Celebrating the best of documentary with Grierson 2021: The British Documentary Awards British Documentary Awards on 10 November


I


t was such a joy to welcome all our guests to the 49th


with our host, Patrick Kielty. Bringing the


documentary and factual TV community together in real life after so long apart was a real treat and the room was fi zzing with energy. We hope that the party


atmosphere translated on-screen to those who joined us via the live stream. BSL interpreters and captioned fi lms included, we were proud to make this year’s awards the most accessible event yet.


Congratulations to all the nominees, and of course the winners, showcased across our 17 categories. The enormous amount of talent and incredible stories on display throughout the ceremony were an inspiration. Each title proved that there is great power in storytelling and that we must never forget the importance of portraying such diverse stories in fresh and innovative ways.


The challenges of fi lming the nominated and winning fi lms were no mean feat. We’d like to commend all the nominees for rising to the challenge of fi lming during the pandemic and remind the industry to continue to support one another as we continue to navigate this new landscape. That’s also why we chose to champion The Film and TV Charity for their valuable work helping freelancers with fi nancial aid, practical resources, advice and support with mental health and wellbeing. If you can, please donate. And if you are struggling, don’t hesitate to contact the charity.


As well as the winning documentaries themselves, it was rewarding to see representation across no less than 15 platforms on the nominees list after our highest ever year for entries to the competition. It was fantastic, as well, that our new categories, Best Music and Best Sports Documentary did so well in pushing the boundaries of the genre in their fi rst year.


Also new for this year was our Grierson Hero of the Year Award, which went to line producer, Serena Kennedy. Congratulations Serena! Her rousing acceptance speech was a rallying cry urging support for all those working in production management. If you missed it, it’s available on The Grierson Trust’s YouTube channel.


Our other prestigious honour, the Grierson Trustees’ Award, went to the documentary powerhouse, Tabitha Jackson, Director of Sundance Film Festival. Congratulations to Tabitha! Her spirited contribution to our industry shone through her galvanising speech which sung the praises of PSBs and emphasised the importance of innovating the documentary form.


My fellow Trustees, the Grierson team and myself would like to thank all our sponsors for their support with this year’s awards. We really appreciate your loyalty and support during these challenging times. Thank you, as well, to Televisual for highlighting the competition and winners in this special edition of the magazine. We hope it serves to celebrate and inspire the factual TV and documentary community.


Lorraine Heggessey Chair, The Grierson Trust DiscoveryBEST NATURAL HISTORY OR ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTARY ‘ My Octopus Teacher


Pippa Ehrlich, Ellen Windemuth, Swati Thiyagarajan, Craig Foster, James Reed, Sam Barton-Humphries


A Netfl ix Original Documentary in association with Off the Fence, The Sea Change Project Netfl ix


A fi lmmaker forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her world.


A moving and captivating narrative that the judges said captured incredible, not seen before natural history. Structurally impeccable, it was astonishing and beautiful fi lmmaking, which at its heart told a wonderful story that struck an emotional chord.


NOMINEES Climate Change: Ade on the Frontline –


Episode 1 BBC TV Current Aff airs BBC Two


David At enborough: A Life on Our Planet Silverback Films, WWF Production


Netfl ix


Extinction: The Facts BBC Studios, The Science Unit BBC One


Grierson 2021: The British Documentary Awards


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