NEW YORK - ‘Miners Shot Down’, the documentary film about the Marikana killings, has won the International Emmy award for best documentary.
The film was directed by Rehad Desai and written by Anita Khanna. It documents the Marikana massacre that rocked the country in 2012, where 34 miners were killed and more than 100 injured.
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the winners on Monday night at a Gala event attended by over 1000 international television professionals.
The event was hosted by Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef at the New York Hilton.
French programmes led the night with three Emmys in the Arts Programming, Drama Series and TV Movie/Mini-Series categories, followed by Brazilian programmess with two Emmys in the Comedy and Telenovela categories.
Norway, the Netherlands, South Africa (Documentary), the UK and the US each won one Emmy.
Academy Award winning Actor and Producer Michael Douglas presented the International Emmy Directorate Award to Richard Plepler, Chairman & CEO of HBO.
Academy Award and Emmy nominated actress Elizabeth McGovern, who currently stars as Lady Cora in Downton Abbey and the show's Emmy and BAFTA Award winning Executive Producer Gareth Neame presented the International Emmy Founders Award to creator, writer and executive producer of Downton Abbey Julian Fellowes.
"Television is a universal art form that transcends cultures, languages and borders," said International Academy President Bruce L. Paisner. "In light of recent terrible events, the International Academy is particularly proud to congratulate all of the winners- among which 3 from France- for shining a global spotlight on their cultural heritage with the Emmy."
The news of South Africa's win was met with excitement - and questions about the national broadcaster's refusal to air the film:
YAY!!!!!! The 2015 International Emmy Award for Best documentary goes to SOUTH AFRICA!!!! #MinersShotDown #iEmmy @FilmFound👏👏👏
— Terry Pheto (@TerryPheto) November 24, 2015
I wonder if this latest award will force the SABC to air #MinersShotDown.
— Lindiwe Mlandu (@LindiweMl) November 24, 2015
Congrats to @RehadD& team for winning an #Emmy for #MinersShotDown- a story of a tragedy we should not forget pic.twitter.com/mkNKQcPLX3
Rehad Desai on #MinersShotDown"This documentary is for every South African" https://t.co/QKvhiGWzdp pic.twitter.com/xrR7CJUByx
— Azad Essa (@azadessa) November 24, 2015
Strange that SABC wont show #MinersShotDown but will show Jerusalema glorifying crime... Ok then. pic.twitter.com/uqpz9fBSxf
— My Surname is Khan™ (@ejaz_k) November 24, 2015
Dear SABC, will you show @MinersShotDown yet? https://t.co/fYBxHVNovs
— Charl Blignaut (@sa_poptart) November 24, 2015
Rehad Desai, director of the Marikana documentary 'Miners Shot Down' has expressed disappointment that TV broadcasters haven't aired it.
— #Yfm (@Yfm) November 24, 2015
No. Forget it my fellow citizens. The SABC will never ever flight "Miners Shot Down". Stop dreaming.
— Agent Provocateur (@De_Imperial) November 24, 2015
43rd International Emmy® Awards Winners:
Arts Programming
Illustre & Inconnu:
Comment Jacques Jaujard a Sauvé le Louvre
(The Man Who Saved the Louvre)
Ladybirds Films
France
Best Performance by an Actor
Maarten Heijmans
in Ramses
De Familie Film & TV / Avro
Netherlands
Best Performance by an Actress
Anneke von der Lippe
in Øyevitne (Eyewitness)
NRK / SVT / DR / YLE Fem / Nordvision Fund
Norway
Comedy
Doce de Mãe (Sweet Mother)
Globo / Casa de Cinema de Porto Alegre
Brazil
Documentary
Miners Shot Down
Uhuru Productions
South Africa
Drama Series
Engrenages Saison 5 (Spiral Season 5)
Canal + Creation Originale / Son et Lumière / BBC Four
France
Non-English U.S. Primetime Program
Arrepentidos - El Infierno de Montoya
Fox International Channels Latin America / National Geographic Channel / Fox Telecolombia
United States of America
Non-Scripted Entertainment
50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy
Burning Bright Productions / Brown Bread Productions / Sky 1
United Kingdom
Telenovela
Império (Empire)
Globo
Brazil
TV Movie/Mini-Series
Soldat Blanc (White Soldier)
Canal+ Creation Originale / Breakout Films
France
IOL, adapted from press release