London; first shown: BBC Three
TOM HOLLAND for Isis: The Origins of Violence
Kevin Sim for Blakeway; first shown: Channel 4
Staff Reporter
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