Grierson Trust Selects British Documentary Winners

LONDON: The winners of Grierson 2016: The 44th British Documentary Awards have been selected, with the Amy Winehouse feature Amy recognized in the arts category.

In the genre of natural history, The Hunt: The Hardest Challenge won the prize. The newcomer doc award went to Where You’re Meant to Be. How to Die: Simon’s Choice won for contemporary theme (domestic), while How to Change the World won for comtemporary theme (international).

Attacking the Devil was honored for best historical documentary. Secret Life of 4, 5 and 6 Year Olds scored the award for entertaining documentary. The student doc winner was Women In Sink.

Paul Mayhew Archer won as best documentary presenter for Parkinson’s: The Funny Side. In the category for current affairs, The World—Outbreak: The Truth About Ebola came out on top.

Oak Tree: Nature’s Greatest Survivor was honored as best science documentary. Cartel Land won for best cinema doc.

In regard to series, The Real Marigold Hotel was the winner in the category of constructed doc series, while The Murder Detectives won the overall doc-series category.

This year’s BBC Grierson Trustees’ Award went to Louis Theroux. The award was presented by BBC Director of Content Charlotte Moore, who said: “There is nobody else quite like Louis Theroux. Over the past 20 years, he has established himself as one of the most distinctive voices in filmmaking, winning critical acclaim, legions of international super-fans and a rake of awards. But Louis has never been one to rest on his laurels. He may have cut his teeth on the bizarre and the extreme, hanging out with porn stars, survivalists, revivalists, swingers and celebrities, but by the time everyone else started latching on to the power of celebrity, Louis had already graduated to more serious territory, turning his attention to some of the most complex issues we face in the modern world—addiction, paedophilia, rehabilitation, justice and collective guilt. He plows his own furrow, and never stands still. I believe that’s why his voice remains as unique and thought-provoking today as it was fresh and funny two decades ago.”

Lorraine Heggessey, the chair of The Grierson Trust, said: “These winning films demonstrate the vibrant and innovative ways in which the U.K. documentary industry is the world leader and they give such optimism for the future of the genre. From the provocative to the heartwarming, the funny to the simply astonishing, our award winners deserve the accolade and recognition a Grierson bestows upon them. Huge congratulations to them all.”