2025 Student Jury Award for Most Inspiring Use of Footage
As part of FOCAL’s outreach strategy to support new generations of industry professionals, we partner with the National Film and Television School in the UK and INA Sup in France to give a selected student jury access to view a number of nominated productions for our Student Jury Award for Most Inspiring Use of Footage.
Shortlisted
Vow of Silence: The Assassination of Annie Mae
Director:
Yvonne Russo
Producer(s):
Yvone Russo / Amy Kaufman / Caroline Waterlow
Footage Archive Researcher:
Amy Kaufman
Footage Archive Producer:
Amy Rockefeller
Archival Sources:
Estate of Lan Brooks Ritz / Kevin McKiernan, Journalist / CBS Veritone / ABC News Videosource / NBC
Production Company:
Laylow Pictures
Country of Production:
United States
Original Release:
2024
Synopsis
This historical docuseries examines the murder of Annie Mae Aquash - a Mi'kmaq woman from Nova Scotia, Canada, a mother of two daughters, a teacher, and a revolutionary who fought for Indigenous rights in the 1970s whose death went unsolved for almost 30 years. Set between the sweeping landscape of American politics in the volatile 70s and the present-day search by Annie Mae's daughter to uncover secrets from the past, this is a fascinating story of murder, intrigue, love, and betrayal that contextualizes Annie Mae's story within the larger story of the struggle of Native and First Nations women in their own communities that continues even today. Annie Mae’s story has been reduced to headlines focused on only the most gruesome parts of the crime story; the series sets out to portray her as a flesh and blood person - a leader of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and to intertwine her personal story with a historical context that lead to the formation of AIM. The series explores history rarely covered by mainstream news and reveals a secret war waged by the government against the Indigenous activists and illuminates the importance of tribal justice.
Jim Henson: Idea Man
Director:
Ron Howard
Producer(s):
Brian Grazer / Ron Howard / Sara Bernstein / Margaret Bodde / Justin Wilke / Mark Monroe / Christopher St. John
“Jim Henson Idea Man” takes us into the mind of this singular creative visionary, from his early years puppeteering on local television to the worldwide success of Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and beyond. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard captures Henson's restless creativity, ambition, and artistic evolution in the style and spirit of his complex subject, an artist who revolutionized television, inspired generations, and created some of the world’s most beloved characters. Featuring new interviews with Henson's closest collaborators and children, as well as never-before-seen materials from his personal archives—including home movies, photographs, sketches, and diaries— Howard brings us an entertaining and insightful look at a man whose boundless imagination changed the world.
Becoming Madonna
Director:
Michael Ogden
Producer(s):
Eliana Capitani / Tina Flintoff / Nick Hornby / Patrick Culhane
Footage Archive Producer:
Helen Carr
Archival Sources:
Fox Archives / Getty Images (NBC News, BBC Motion Gallery, WNBC) / LOLA Clips (ABC Australia, Nine) / Kinolibrary / CBS Media Ventures
Production Company:
Optomen Television
Country of Production:
United Kingdom
Original Release:
2024
Synopsis
Through exclusive interviews, unheard tapes, and rare and never-before-seen archive footage, this immersive, archive-driven feature documentary tells the compelling story of how Madonna became the most powerful woman in pop.
From the devastating loss of her devoutly Catholic mother to cancer at age five to her arrival in New York at nineteen as a penniless dancer from Michigan in 1978, Madonna knew she was destined for greatness but wasn’t sure exactly how.
Set against the backdrop of Reagan’s America and music industry misogyny of the 1980s, the film charts Madonna’s astonishing transformation from Midwest teen into a superhuman champion of sexual liberation for young women and the gay community.
It reveals how the loss of close friends to the AIDS pandemic emboldened her message of creative freedom, no matter the cost.
This is the story of the events that shaped Madonna and how she, in turn, shaped the world.
Moses - 13 Steps
Director:
Michael Wech
Producer(s):
Leopold Hoesch
Footage Archive Producer:
Thorben Bockelmann
Archival Sources:
IOC via IMG / ESPN / NBC via Getty Images / WDR / IAAF World Cup and World Athletics Championships via DENTSU
Production Company:
BROADVIEW Pictures GmbH
Country of Production:
Germany
Original Release:
2024
Synopsis
"Moses – 13 Steps” is a powerful exploration of the life and legacy of Edwin Moses, an unparalleled athlete and visionary, whose triumphs on and off track catalyzed significant social and scientific change, inspiring generations to hurdle over barriers of all kinds.
Growing up in segregated America, Moses overcame systemic barriers as an African-American athlete. Without a coach, he mastered the demanding 400-meter hurdles—dubbed the “maneater”—and achieved an unmatched winning streak of 122 races over nearly a decade. His revolutionary 13-step technique redefined hurdling and secured his place as one of the greatest track and field athletes in history.
Off the track, Moses fought for equality, justice, and the integrity of sport. He played a pivotal role in strengthening anti-doping regulations and remains a role model for fairness and perseverance.
The film intertwines Moses’ personal journey with key moments in world history, highlighting how his success mirrored societal change. Featuring exclusive interviews with Moses and figures like Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Karsten Warholm, the documentary provides an intimate look at his challenges and triumphs.
