The decision by the United States to drop atomic bombs on two Japanese cities - Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 and Nagasaki three days later - was one of the most momentous and destructive in world history.
Now, nearly 80 years later, this unique film gathers the testimony of some of the last ‘Hibakusha’, survivors of the two atomic bombs, before their voices are lost forever. With an average age of 85, most Hibakusha were children when the bombs were dropped.
Combining their personal accounts with archive footage, the film features a significant number of voices from this shrinking group, the only people left on earth to have survived a nuclear bomb, while exploring how their experiences continue to affect them to this day.
Archival highlights
I have done three projects with Sonia, and her positive energy, attention to detail, and determination to find the finest and most affordable archive is unparallelled. On Atomic People, she went above and beyond to ensure we had the best possible footage to tell the extraordinary story of ‘the hibakusha’ – the survivors of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
Surprisingly, much of the footage of the desolation of the two cities is technically free. However, the original versions are very low quality, out of focus or 'muddy', so it is often impossible to use. Private companies have therefore cleaned up the negatives, but frustratingly charge a fortune to licence this improved footage. Operating within our modest BBC budget, Sonia scoured the internet and contacted archive houses in Japan & globally, over many months, to find us the very best versions of the footage we needed. As we beavered away in the edit, she would often stay up late into the night or be up early - on the phone to an obscure provider in Japan, trying to track down the source of a strange piece of footage and strike a deal for its use. Her tenacity was astonishing.
Japanese archive is famously difficult to find and clear, even with relatively modern footage. But we needed footage from Japan from the 1930s and 1940s. The language barrier, the cultural sensitivities of Japan losing the WW2, and the traditions around showing footage of the Japanese Emperor made it particularly challenging to clear footage crucial to the film. However, Sonia's patience, persistence and precision allowed us access to archive that in some cases had not been available to the public before. This included the Emperor's full announcement to the nation in August 1945 that the dropping of the atomic bombs by America meant that Japan could no longer keep fighting. It is an extraordinary pivotal speech, in which the country's leader tells a stunned nation over the radio that he is not a god, but a human being, and that they must surrender.
Sonia also manged to track down Asahi Shimbun newspapers which included the very first reports of the bombs being dropped on Hiroshima, before a press ban was initiated by the USA. To my knowledge these reports have never been seen in documentaries before, and it took several months for Sonia to negotiate their use. Similarly, she tracked down an extremely rare piece of footage, shot in the days after the Hiroshima bomb exploded, in which one of our interviewees, Hideo, can be seen being carried on his brother’s back, aged three. It’s a haunting moment, as the young boy stares wide eyed into the camera, captured on celluloid forever but hidden for many years. Sonia sensitively negotiated its use through the Nichiei Eizo archive house in Japan.
All in all, she is a fantastic archive researcher to be work with, and we were very lucky to have her on the project.
Siobhan Harvey for Tsunami: Race Against Time
Production Company:
Blast Films
Synopsis
Tsunami: Race Against Time is a gripping documentary series marking 20 years since one of the deadliest natural disasters in history, spanning 14 countries.
This four-part series provides a 360-degree view of the heart-stopping events surrounding the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Produced by Tanya Winston and Danny Horan of the multi-award-winning Blast Films, and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Daniel Bogado, known for 9/11: One Day in America, the documentary features personal accounts from survivors, scientists who raced against time to understand the catastrophic disaster and alert the world, journalists who broke the shocking news, and the fearless rescuers who risked their lives to save others.
Told minute by minute through harrowing footage and gripping stories of survival and courage—some shared for the first time—the series offers the most comprehensive and immersive account of the tsunami, chronicling the destructive wave as it surged across the ocean, leaving unimaginable devastation in its wake.
Archival highlights
The heart of Tsunami: A Race Against Time lay in the ambition to tell the definitive story of the catastrophic events of December 26, 2004, through the eyes of those who lived through it. As director, my goal was to craft a gripping, minute-by-minute narrative, anchored in survivors’ testimonies and visually told solely through immersive archival footage.
Siobhan Harvey led the archive team with a profound understanding of the project’s editorial objectives, meticulously tracking down and securing footage that would be pivotal in shaping the narrative. She had begun work on the project before my arrival, conducting an initial survey of available archive material through conventional channels. Once production officially commenced, we significantly expanded the archive team’s operations, establishing team offices in each country of editorial relevance and recruiting local researchers and journalists to lead the research efforts.
No effort was spared in uncovering original or underutilized footage, ensuring it served the narrative’s needs and elevated the storytelling. Operating across multiple countries in the Indian Ocean, the team uncovered hundreds of hours of rarely or never-before-seen material. This involved identifying and retrieving videos stored in television stations, offices and warehouses for decades, often requiring complex negotiations with production companies, broadcasters, and independent videographers—some of whom had little experience in documentary licensing. The material secured not only met but far exceeded expectations, offering an unprecedented visual record of the tsunami’s impact across Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
As director, I worked closely with Siobhan to ensure that every license was cleared and that every possible effort was made to track down original masters of footage. In one particularly challenging case, it took months of investigation to locate the original owner of a video clip we found in poor quality. However, the effort was worthwhile, as the original footage provided an extraordinarily powerful and unique perspective on the devastation of Khao Lak at the moment the wave struck. In many instances, major broadcasters were convinced for the first time to license their tsunami-related material to our documentary series.
Throughout the production, Siobhan and I communicated closely, collaborating closely to anticipate challenges, find solutions, and plan strategically to avoid potential pitfalls. Towards the end of this process, I worried that, given the sheer volume of extraordinary archival material we had uncovered, some footage might be lost to the final cut due to the complexities of securing agreements across multiple countries and licensing frameworks. However, this did not happen. Whenever an obstacle arose that threatened securing a particular master, Siobhan responded immediately—picking up the phone, engaging in urgent negotiations, and finding solutions. I know the mastering phase was an intense and demanding period, but thanks to Siobhan’s dedication, it was a resounding success. And I think ultimately the strength of the series lies in having secured every crucial piece of archive that we needed, allowing us to fully immerse the audience in the brutal realities of that day and bringing the survivor accounts to life in a compelling way.
Ines Farag for STAX: Soulsville U.S.A.
Production Company:
Laylow Pictures
Synopsis
STAX: Soulsville U.S.A. is an epic series that chronicles the full story of Stax Records, an underdog record label comprised of Black and white collaborators who ushered in the groundbreaking soul music of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, The Staple Singers, Sam & Dave and many others that defined a generation. Driven by instinct and defying the notion that Black artists needed to be “made marketable,” the Memphis-based label went from ultimate outsider to one of the most influential producers of Black music.
Through a deeply researched and sweeping reexamination, the series reveals the confluence of forces – race, geography and musical traditions as well as the cutthroat world of the recording industry – that shaped the Stax spirit and determined its destiny. The series centers the first person voices of many of the individuals who lived the Stax experience while situating them within the political backdrop in which it unfolded. This a quintessentially American story of an audacious group of individuals who dared to make their own music on their own terms creating an institution that has continued to define our culture long after the label itself has gone.
Archival highlights
I am the Executive Producer of the HBO four-part series STAX:Soulsville U.S.A and am pleased to recommend Ines Farag for the Jane Mercer Researcher of the Year award. I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Ines Farag for 10 years and specifically sought her out for the role of Archival Producer for this important series. I knew on a personal level that her love of music and this particular group of artists we would be depicting in the series are the bedrock of her passion and would provide a joy and satisfaction in the research process, so essential to the success of the series. Films had been done STAX in the past , but nothing quite as comprehensive as this and nothing from the perspective of the Black artists themselves. Ines threw herself in to the research and management of a vast sea of archival assets, chasing down the obscure provenance of a large volume of visual and audio material to help Director Jamila Wignot achieve her vision; an immersive experience of what it was like to be a young musician in segregated Memphis, TN working at a integrated record label and studio.
The few remaining people who had lived the STAX experience are older and much care and sensitivity was needed to work with them to access personal materials and Ines’ thoughtful approach and caring demeanor were essential to make people feel comfortable giving us their personal effects. For example famous guitarist and producer Steve Cropper ( Book T & the MGs) and trumpet player Wayne Jackson ( The Mar-Keys) provided us with their personal home movies on Super 8 from a tour in Europe by STAX artists – young people encountering Europe, a non-segragated world, for the first time. (footage appears in Episode 1)
Ines worked doggedly to access smaller archives that did not have resources to make all their materials available online and spent weeks in Memphis in the depths of the STAX museum, the archive of photographer Ernest Withers, and the local news stations including WMC ( NBC affiliate) rescuing and finding materials that had been damaged by a fire in 1970. She fought to access the outtakes of the famous WattStax concert, pulling reels from Warner Brother’s storage unit in Kansas. Ines also found never-before-seen BBC footage of the racial segregation at the University of Memphis, and sourced essential archival of the 1968 sanitation workers' strike in Memphis that lead Martin Luther King to the city, where he was assassinated in 1968. She found beautiful home movies depicting Black family moments, footage that was not traditionally the focus of mainstream collectors and archivists in the 20th century. The story of Memphis and STAX are inextricably linked and this vital material brought the film to life, providing context for the creativity happening on East Macklemore Avenue. In short the success of this Emmy-nominated series lies in great part to the work of Archival Producer Ines Farag, a person deserving of this important award.
Helen Carr for Becoming Madonna
Production Company:
Optomen
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.
Archival highlights
As the director of ‘Becoming Madonna’, I had the immense privilege of working alongside Helen, the archive producer and researcher, whose contribution to the film was absolutely indispensable. From the very beginning of the project, it was clear that Helen's passion for Madonna would be one of the driving forces behind the film's success. The task at hand was no small feat—an unauthorised film about a global icon whose career spans decades, filled with an abundance of footage, interviews, and moments that have never been seen before. Helen took on this challenge with an extraordinary level of dedication and vision.
Helen's approach was deeply hands-on, and her role was integral to every step of the filmmaking process. She wasn't just sourcing archive material; she was building a narrative, uncovering hidden gems from Madonna's vast career, and shaping the film around the archive footage she sourced. Throughout the editing process, Helen worked side by side with me and the editing team, carefully weaving the footage into the fabric of the story. Her expertise was invaluable as she sought to find archive footage that not only captivated casual viewers but also offered something special for Madonna's most dedicated fans. She understood that the story of Madonna's rise to fame could not simply be told through talking heads and stock footage; it had to be about the moments that defined her and the pieces of history that were waiting to be rediscovered.
One of the standout moments in the film, for me, was the discovery of previously unseen footage of Madonna dancing at university. This incredible find came just days before the final edit deadline, and it encapsulated Helen's relentless drive and commitment to the project. That kind of persistence and passion was a recurring theme throughout our work together. Her determination also led to us securing rare footage of Madonna's early track date performances and behind-the-scenes material from the 'Borderline' music video, ensuring these vital elements were included in the film.
Given that Madonna did not provide a new interview for the film, Helen's job was made even more challenging. She took on the monumental task of tracking down archival interviews from throughout Madonna's career. Helen scoured archives across the globe, digging through video and audio interviews, and even reached out to nearly every journalist who had ever conducted a print interview with Madonna. The relationships she built with these journalists were crucial, and they led to the discovery of rare tapes and additional footage that brought fresh perspectives to the film.
Through her exceptional work, Helen not only helped bring the story of Madonna's rise to life but also ensured that ‘Becoming Madonna’ would stand as a testament to the power of archival storytelling. Her dedication to uncovering hidden pieces of history, negotiating with countless archives, and overcoming challenges made her an invaluable part of the team. Working with Helen was a true collaboration, and I will always be grateful for her tireless contributions to the film.
Elspeth Domville & David Wells for The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal
Production Company:
Fully and Complete Productions Inc.
Synopsis
"No Dress Rehearsal" is the 4 X 1 film series that finally tells the entire complex, 40-year history of the iconic Canadian band "The Tragically Hip" as seen against the backdrop of a changing country. It asks: just what was it about this band, their songs and performances, and their collective personality that the people of this large and sparsely populated country, embraced so tightly, even protectively, and did this relationship contribute to how we define ourselves as Canadians?
The documentary features exclusive, never-before seen footage, photos, performances and stories from the band’s beginnings as teenagers jamming at home to a long and storied career. Woven throughout are excerpts from lead singer and the band's songwriter Gord Downie’s personal writing from his notebooks, journals, lyrics, and correspondence with family, friends and fans.
The film shares 40-years’ worth of personal and public stories—the highs and lows, the friendships and frustrations, the milestones and tragedy —all of the essential elements of a long, complicated and wildly successful musical marriage.
Archival highlights
The archive research for No Dress Rehearsal: The Tragically Hip is truly deserving of recognition for its extraordinary depth and the exhaustive effort required to uncover and secure the vast range of materials essential to the film’s storytelling—a process that spanned two years.
Spread across four hours, the documentary draws from an unparalleled array of archival sources, seamlessly incorporating rare and previously unseen footage. Behind-the-scenes moments and personal glimpses add an intimate layer to the narrative, offering audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-curtain look at the band’s evolution.
More than just a collection of archival material, the documentary transforms research into a powerful storytelling tool, expertly weaving together music, interviews, footage, and photographs to illuminate The Tragically Hip’s personal beginnings, artistic growth, and cultural impact. The research also brings a deeply emotional dimension to the band’s final tour, made all the more poignant by Gord Downie’s terminal illness, capturing the profound bond between the bandmates and their devoted fans.
By framing their legacy with both historical depth and emotional resonance, the archival research in No Dress Rehearsal not only honors The Tragically Hip’s contributions to music but also cements their place in the fabric of Canadian identity—an achievement that is essential to the documentary’s powerful and lasting impact.
Mike Downie Director, “The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal”
