The Grierson Trust has announced the shortlist for the 2024 British Documentary Awards in association with All3Media.

The BBC tops the awards shortlist with 28 entries across its channels and on iPlayer, followed by Channel 4 with 23, Netflix with 17, Sky Documentaries with eight, National Geographic with four, Disney+ and ITV with three, and Prime Video, Paramount+, Netflix’s Still Watching YouTube channel and the Guardian with two each.

See the full shortlist below

Production companies with the highest number of entries include Mindhouse and BBC Studios with five each and Story Films and 72 Films with four each.

This year’s awards include a new category, Best Popular Culture Documentary, open to single documentaries or an episode from a strand or series that depicts people, events, movements or trends that have had a major impact on popular culture in recent years. Shortlisted entries in this category cover the power of the internet to create a hoax paedophile scare, the life of one of the UK’s most prominent performance poets, an investigation into allegations of abuse against one of the world’s most famous actors, and the rise and fall of one of the most famous pop acts of the 1980s.

The Arts category features several films about fashion industry icons such as Coco Chanel and John Galliano, plus the first black supermodel, alongside the life of photographer Dan Winters and the genius of Shakespeare. Music is represented through films and series covering Disco, K-Pop, composing a contemporary American Symphony and the life of one of this century’s most controversial and talked about indie-rock artists.

The History and Science categories cover contemporary subjects from the UK and internationally including the Space Shuttle disaster, the rise of the far right, the miner’s strike and Boris Johnson’s rise and fall, alongside powerful films exploring mental health, assisted dying and the evolution of our planet.

Sports documentaries include biographies of global stars Ronnie O’Sullivan, Ricky Hatton and Mark Cavendish as well as histories of women’s football, a Paralympian’s pursuit of the gold medal, and a portrait of an amateur football team comprising players with Down’s Syndrome.

Films in the running for the Best Cinema Documentary award include acclaimed documentaries about the siege of Mariupol, and Ugandan activist and musician Bobi Wine, which are both also shortlisted in the current affairs category, a feature exploring the lengths and depths record-breaking freedivers are prepared to go to, along with films exploring anti-fatness, and the impact of Alzheimer’s disease.

Lorraine Heggessey, Chair of The Grierson Trust said: “This year’s shortlist highlights the power of documentaries to tell new stories that cut through in a sea of content that’s constantly fighting for our attention. These films really connect with audiences, uncovering characters and perspectives that have previously been unseen. We have been so impressed by the breadth and range of entries which demonstrate that – despite the very difficult current climate – our industry remains committed to identifying new talent and exploring pressing issues such as mental health, sexuality, gender, and disability, all through best-in-class filmmaking.”

Fifteen standout documentaries and series have been recognised with shortlisting in two categories with one, Me and the Voice in My Head, shortlisted in three. They are:

20 Days in Mariupol:Best Current Affairs Documentary, Best Cinema Documentary
Accused: The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax: Best Single Documentary – Domestic, Best Popular Culture Documentary
American Symphony: Best Cinema Documentary, Best Music Documentary
Bobi Wine: The People’s President: Best Current Affairs Documentary, Best Cinema Documentary
Ellie Simmonds: Finding My Secret Family: Best Single Documentary – Domestic, Best Documentary Presenter
Evacuation: Best Documentary Series, Best Current Affairs Documentary
Hatton: Best Single Documentary – Domestic, Best Sports Documentary
Milli Vanilli: Best Popular Culture Documentary, Best Music Documentary
Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything: Best Single Documentary – Domestic, Best Sports Documentary
The Deepest Breath: Best Cinema Documentary, Best Sports Documentary
The Rise and Fall of Boris Johnson: Best Popular Culture Documentary, Best History Documentary
The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth: Best Science Documentary, Best History Documentary
Wham!: Best Single Documentary – Domestic, Best Music Documentary
Big Zuu Goes to Mecca: Best Popular Culture Documentary, Best Documentary Presenter
Me and the Voice in My Head: Best Science Documentary, Best Single Documentary – Domestic, Best Documentary Presenter

The diverse shortlist for Best Documentary Presenter recognises a diverse range of names who are generally newer to the genre, and covers powerful personal journeys and revelations, travel and investigations. It comprises:

Ellie Simmondsfor Ellie Simmonds: Finding My Secret Family
Joe Tracinifor Me and the Voice in My Head
Nadifa Mohamedfor Britain’s Human Zoos
Oobah Butlerfor The Great Amazon Heist
Rhod Gilbertfor Rhod Gilbert: A Pain in the Neck
Rose Ayling-Ellisfor Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change
Stacey Dooleyfor DNA Family Secrets
Zuhair ‘Big Zuu’ Hassanfor Big Zuu Goes to Mecca

The Student Documentary category includes six entries from the National Film and Television School, alongside one entry each from the University of Manchester and Goldsmiths University.

The shortlisted films will now go on to be judged by category juries who will decide the four nominations and winner in each.

The awards ceremony takes place on 6^th November at a new home – Roundhouse – the iconic music and arts venue in Camden, London.

2024 Grierson Awards Shortlist

ENVY Best Single Documentary – Domestic

Accused: The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax

Story Films, All3Media International – Channel 4

Ellie Simmonds: Finding My Secret Family

Flicker Productions – ITV

Forced Out: Their Fight for Pride

Dragonfly Film and Television Productions Ltd – Sky Documentaries

Hatton

Noah Media Group – Sky Documentaries

Me and the Voice in My Head

Hungry Bear Media Ltd – Channel 4

Otto Baxter: Not a F***ing Horror Story

Story Films, Archface Films – Sky Documentaries

Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything

Studio 99 – Prime Video

Wham!

A Netflix Documentary, Ventureland, Passion Pictures, Library Films, Nemperor Production – Netflix

Best Single Documentary – International

Another Body

WILLA, Remarkably Calm, Murmuration, Impact Partners – BBC

My Name is Happy

October Films, Red Zed Films, Horovel Films – Channel 4

Summer Qamp

Bright West Entertainment, Hello Friend, Cineflix Productions – Human Rights Watch Film Festival

Tell Them You Love Me

Mindhouse Productions – Sky Documentaries

To Kill a Tiger

Notice Pictures Inc. and The National Film Board of Canada – Netflix

Storyville – Total Trust Surveillance State

Witfilm and Interactive Media Foundation, B8, ZDF, Arte, NTR – BBC

Ukraine: Enemy in the Woods

Hoyo Films Ltd – BBC

While We Watched

BritDoc Films, LONO, MetFilm – Theatrical release

Televisual Best Current Affairs Documentary

20 Days in Mariupol

FRONTLINE, PBS and The Associated Press – Theatrical release

Bobi Wine: The People’s President

Southern Films, Ventureland, National Geographic Documentary Films – National Geographic

Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua

BBC Africa Eye in co-production with Open Democracy – BBC

Evacuation – We Just Left Them

Wonderhood Studios – Channel 4

Putin vs The West: At War – Invasion

Brook Lapping Productions – BBC

Dispatches – Russell Brand: In Plain Sight

Hardcash Productions, Channel 4 Investigation Unit – Channel 4

The Other War

BBC Current Affairs – BBC

You Are Not Alone: Fighting the Wolf Pack

Lucernam Films – Netflix

Best Arts Documentary

Arena – Coco Chanel Unbuttoned

whynow Studios – BBC

Donyale Luna: Supermodel

Lightbox, Jeff Friday Media, The American Black Film Festival – Sky Documentaries

High & Low – John Galliano

KGB Films – Theatrical release

Madu

Disney Branded Television and Hunting Lane Films – Disney+

Photographer – Dan Winters: Life is Once. Forever

Little Monster Films, National Geographic – National Geographic

Shakespeare: Rise of a Genius – Episode 1

72 Films – BBC

Squaring The Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis

Raindog Films Ltd – Theatrical release

Yellow Door: ’90s Lo-fi Film Club

Broccoli Pictures Co. Ltd – Netflix

Sky Documentaries Best Music Documentary

American Symphony

Higher Ground, Mercury Studios, Our Time Projects – Netflix

BBC Eye Investigations – Burning Sun: Exposing the Secret K-Pop Chat Groups
BBC Eye – BBC

Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution – Rock the Boat

BBC Studios, BBC/PBS co-production – BBC

Don’t Ever Stop

Restless Films – Doc’n Roll Festival

Louis Theroux Interviews – Pete Doherty

Mindhouse Productions – BBC

Milli Vanilli

Keep On Running Pictures, Fulwell 73 – Paramount+

The Greatest Night in Pop

A Netflix Documentary, MRC Film, Dorothy St Pictures Production in association with Makemake Entertainment – Netflix

Wham!

A Netflix Documentary, Ventureland, Passion Pictures, Library Films, Nemperor Production – Netflix

Broadcast Sport Best Sports Documentary

Amputating Alice

Noah Media Group – Channel 4

Copa 71

New Black Films – Theatrical release

Hatton

Noah Media Group – Sky Documentaries

Mark Cavendish: Never Enough

A Netflix Documentary, Pitch Productions Film – Netflix

Mighty Penguins

Meadowlark, Firelight, Fever – Theatrical release

One Night in Millstreet

Fastnet Films, Proposition Films – Theatrical release

Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything

Studio 99 – Prime Video

The Deepest Breath

An A24, Motive Films and Ventureland Production – Netflix

Best History Documentary

Defiance: Fighting the Far Right – Episode 1

Rogan Productions and GroupM Motion Entertainment in association with Left Handed Films – Channel 4

Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate

A Netflix Documentary, Thursday Company Production – Netflix

JFK: One Day in America – Assassination

72 Films – National Geographic

Miners’ Strike: A Frontline Story

The Garden – BBC

Stamped from the Beginning

A Netflix Documentary, One Story Up Production – Netflix

The Rise and Fall of Boris Johnson – Episode 1

72 Films – Channel 4

The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth – Episode 1

Mindhouse Productions – BBC

Union with David Olusoga – Union and Disunion

Wall to Wall Media, Uplands Television – BBC

Best Science Documentary

Better Off Dead?

Burning Bright Productions – BBC

Earth – Human

BBC Studios – BBC

Evolution Earth – Islands

Produced by Passion Planet in association with PBS and Arte France for Love Nature – Sky Nature

Me and the Voice in My Head

Hungry Bear Media Ltd – Channel 4

Secrets of the Neanderthals

A Netflix Documentary with BBC Studios Production – Netflix

Exposure – The Clinic

Rogan Scotland – ITV

The Jennings vs Alzheimer’s

Expectation Entertainment – BBC

The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth – Episode 1

Mindhouse Productions – BBC

Best Natural History or Environmental Documentary

BBC Eye Investigations – Breathless

BBC News Eye Investigations – BBC

Living with Leopards

A Netflix Documentary, Wild Space Production in association with Natural History Film Unit Botswana and Freeborne Media – Netflix

Planet Earth III – Heroes

BBC Studios Natural History Unit, co-produced by BBC America, ZDF, FTV and The Open University – BBC

Silverback

An Off the Fence Production for BBC in co production with France Télévisions in association with Featuristic Films – BBC

The Great Rhino Robbery – Dead or Alive

BBC Studios – Sky Documentaries

Tiger

Wildstar Films – Disney+

Tigers on the Rise

Wildstar Films – Disney+

Wilding

A Passion Planet and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios Production – Theatrical release

Channel 4 Best Popular Culture Documentary

Accused: The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax

Story Films – Channel 4

Arena – Being Kae Tempest

Bohemia Films and The Open University – BBC

Big Zuu Goes to Mecca

Acme TV – BBC

Milli Vanilli

Keep On Running Pictures, Fulwell 73 Productions – Paramount+

Miriam: Death of a Reality Star – The Truth

Expectation Factual – Channel 4

Spacey Unmasked – Episode 1

Roast Beef Productions in association with All3Media International – Channel 4

The Rise and Fall of Boris Johnson – Episode 1

72 Films – Channel 4

The Sidemen Story

Pangaea – Netflix

Netflix Best Documentary Series

American Nightmare

RAW – Netflix

Cold Case Investigators: Solving Britain’s Sex Crimes

Brinkworth Productions – BBC

Evacuation

Wonderhood Studios – Channel 4

Imposter: The Man Who Came Back from the Dead

Five Mile Films – Channel 4

Lockerbie

Mindhouse Productions – Sky Documentaries

Miners’ Strike 1984: The Battle for Britain

Swan Films – Channel 4

The Push: Murder on the Cliff

Candour Productions – Channel 4

To Catch a Copper

Story Films – Channel 4

Best Cinema Documentary

20 Days in Mariupol

FRONTLINE, PBS and The Associated Press – Theatrical release

American Symphony

Higher Ground, Mercury Studios, Our Time Projects – Netflix

Bobi Wine: The People’s President

Southern Films, Ventureland, National Geographic Documentary Films – National Geographic

Kokomo City

Couch Potato Company, Madison Square Films – Theatrical release

Queendom

Sundance Institute, Doc Society, Inmaat Productions, Vancouver Film School – Theatrical release

The Deepest Breath

An A24, Motive Films and Ventureland Production – Netflix

The Eternal Memory

Fabula – Theatrical release

Your Fat Friend

Glimmer Films – Theatrical release