Al Jazeera English’s Witness documentary “Miners Shot Down” has won Best Documentary at the International Emmy Awards.
The documentary, directed by Rehad Desai, written by Anita Khanna and distributed by Deckert Distribution, explores South Africa’s Marikana massacre of 2012 that left 34 miners dead and more than 100 injured. “Miners Shot Down” highlights the courageous fight waged by a group of miners against combined forces that resulted in violence, police brutality and the country’s first post-apartheid massacre.
“Our Witness documentary strand brings powerful stories to our screens. We are delighted this film, showing the courageous but isolated fight waged by a group of low-paid workers against more powerful forces, has been awarded with an International Emmy,” said Giles Trendle, Managing Director of Al Jazeera English.
Witness is Al Jazeera English’s flagship observational documentary strand dedicated to telling the human stories behind the news headlines. It showcases award-winning and locally produced documentaries to provide context for Al Jazeera’s global news audience. Witness films are known for their intimacy, originality and timelessness, as they give a human face to contemporary social issues.
In June, Witness was honored with One World Media’s Women’s Rights in Africa Award for “Casablanca Calling”.
Following the success of “Miners Shot Down”, Witness has committed to Rehad’s upcoming film about politics in South Africa.