Synopses of each short film nominated for a Rory Peck Award appear below, including video excerpts where available...
SONY IMPACT AWARD FILMS
Ali Fadhil - Fallujah: The first eye witness
Ali's film contradicts the belief that after the Iraq war Fallujah is getting back to normality. A native Iraqi, Ali trained and worked as a doctor during the 2003 war. His film documents the unknown and utter devastation inside the city: buildings reduced to rubble; bodies half-eaten by rabid dogs and the humiliation of Fallujan men ordered to ask permission to reenter their own city. Ali Fadhil successfully captures the physical and psychological destruction of a city and a people. In his own words, "The real shock for me was that everything I saw was planned in the name of a promised democracy. For me, there was no question other than: Is it worth it?"
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Inigo Gilmore and Hasyim - The man who dared the Tsunami
Inigo Gilmore’s unique entry tells the story of how Hasyim, an Indonesian wedding cameraman captured some of the most graphic and incredible images of the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004. Despite challenging and disturbing circumstances in Banda Aceh in the immediate aftermath of the Tsunami, Inigo returned to look for Hasyim to retrace his flight from the path of the killer wave and how he shot the film which is forever engraved in the minds of the world. Quite literally a film within a film, Inigo captures not only Hasyim’s difficulties since the Tsunami but also the struggle of Banda Aceh to get back on its feet. Inigo Gilmore explains more of the background to the film, "His [Hasyim’s] camera had broken on the day the Tsunami struck…In the true spirit of Rory Peck this young man had risked his life to capture those shocking and heart rending images which stunned the world and spurred so many to action. The least I could do was to give him a video camera before I left Banda Aceh so he could do what he loved – carry on filming."
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Cyrus V Nhara and 'Sara' - Zimbabwe: Forced evictions
These exclusive and at times unbelievable images record the ongoing demolition of suburbs and villages by the government of Zimbabwe, leaving hundreds of thousands of their own citizens homeless and impoverished. At risk of reprisals by their own government, both camera operators demonstrated immense courage to secure their pictures. A beneficiary of the Rory Peck Training Fund in 2003, Cyrus Nhala has extensively covered the Zimbabwe crisis for a number of international broadcasters. His partner ‘Sara’ works freelance in Zimbabwe and South Africa, but cannot be identified further. "We worked alone…As well as the security forces there would often be government spies from the central intelligence organisation and their helpers looking for outsiders. That meant we’d have a few minutes at each location before having to move on for our safety," explained Cyrus.
View clip
Ali Fadhil - Fallujah: The first eye witness
Ali's film contradicts the belief that after the Iraq war Fallujah is getting back to normality. A native Iraqi, Ali trained and worked as a doctor during the 2003 war. His film documents the unknown and utter devastation inside the city: buildings reduced to rubble; bodies half-eaten by rabid dogs and the humiliation of Fallujan men ordered to ask permission to reenter their own city. Ali Fadhil successfully captures the physical and psychological destruction of a city and a people. In his own words, "The real shock for me was that everything I saw was planned in the name of a promised democracy. For me, there was no question other than: Is it worth it?"
View clip
Inigo Gilmore and Hasyim - The man who dared the Tsunami
Inigo Gilmore’s unique entry tells the story of how Hasyim, an Indonesian wedding cameraman captured some of the most graphic and incredible images of the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004. Despite challenging and disturbing circumstances in Banda Aceh in the immediate aftermath of the Tsunami, Inigo returned to look for Hasyim to retrace his flight from the path of the killer wave and how he shot the film which is forever engraved in the minds of the world. Quite literally a film within a film, Inigo captures not only Hasyim’s difficulties since the Tsunami but also the struggle of Banda Aceh to get back on its feet. Inigo Gilmore explains more of the background to the film, "His [Hasyim’s] camera had broken on the day the Tsunami struck…In the true spirit of Rory Peck this young man had risked his life to capture those shocking and heart rending images which stunned the world and spurred so many to action. The least I could do was to give him a video camera before I left Banda Aceh so he could do what he loved – carry on filming."
View clip
Cyrus V Nhara and 'Sara' - Zimbabwe: Forced evictions
These exclusive and at times unbelievable images record the ongoing demolition of suburbs and villages by the government of Zimbabwe, leaving hundreds of thousands of their own citizens homeless and impoverished. At risk of reprisals by their own government, both camera operators demonstrated immense courage to secure their pictures. A beneficiary of the Rory Peck Training Fund in 2003, Cyrus Nhala has extensively covered the Zimbabwe crisis for a number of international broadcasters. His partner ‘Sara’ works freelance in Zimbabwe and South Africa, but cannot be identified further. "We worked alone…As well as the security forces there would often be government spies from the central intelligence organisation and their helpers looking for outsiders. That meant we’d have a few minutes at each location before having to move on for our safety," explained Cyrus.
View clip
HARD NEWS AWARD FILMS
Mehran Bozorgnia - Opium Trail
Capturing never before seen footage, Mehran Bozorgnia accompanied Iranian Border Military Control on two successful missions against the opium smugglers of Afghanistan. The entry includes extremely rare footage of a battle between the smugglers and border control and a night journey to an opium factory. Mehran’s film vividly contrasts an empty Afghan seizure warehouse with vast quantities of drugs awaiting destruction in Iran. The unprecedented access gained by the cameraman was due to the trust gained through years of contact. "It was difficult not to sympathise with the impoverished farmers, but I felt anger at both the greed of the warlords and the West’s dithering. Under heavy gunfire I filmed a smuggler’s death. I took no pride in it. I still see that man as a victim too," commented Mehran.
Alexander Lomakin - Beslan Siege
Alexander’s dramatic footage captures the storming of Beslan’s School Number 1. At incredible risk to himself, Alexander secured the first shots from inside the gym where the children were held whilst it was still under fire. These opening images impacted internationally by shedding light on the initial confusion and misconceptions of what had taken place. "We were not prepared for the events of 3rd September, but in the chaos I managed to do a bit more and quicker than colleagues from other companies thanks to the support I received from my team on the ground. It’s because of their efforts that I had the chance to film the most dramatic events. We were first into the gym where I saw dozens of half burned bodies amongst the debris," said Alexander of the days in Beslan.
Geof Thorpe-Willett - US Marines Assault on Fallujah
In his own words, "without doubt my toughest assignment", Geof was embedded with a squad of Marines throughout the assault on Fallujah. The footage captures urban warfare from a marine’s eye view with images of troops caught up in firefights, advancing through the streets, clearing houses and finding dead bodies and weapons caches. Geof, an experienced war reporter, described the assault as, "scary, we didn’t know what would happen next, so we tried to position ourselves where we could see the action and not necessarily from a position of safety, but risk taking means that you get a better picture. You are already in Fallujah. It doesn’t get much more dangerous than that."
Mehran Bozorgnia - Opium Trail
Capturing never before seen footage, Mehran Bozorgnia accompanied Iranian Border Military Control on two successful missions against the opium smugglers of Afghanistan. The entry includes extremely rare footage of a battle between the smugglers and border control and a night journey to an opium factory. Mehran’s film vividly contrasts an empty Afghan seizure warehouse with vast quantities of drugs awaiting destruction in Iran. The unprecedented access gained by the cameraman was due to the trust gained through years of contact. "It was difficult not to sympathise with the impoverished farmers, but I felt anger at both the greed of the warlords and the West’s dithering. Under heavy gunfire I filmed a smuggler’s death. I took no pride in it. I still see that man as a victim too," commented Mehran.
Alexander Lomakin - Beslan Siege
Alexander’s dramatic footage captures the storming of Beslan’s School Number 1. At incredible risk to himself, Alexander secured the first shots from inside the gym where the children were held whilst it was still under fire. These opening images impacted internationally by shedding light on the initial confusion and misconceptions of what had taken place. "We were not prepared for the events of 3rd September, but in the chaos I managed to do a bit more and quicker than colleagues from other companies thanks to the support I received from my team on the ground. It’s because of their efforts that I had the chance to film the most dramatic events. We were first into the gym where I saw dozens of half burned bodies amongst the debris," said Alexander of the days in Beslan.
Geof Thorpe-Willett - US Marines Assault on Fallujah
In his own words, "without doubt my toughest assignment", Geof was embedded with a squad of Marines throughout the assault on Fallujah. The footage captures urban warfare from a marine’s eye view with images of troops caught up in firefights, advancing through the streets, clearing houses and finding dead bodies and weapons caches. Geof, an experienced war reporter, described the assault as, "scary, we didn’t know what would happen next, so we tried to position ourselves where we could see the action and not necessarily from a position of safety, but risk taking means that you get a better picture. You are already in Fallujah. It doesn’t get much more dangerous than that."
FEATURES AWARD FILMS
Tomasz Glowacki - Chechnya: The Dirty War
Tomasz and his team previously covered Chechnya’s brief independence and subsequent invasion by Russia and thus gained unprecedented access to the resistance fighters most wanted by Russian Secret Services. This film brings together those interviews with footage shot high in the hills of Chechnya. The team filmed under extreme circumstances and ultimately were arrested by Russian Security Forces. Crucially they managed to retain the most significant material they had shot, which could have incriminated them for treason in the eyes of Russian law. Tomasz expanded on these dangers, "If you travel through Chechnya, it’s always a gamble and when you contact fighters in the mountains you have to be prepared for anything. You can be kidnapped, arrested or even killed…And those are dangers quite separate from dealing with the Russian authorities."
Ruhi Hamid - At the Epicentre
Ruhi Hamid’s film tells the story of a village flattened by last year’s Tsunami. 7000 people and the domed Mosque were the only survivors in Lampuuk and amid constant earthquakes, safety and emotional hazards, Ruhi Hamid tells the story of those who escaped with their lives. "Capturing the stories of my characters was often upsetting, but my motivation was to tell their incredible stories of courage, resilience and hope in rebuilding their lives and observe the complexities of the politics around the disaster," said Ruhi about her film.
Sean Paul Langan - Langan in Iraq
Sean Langan’s film covers the four months he spent alone in the Sunni Triangle of Iraq, visiting towns such as Fallujah, Samarra and Ramadi, spending time with US soldiers on patrol and securing some of the first interviews with Iraqi insurgents. The film includes incredible sequences such as the 82nd Airborne Regiment under attack, the wounded in a US combat hospital, interviews outside Abu Ghraib prison detailing allegations of torture and abuse three months before they were revealed in the west by American media and the cameraman himself standing on an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) which failed to detonate. "I am the cameraman as well as the correspondent, using a video-diary style and spending longer in the field than most documentary productions. Because of this, I am able to get better access than if I was with a larger crew. There are occasional downsides to this style, such as when I was attacked by a mob in Ramadi" said Sean of his filming technique.
Tomasz Glowacki - Chechnya: The Dirty War
Tomasz and his team previously covered Chechnya’s brief independence and subsequent invasion by Russia and thus gained unprecedented access to the resistance fighters most wanted by Russian Secret Services. This film brings together those interviews with footage shot high in the hills of Chechnya. The team filmed under extreme circumstances and ultimately were arrested by Russian Security Forces. Crucially they managed to retain the most significant material they had shot, which could have incriminated them for treason in the eyes of Russian law. Tomasz expanded on these dangers, "If you travel through Chechnya, it’s always a gamble and when you contact fighters in the mountains you have to be prepared for anything. You can be kidnapped, arrested or even killed…And those are dangers quite separate from dealing with the Russian authorities."
Ruhi Hamid - At the Epicentre
Ruhi Hamid’s film tells the story of a village flattened by last year’s Tsunami. 7000 people and the domed Mosque were the only survivors in Lampuuk and amid constant earthquakes, safety and emotional hazards, Ruhi Hamid tells the story of those who escaped with their lives. "Capturing the stories of my characters was often upsetting, but my motivation was to tell their incredible stories of courage, resilience and hope in rebuilding their lives and observe the complexities of the politics around the disaster," said Ruhi about her film.
Sean Paul Langan - Langan in Iraq
Sean Langan’s film covers the four months he spent alone in the Sunni Triangle of Iraq, visiting towns such as Fallujah, Samarra and Ramadi, spending time with US soldiers on patrol and securing some of the first interviews with Iraqi insurgents. The film includes incredible sequences such as the 82nd Airborne Regiment under attack, the wounded in a US combat hospital, interviews outside Abu Ghraib prison detailing allegations of torture and abuse three months before they were revealed in the west by American media and the cameraman himself standing on an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) which failed to detonate. "I am the cameraman as well as the correspondent, using a video-diary style and spending longer in the field than most documentary productions. Because of this, I am able to get better access than if I was with a larger crew. There are occasional downsides to this style, such as when I was attacked by a mob in Ramadi" said Sean of his filming technique.