THE CHANNEL
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ISSUE 1 2014
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39
The documentary awards are among the most popular
in the AIBs each year. The 2013 shortlist comprised
documentaries that were not afraid to report on
challenging issues.
The top award in this category goes to VRT for The
Disturbed Procedure. On the night of 5 January 2010,
Jonathan Jacob leaves home. He is high on
amphetamines. After a night of wandering around he
is arrested by the local police. Acting strangely,
Jonathan is transferred to the nearby psychiatric
institution. When he realises he will be incarcerated in
an isolation cell, things escalate. Jonathan becomes
aggressive and the hospital refuses to admit him. The
police take him back to the police station and lock him
up. They call a doctor to sedate him. A special unit of
the local Antwerp police tries to restrain him, so that
the doctor can administer the sedatives. But their
intervention kills Jonathan - he dies from a ruptured
liver. VRT’s Panorama reconstructed the whole story
in a production that the judges said was a very moving
film and a scary human story. It made for compelling
viewing with a good variety of voices throughout.
Highly commended
Antena 3
Hell’s Angels
A harrowing and gripping documentary that
demonstrated how the film makers built great
relationships with the addicts. Unique access allowed
very moving stories to be told.
France 24
Seven Days in Tibet
Beautifully shot by courageous journalists who put
themselves at great risk to bring us a view of this
hidden country from inside. It provided a fresh angle
on China’s attempts to change Tibet culturally.
The international documentary award took our judges
to many parts of the world. They said that they learnt
new things from the productions that were shortlisted.
The judges were unanimous in their decision that
the top award should go to Channel 4 for what was
described as their “brilliant” documentary Walking
Wounded: Return to the Frontline produced by
Minnow Films. While
embedded with the US
army in Afghanistan,
British photojournalist
Giles Duley stepped on
an IED. The explosion
left him with horrific
injuries and, ultimately,
as a triple amputee.
This film documents
Giles's courageous
return to Afghanistan
as he undertakes his
first major photographic
assignment since the
explosion, in the
country where he very nearly lost his life. Our judges
said this was a unique, personal and moving film with
exceptional photography and editing.
Highly commended
BBC Current Affairs
Shot for Going to School
Malala Yousafzai became the world’s most famous
schoolgirl after she was shot in the head by the Taliban
while travelling on her school bus. Nel Hedayat went
to Pakistan to discover more about the violence that is
directed at schoolgirls. Our judges said this was an
exceptionally well-constructed documentary covering
a burning issue in a very “human” way.
Channel NewsAsia
Living in the Shadows
With remarkable access into rural areas of China,
Channel NewsAsia uncovered the stories of some of
the estimated 170m people in China suffering from
mental illness. With no state support, families are
forced to take drastic measures - including locking
mentally-disturbed children in outdoor cages. A
remarkable piece of research uncovering a hidden
side of China, said the judges.
Domestic current affairs
documentary - TV
VRT
International current
affairs documentary - TV
Channel 4
Inspiring creativity
