Download 2014 - Rory Peck Trust

2014
Press Release
sponsored by Sony
Strictly Embargoed until 21.00hrs GMT, Wednesday 19 November
WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT RORY PECK AWARDS 2014
Freelancers from Central African Republic, North Korea, Britain and Gaza take top honours.
LONDON, 19 November 2014, 21:00hrs – The Rory Peck Awards tonight honoured the work of freelance
cameramen and camerawomen in news and current affairs at a packed event hosted by Alex Crawford, Sky News’
special correspondent, and Lindsey Hilsum at London's BFI Southbank. In a year that has demonstrated, in
particularly stark terms, the challenges faced by freelance journalists, the event showcased the best of their work and
the value that they bring to international newsgathering.
The Rory
Peck Award for News was presented to 23 year old freelancer Pacôme Pabandji from Central African
Republic for CAR:
Descent Into Chaos, broadcast by AFPTV. Pacôme’s footage of the conflict in his home
country depicts both the violence that erupted there and glimpses of everyday life. He captures the daily atrocities
committed in Bangui and other areas of the CAR as well as more innocent scenes such as a church service and a
fashion show. The judges praised Pacôme’s ability to cast a dispassionate eye on a heated and dangerous conflict
whilst living in its midst with one judge commenting that “the conviction he must have to keep going – to keep telling
the story of his country – is admirable.”
The Rory
Peck Award for Features was won by Team Mindeulle - a group of six anonymous North Korean
cameramen - for North
Korea: Life Inside the Secret State which was produced by Hard Cash
Productions and broadcast by Channel 4 Dispatches. Filmed completely undercover and at immense
risk, the team was trained during trips to China by the Japanese journalist Jiro Ishimaru. Their film provides an
extremely rare glimpse into the inner workings of the world’s most secretive state where we see fascinating and eerie
scenes of life there. Crucially, the film also hints towards signs of cracks in the regime’s control with ordinary people
standing up to authority: one woman challenging an official trying to stop her running a bus service, and another
arguing about her right to wear trousers. Judges noted the enormous historical importance of the piece and the team’s
extraordinary bravery in risking their lives to tell this story.
The Sony
Impact Award was presented to British freelancer Ben Steele for Hunted, produced by
Blakeway Productions for Channel 4 Dispatches. Ben’s film explores the world of Russian vigilante
gangs who, encouraged by recent anti-homosexual legislation, go on hunting “safaris” to catch, humiliate and abuse
gay victims. Ben captures this world extremely close up; in one scene, he is present and continues filming in the small
room where a young victim had been lured for a violent interrogation. A member of the gang tells Ben it would have
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been much worse for the victim if his camera had not been present. Judges praised Ben’s compassionate and nonjudgmental approach as well as the film’s success in capturing the extraordinary atmosphere of homophobia in Russia.
It had a massive impact when it was shown just before the Sochi winter Olympics – raising awareness and triggering
public debate.
This year’s Martin
Adler Prize, sponsored by Hexagon, was awarded to Palestinian freelance journalist,
fixer and translator Khaled
Abu Ghali. Khaled, who lives and works in Rafah, southern Gaza, receives the prize in
recognition of his exceptional fourteen year career as a journalist, fixer and translator. He has covered many of Gaza's
most intense periods of conflict, most notably in 2006, 2009, 2012, working for, and contributing to, many of the world’s
most prominent news outlets. The prize, now in its sixth year, honours a local freelancer who has made a significant
contribution to newsgathering, either through a single story or body of work. Its aim is to highlight the dedication and
talent of freelancers who work under challenging and difficult circumstances within their own country, and who go
largely unrecognised. Foreign Correspondent Jonathan Miller, who worked with Khaled during the most recent crisis in
Gaza, said he assumed a critical journalistic role during that time, delivering top-level interviewees and supporting
reporters and news teams in the field.
“This year’s Rory Peck Awards winners and finalists have produced work of the highest quality at a time when
freelancers are being targeted and silenced more than ever – a testament to their sheer determination, skill and desire
to bear witness and uncover otherwise untold stories” said Tina Carr, Director of the Rory Peck Trust. “Without their
work, our understanding of the world would surely suffer and for that they deserve our protection, recognition and
support.”
"It’s a privilege to stand alongside this talented community who, reporting with compassion and integrity, fight against
incredible odds to tell stories that simply can’t be ignored,” said Olivier Bovis, Head of Marketing AV Media and
Solutions, Sony Professional Solutions, Sony Europe. “At Sony, we strive to provide the tools which help in
achieving this goal, and though the contribution we make is small in comparison, we are incredibly proud to do it. Once
more we return to honour the impact freelancers and their work continues to make, and to support the important work
of the Rory Peck Trust.”
ENDS
For further information about the winners and finalists please contact:
Molly Clarke, Head of Communications, Rory Peck Trust
Tel: +44 (0)20 3219 7861; Email: [email protected]
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About the Rory Peck Awards
The Rory Peck Awards, sponsored by Sony, is a highly respected international competition that honours the work of
freelance cameramen and camerawomen in news and current affairs. Established in 1995 and named after freelance
cameraman Rory Peck who was killed in Moscow that year, the event highlights freelancer’s importance to the
newsgathering and broadcast industries. There are three competitive categories: the Rory Peck Award for News; the
Rory Peck Award for Features and the Sony Impact Award. The Martin Adler Prize is a non-competitive prize which
recognises the dedication and bravery of local freelancers. The Rory Peck Awards ceremony is the main fundraiser for
the Rory Peck Trust.
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About The Rory Peck Trust
The Rory Peck Trust is the only organisation in the world dedicated to the safety and welfare of freelance journalists
and their families around the world. A small organisation with a big reach, the Trust works in over 60 countries
providing financial assistance to freelancers and their families in crisis. Through its online resources and regional
workshops, the Trust is also a vital source of information and advice for freelancers on issues including insurance, risk
assessment, and safety and trauma counselling. It also provides safety training bursaries for freelancers working in
hostile environments. A non-profit, non-partisan organisation, the Trust relies entirely on charitable donations and
sponsorship to carry out its work.
About Sony Europe
Sony Europe, is the leading supplier of AV/IT solutions to businesses across a wide variety of sectors including, Media
and Broadcast, Video Security and Retail, Transport & Large Venue markets. It delivers products, systems and
applications to enable the creation, manipulation and distribution of digital audio-visual content that add value to
businesses and their customers. With over 25 years’ experience in delivering innovative market-leading products, Sony
is ideally placed to deliver exceptional quality and value to its customers. Sony's Services division, its systems
integration arm, offers its customers access to the expertise and local knowledge of skilled professionals across
Europe. Collaborating with a network of established technology partners, Sony delivers end to end solutions that
address the customer's needs, integrating software and systems to achieve each organisations' individual business
goals.
For further information about Sony Europe please contact:
Elizabeth Pierce, PR Manager, Sony Professional
Mob : +44 7768818227
Email: [email protected] / www.pro.sony.eu
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