The 2024 British Documentary Awards, hosted by The Grierson Trust at London’s Roundhouse, showcased the best in documentary filmmaking, with Channel 4 emerging as the biggest winner of the evening, taking home five awards. The BBC followed closely with three awards, while Netflix secured two, highlighting a strong field of contenders from the British documentary landscape.
One of the most celebrated films of the night was 20 Days in Mariupol (2023), an Oscar-winning documentary covering the early days of the Ukraine-Russia war. Produced by Frontline, PBS, and The Associated Press, the documentary won both Best Current Affairs Documentary and Best Cinema Documentary. Directed by Mstyslav Chernov, it captures the harrowing 20 days he and his team spent in Mariupol, chronicling the impact of Russia’s invasion on the besieged city.
The event celebrated a variety of impactful films addressing a spectrum of issues, from mental health to political upheaval. Me and the Voice in My Head, a documentary by Tommy Forbes and Tom Green, won Best Single Documentary for its portrayal of mental health challenges, while Hind Meddeb’s Sudan, Remember Us, highlighted the powerful story of Sudan’s 2019 revolution. The awards reflected the Trust’s dedication to amplifying diverse narratives and fostering a better understanding of both local and global issues.
Since its 2023 Sundance Film Festival premiere, 20 Days in Mariupol has continued to receive critical acclaim worldwide. With its deeply resonant storytelling, the film stands as a powerful testament to resilience and humanity in the face of war, capturing the complex realities of modern conflict with raw and unflinching clarity.
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