Since 2004 FOCAL International Awards competition is dedicated to the promotion and celebration of archival footage and its contribution to the creative and cultural industries. We congratulate all the past winners.
Student Jury Award for Most Inspiring Use of Footage
2021 Winner
Once Upon a Time in Iraq
Director:
James Bluemel
Producer(s):
Jo Abel (Producer) and Will Anderson (Executive Producer)
Footage Archive Researcher:
Miriam Walsh (Archive Producer) and Mariam Koloyan (Archive Researcher)
Archival Sources:
Frank Blake Special Collection, Julia Guest, Ashley Gilbertson, BBC News and Broadcast Archives / Getty Images, AP Archive
Production Company:
KEO films
Country of Production:
United Kingdom
Synopsis
The Iraq War is the defining conflict of our age and set in motion a calamitous chain of unforeseen events that are still playing out today. The politicians and decision makers have already had their say. In this series, directed by multi-award winning director James Bluemel, the story of the Iraq war is told instead by civilians, journalists, and soldiers - ordinary people from both sides of the conflict, who lived through the 2003 invasion and the 17 years of chaos that followed. Told with hope, humanity and humour, and illustrated with extraordinary and never before seen personal archive, this series takes us closer to the realities of the invasion, occupation, civil war and life under ISIS than has ever before. Through their eyes we see how events in Iraq have changed the world forever.
In episode 2, astonishing testimony is vividly illustrated by rare and unseen footage which brutally exposes the growth of the insurgency in Iraq in the aftermath of the Allied Invasion in 2003.
Shortlisted
American Murder: The Family Next Door
Director:
Jenny Popplewell
Producer(s):
Jonathan Stadlen (Executive Producer), James Marsh (Executive Producer), Hayley Ford (Line Producer)
Footage Archive Researcher:
James RM Hunt (Archive Producer), Sarah Powell (Archive Researcher)
Archival Sources:
Shannan Watts / Rzucek family personal archive, Weld County Police, KMGH Denver 7, KDVR Fox 31, CNN
Production Company:
Knickerbockerglory
Country of Production:
United Kingdom
Synopsis
Told entirely through archival footage this is an immersive and authentic examination of a disintegrating marriage. The focus of the film was to give Shanann Watts a voice to tell her story. She had become overlooked through the years while people focused on her husband to try and understand why this ‘nice guy' snapped. Society can be quick to blame and shame female victims of violent crime. It was important to reveal a layered representation of Shanann and to challenge tired tropes that a bossy woman drove her husband to commit violence.
The Story of Ready Steady Go!
Director:
Samantha Peters, Geoff Wonfor
Producer(s):
Samantha Peters, Geoff Wonfor
Footage Archive Researcher:
Helen Carr
Archival Sources:
BMG, BBC Motion Gallery, Getty Images, Kinolibrary, British Pathe, ITV
Production Company:
Whizz Kid Entertainment, eOne, BMG
Country of Production:
United Kingdom, United States
Synopsis
In this new documentary we tell the story of Britain’s iconic 1960’s music show, Ready Steady Go! This was the programme that revolutionised television “for the kids” and coincided with the tremendous explosion of British pop talent which took the world by storm. It championed emerging talent like The Beatles, The Who, Sandie Shaw, Cilla Black, Otis Redding and The Rolling Stones.
This is the definitive documentary that will cover every aspect of the pioneering show whose style rewrote the rulebook with its intoxicating blend of performance, celebrity interviews and items on fashion. It often featured cameras in shot, live mishaps and the young audience interacting with their pop star heroes.
We go behind the scenes and speak to the people who made it all happen, including original producer Vicki Wickham and the programme’s pioneering director, Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Plus, further contributions from Annie Nightingale, Eric Burdon, Martha Reeves, Paul Jones & Jools Holland.
Disclosure
Director:
Sam Feder
Producer(s):
Amy Scholder, Sam Feder
Footage Archive Researcher:
Katherine Coe
Archival Sources:
Love Tapes Collective, Digital Transgender Archives, One Archives, San Francisco LGBT Historical Archives, The Paley Center for Media
Production Company:
Disclosure Film in association with Field of Vision and Bow & Arrow Entertainment for Netflix
Country of Production:
United States
Original Release:
2020
Synopsis
In this documentary, leading transgender creatives and thinkers share heartfelt perspectives and analysis about Hollywood’s impact on the transgender community.
