BBC Studios Documentary Unit has announced its first feature length commission (1 x ’90) for Channel 4 – Grenfell: The Untold Story.
The film uses never-seen-before footage shot by the Tower’s Artist in Residence to shed new light on the UK’s worst residential fire since the Second World War.
A community artist was filming inside Grenfell Tower throughout its £10m refurbishment in the years before the fire, when highly combustible cladding was applied to the outside of the building. Constantine Gras documented the struggles of the ‘Grenfell Residents Group’ – a group of residents who raised issues and concerns about the work being carried out on the tower in the years before the fire.
Using never-seen-before footage shot by Grenfell Tower’s ‘Artist in Residence’, this film forms a prequel to the disaster. Constantine’s archive has taken on a prophetic importance, casting the tragic story of Grenfell in a new light some four years after the fire. Now Constantine is ready to speak on camera, alongside the residents and share his crucial testimony.
With unparalleled access to all seven of the main residents on ‘The Grenfell Residents’ Group,’ the film paints a vivid portrait of the community. Documenting key meetings held with local politicians and the landlord, the TMO, we see residents who are struggling to be heard.
Grenfell: The Untold Story will be shown on Channel 4 on Wednesday, September 8th at 10pm.
It was commissioned by Channel 4’s Shaminder Nahal and is produced by BBC Studios’ Documentary Unit. The director is James Newton, the producer is Daisy Ayliffe, and the Executive Producers are Kirsty Cunningham and Jessie Versluys.
Jon Creamer
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