BBC Documentary Wins Bafta Despite Being Shelved by Filmmakers in Gaza

Bafta TV Awards: Documentary Wins Award in Current Affairs Category

The makers of the documentary “Gaza: Doctors Under Attack” have won the Bafta TV Award for Best Current Affairs Programme. The award was accepted by executive producer Ben de Pear, who thanked the journalists behind the film. During his speech, de Pear directly addressed the BBC, which aired the ceremony on BBC One with a delay of over two hours.

Journalist and presenter Ramita Navai also spoke during her acceptance speech, criticizing the BBC for its decision to drop the documentary before it was later aired by Channel 4. She mentioned that the BBC had paid for an investigation into attacks on Gaza’s healthcare system but refused to show the findings. Navai stated that the team “refused to be silenced and censored” and thanked Channel 4 for showing the film.

The documentary features firsthand accounts from Palestinian health workers in Gaza, which was a key factor in the BBC’s decision not to air it. The corporation cited concerns over partiality as the reason for its decision. However, the makers of the film were awarded the Bafta TV Award nearly a year after the BBC declined to broadcast it.

According to reports, more than 1,700 Palestinian doctors and healthcare workers have been killed during Israel’s conflict with Palestinians in Gaza. The award was dedicated to Palestinian medical workers being held in Israeli prisons. The team behind the documentary praised Gazan journalists Jaber Badwan and Osana Al Ashi for their contributions to the film.

The BBC had originally commissioned the documentary from independent production company Basement Films over a year ago but delayed its release while conducting a review of another Gaza-related documentary. The corporation later decided not to air “Gaza: Doctors Under Attack”, citing concerns over impartiality.

Source: Al Jazeera