Athens, Ga. – The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors today announced the documentary and education programs among this year’s winners. The nine honorees are the final winners named as part of The Peabody 30, and include documentaries about the Islamic State, the Church of Scientology and singer Nina Simone. The Peabody Awards are based at the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Ten news, radio, podcast and Web winners were announced on April 19. The Entertainment and Children’s winners, a total of 11 programs, were revealed on NBC’s “Today” show on April 22. A full list of winners is available at peabodyawards.com.
The documentary and education winners of The Peabody 30 are as follows:
“Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief” (HBO)
Jigsaw Productions, HBO Documentary Films and Sky Atlantic
More than an exposé, more like a demolition, Alex Gibney’s film about the history and hardball tactics of the Church of Scientology draws its persuasive power from letters and documents contradicting the fabrications of its late founder, L. Ron Hubbard, and from blistering testimonials by prominent ex-church officials and former members about abuse and corruption.
“How to Dance in Ohio” (HBO)
HBO Documentary Films, Gidalya Pictures and Blumhouse
Filmmaker Alexandra Shiva focuses on three young women in Columbus, Ohio, who are living with autism and facing the daunting prospect of their first spring formal. The power and beauty of this closely observed, intimate documentary is that it doesn’t patronize its subjects or its viewer with easy sentimentality.
Independent Lens: “India’s Daughter” (PBS)
Assassin Films, BBC Storyville, UK-India, and Tathagat Films in association with Gamini Plyatissa Foundation, Vital Voices Global Partnership, DR, Plus Pictures Aps, CBC News Network, SVT, IKON, RTS, SRF and RAI
The internationally infamous 2012 gang rape and murder of Jyoti Singh, a 23-year-old medical student, in Delhi is the impetus for this unflinching, deeply unflattering examination of the misogyny embedded in Indian society.
“ISIS in Afghanistan” (PBS/WGBH)
FRONTLINE
Making the most of a difficult, dangerous assignment, Afghani journalist Najibullah Quraishi and his producing team got deep into ISIS-held territory to document its growing power and appeal in Afghanistan, its conflict with the Taliban and, most unnerving, its indoctrination and weapons training of children as young as 5.
“Listen to Me Marlon” (Showtime)
Showtime Documentary Films Presents, A Passions Pictures Production, Cutler Productions
Thanks to an imaginative director, a collection of audio tapes that Marlon Brando recorded over the years and a voice-synched, holograph-like image of the late, great “method” actor, we get to hear Brando share deeply personal thoughts about how he became the man and artist he was. It’s strange and wonderful, like a CGI resurrection.
“Night Will Fall” (HBO)
Spring Films, Angel TV, and Ratpac Documentary Films in association with HBO Documentary Films
“Night Will Fall” deftly weaves two stories into one documentary tale – one about the atrocities of the Nazi concentration camps, the other about the changing policies of postwar reconstruction that pulled atrocity images in and out of public view. The film artfully shows us an obscure moment in Holocaust history that attests to the enduring power of visual documentation.
POV: “Don’t Tell Anyone” (No Le Digas a Nadie) (PBS)
A co-production of Portret Films, American Documentary | POV and Independent Television Service in association with Latino Public Broadcasting with major funding provided by The Corporation For Public Broadcasting.
An activist on behalf of young, undocumented immigrants like herself, 24-year-old Angy Rivera, a New York City resident since she was 4, is the eloquent focus of this documentary. What makes it even more memorable is how filmmaker Mikaela Shwer uses Rivera’s story to illuminate the plight of untold numbers of immigrants living in secrecy and fear.
“The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst” (HBO)
Hit the Ground Running
Andrew Jarecki’s seductive true-crime documentary takes viewers through a dark looking glass, down a rabbit hole and into the mind of Robert Durst, a real-estate tycoon’s heir and an elusive suspect in three murders, who tells a self-serving tale but then, stunningly, offhandedly and on-microphone, confesses.
“What Happened, Miss Simone?” (Netflix)
A Radical Media Production in association with Moxie Firecracker for Netflix
Tracing Nina Simone’s rise from classical piano prodigy to jazz/pop star, civil rights activist and expatriate, while showcasing her brilliance without dodging her mental-health problems and explosive personal life, this finely-crafted documentary is both a celebration and a compassionate post-mortem.
Note to editors: A winners highlight video is available at http://www.peabodyawards.com/stories/story/75th-annual-documentary-educational-winners.
Media looking to cover the red carpet and awards ceremony on Saturday, May 21 at Cipriani Wall Street may submit their application for credentials here: bit.ly/PeabodyPressCredentials.
Peabody Awards
Peabody is an organization dedicated to invigorating people through the power of stories. Founded in 1940, Peabody honors and extends conversation around stories that matter in radio, television, and digital media through symposiums, screenings, podcasts and an annual awards ceremony considered to be among the most prestigious in the entertainment industry. Peabody gives awards for news, entertainment, documentaries, children’s programming, education, interactive programming, and public service, in turn, encouraging the media industries to reach for and achieve the highest standards. Peabody is administered through the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications at The University of Georgia. For more information, visit peabodyawards.com or follow @PeabodyAwards on Twitter.
Grady College
Established in 1915, the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication offers undergraduate majors in advertising, digital and broadcast journalism, magazines, newspapers, public relations, publication management and mass media arts. The college offers two graduate degrees, and is home to the Knight Chair in Health and Medical Journalism and the Peabody Awards, internationally recognized as one of the most prestigious prizes for excellence in electronic media. For more information, see www.grady.uga.edu or follow @UGAGrady on Twitter.
