Three ITVS Films Win 2019 Peabody Awards

ITVS learned today that three of its films have been honored by the prestigious Peabody Board of Jurors with Peabody Awards in the Documentary category: Hale County This Morning, This Evening, Midnight Traveler, and The Silence of Others .

As the leading documentary co-producer and distributor for public media, ITVS premiered Hale County This Morning, This Evening on its PBS series Independent Lens, which continues to serve as a public broadcast home for thought-provoking documentaries. Midnight Traveler and The Silence of Others aired on PBS' POV series. 

“The effort to dehumanize Black people in our country is as old as our country. RaMell Ross’ exquisite Hale County This Morning, This Evening bears witness in images to the African American experience,” said Lois Vossen, Independent Lens executive producer. “It replaces stereotypes with visual poetry that respectfully and lyrically corrects how African Americans are represented and perceived in our society. Great art changes opinions, instills values and translates experiences that affect our fundamental sense of self and each other — something we vitally need."

"Midnight Traveler and The Silence of Others boldly take us on deeply intimate journeys," said Sally Jo Fifer, president and CEO of ITVS. "ITVS is proud to have supported these astoundingly gifted documentarians. We applaud the bravery of Hassan Fazili and Emelie Mahdavian, and the dedication of Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar in ensuring their stories reach all Americans.”

Since its inception in 1988, ITVS has funded more than 1,400 films. Of those documentaries, 39 have been lauded with a Peabody Award, including How to Survive a Plague by David France; Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack’s Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise; Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart: Lorraine Hansberry by Tracy Heather Strain; Marco Williams and Whitney Dow’s Two Towns of Jasper; Leslee Udwin’s India’s Daughter; and The Invisible War by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering.

ITVS Peabody Winners:

Hale County This Morning, This Evening by RaMell Ross

RaMell Ross's Academy Award-nominated Hale County This Morning, This Evening, one of the year's most critically-acclaimed films, is a dreamy and intimate journey through the world of Hale County, Alabama, a richly detailed glimpse into life in America’s Black Belt.

Midnight Traveler by Hassan Fazili

When the Taliban puts a bounty on Afghan director Hassan Fazili’s head, he is forced to flee with his wife and two young daughters. Capturing their uncertain journey, Fazili shows firsthand the dangers facing refugees seeking asylum and the love shared between a family on the run.

The Silence of Others by Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar

The Silence of Others reveals the epic struggle of victims of Spain’s 40-year dictatorship under General Franco as they continue to seek justice four decades into democracy. Filmed over six years, the film follows the survivors organizing the groundbreaking “Argentine Lawsuit” to fight a state-imposed amnesia of crimes against humanity, where the emotional court battle uncovers a country still divided over its fascist history.

The Peabody Awards honor the most powerful, enlightening and invigorating stories in television, radio and digital media. Each year, Peabody Awards are bestowed upon a curated collection of 30 stories that capture society’s most important issues — known as the Peabody 30. Honorees must be unanimously chosen by the Peabody Board of Jurors, a diverse assembly of industry professionals, media scholars, critics and journalists who each bring a unique perspective of what constitutes a story that matters.

A video gallery of this year’s Peabody Award winners accepting their award is online at peabodyawards.com/stories/story/peabody-30-winners. Adding to the virtual celebration, acceptance videos will also be shared on Peabody social platforms @PeabodyAwards. The awards ceremony, which was scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 18, 2020 in its new location at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, has been postponed due to the evolving Coronavirus outbreak.

UPDATE: 

Watch a special PBS and Peabody Award roundtable discussion with 10 Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmakers, including RaMell Ross, Hassan Fazili, Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar, here: