Clover News

One World International Human Rights Film Festival Win

Jamie went to Prague last weekend to present "The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan" at the One World Film Festival. Dancing Boys won the "Right to Know" category which is presented to the film that:

"draw[s] attention to unknown or suppressed issues concerning human rights. These films will compete for the Rudolf Vrba Award. As is traditional, the jury that decides on the best film in the Right to Know category will consist of activists and people working for international organisations that defend human rights.

The jury is named after the war hero Rudolf Vrba, who escaped from the Auschwitz concentration camp and subsequently fought as a partisan against the Nazis until the end of the Second World War."

We unfortunately did not win the Royal Television Society award, but we were flattered to be nominated - a nomination and an outirght win in the same week isn't bad!

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Clover_Facebook_img Looking for more ways to stay updated on what we're up to? For info on awards, new and up-coming films as well as things we think are of interest from around the web, follow us on Twitter, or "like" us on Facebook.

Both outlets offer a closer look at us, from interviews with staff to the occasional give-away (like a signed copy of the anniversary edition of Starman)

And, as always you can find us on Youtube for sneak peeks at our films.

Happy Browsing!

Another Award Nomination for Clover Films

RTSLogo

Clover is pleased to announce that our film "The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan," has been nominated for a Royal Television Society Award in the single documentary category. The ceremony will take place on the 15th of March at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

You can watch the film in its entirety on 4OD. For more information, visit the RTS website.

Fifty years on from Gagarin's Flight: Anniversary Edition of Starman

On 12th April 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human being to orbit the Earth. He became Russia's hero, but struggled with alcoholism and the political pressures of a totalitarian regime. At 34 he died in a plane crash.

Starman, co-written by Clover Films' award winning producer Jamie Doran, follows this remarkable man's short life. 50 years after Gagarin's flight, Bloomsbury (pictured left) is releasing an updated anniversary edition. You can pre-order your copy of the book here.

We will be re-releasing the accompanying documentary, also directed by Jamie Doran to coincide with the book's release.

''A classic tale' -- Scotland on Sunday

'A riveting account' -- European

Clover Films completes first programme for Al Jazeera

On 5th January, Sudan: History of a Broken Land premiered on Al Jazeera English.

The film maps the turbulent history of a country on the verge of a momentous decision.

Including interviews with the most prominent figures who shaped Sudan we know it today, the film is an interesting insight into a country on the brink of seccession following the referendum on 9th January.

You can view the programme online here

Clover Films wins prestigious US Award

On 20th January, Jamie Doran and Najibullah Quraishi were honoured to collect the duPont Award for 'Behind Taliban Lines' (US Frontline title).

For over 40 years, the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards have recognized excellence in broadcast journalism at Columbia University. Created by Jessie Ball duPont in 1942 as a tribute to the journalistic integrity and public-mindedness of her husband, Alfred I. duPont, these awards are regarded today as the most prestigious prizes in broadcast news, the equivalent of the Pulitzer Prizes, which are also administered at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

The duPont-Columbia Awards bring the best in broadcast journalism to professional and public attention and honor those who produce it. The duPont Awards engender a collective spirit for the industry and inform the public of the contributions news organizations make to their communities and to the nation as a whole.

The judges' praised the bravery of Najibullah and awarded the film the Silver Baton:

Extraordinary reporting about Taliban fighters in Afghanistan

Afghan video journalist Najibullah Quraishi took incredible risks to tell this important story for FRONTLINE. He negotiated extraordinary access to a part of northern Afghanistan that has quietly reverted to Taliban control and embedded with a Taliban unit that was planning and executing attacks against U.S. and Afghan forces. Quraishi brought out riveting details of insurgent life including bomb-making and infighting, ineptitude and resilience. In this significant piece of journalism, he also captures the international make-up of the group of fighters. Quraishi’s first-rate reporting and enterprise provided rare insight into an enemy almost never seen.

http://www.dupontawards.org/#winners_box

You can also view an interview with Jamie and Naj at the above link

On the evening of Januray 27th 2011, History Makers awarded Behind Enemy Lines the prize of Best Current Affairs. The winners were announced yesterday during a three-day event in New York. The award was collected by David Fanning, who was also there receiving a lifetime achievement award for Frontline.

The other films in the same category are as follows:

Five Days That Changed Britain
BBC
UK

For Neda
HBO
In association with Mentorn Media
UK

My Father, the Iron Curtain and Me
TVP Kultura
In association with EBU
For TVP Kultura
Poland

Secret Iraq
Quicksilver Media
For BBC
UK

Surviving Mumbai
Electric Pictures and Furnace Limited
For ABC (Australia), Discovery Asia, CBC (Canada), WNET/PBS (USA), More4 (UK) and History Channel (UK)
Australia

For more information about the contestants and the award ceremony, please click here.

Another Two Awards for CLOVER

It's been a busy week for Clover Films...

On Monday we were informed that "The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan" has been awarded with the UNAFF Grand Jury Award for the Best Documentary. Screenings for the film were sold-out.

http://www.unaff.org/2010/awards.html

On Wednesday, the Clover team were proud to witness colleague Najibullah Quraishi scoop up his second Rory Peck Award for "Afghanistan: Behind Enemy Lines".

http://www.rorypecktrust.org/page/3194/Najibullah+Quraishi+-+Winner+

We're thrilled to be recognised by both these prestigious awards and we're looking forward to being as productive next year!

Tricycle Theatre Screening 'The Dancing Boys of Afghanistan'

Tuesday 27th July, 8.45pm followed by Q&A with Jamie Doran.

http://www.tricycle.co.uk/current-programme-pages/cinema-program/cinema/the-dancing-boys-of-afghanistan/

'Africa Rising' UK premiere on Community Channel, Thursday 8 July, 10pm

from the Media Trust web site:

Africa Rising, which will have its UK premiere on Community Channel on Thursday 8 July at 10pm, won a prestigious prize at the recent One World Media Awards in London. The ceremony is one of the leading events in the UK awards calendar, celebrating outstanding media coverage from the developing world, as well as the role of journalists and filmmakers in raising the profile of development issues.

At the 22nd annual awards ceremony on 22 June, Clover Films' Africa Rising took the MDGs Award (Millennium Development Goals), a category judged by Mike Thomson (Foreign Affairs Correspondent, Today Programme), Richard Klein (Controller, BBC 4), Hetan Shah (Chief Executive, DEA) and Sarah Lambert (Head of Representation in the UK, European Commission).

Colourful, controversial, uplifting and epic in its scale, Africa Rising highlights the failure of Western policies towards Africa and asking whether it's time to reconsider the role of Western aid workers on the continent. Don't miss the 8 July UK premiere on Community Channel, 10pm.

Clover One World Double Success

Following a BAFTA nomination, Clover Films picked up two awards at the One World Media ceremony in London on June 22nd for 'Afghanistan: Behind Enemy Lines' and 'Africa Rising'.

Speaking from the podium, producer Jamie Doran described reporter Najibullah Quraishi as "the bravest man I have ever met" for the immense risks he took to capture such extraordinary footage of life with the insurgents in Afghanistan. He also dedicated his award for Africa Rising to the people of Sodo Region in Ethiopia who had proved that, "given the opportunity, Africans will take themselves out of poverty." The award ceremony will be broadcast globally on BBC World.

http://oneworldmedia.org.uk/awards/shortlist-winners/mdgs/

http://oneworldmedia.org.uk/awards/shortlist-winners/tv_documentary/

The judges comments:

'Afghanistan: Behind Enemy Lines'

One World - Afghanistan - Behind Enemy Lines "A fundamentally brave piece of film-making which deserves enormous praise for all involved, above all Najibullah Quraishi who spent two weeks with the insurgents in northern Afghanistan. In this difficult and dangerous environment, we were allowed to see the protagonists as three-dimensional humans: funny, murderous, fallible, scared. This was a powerful portrait of a radicalised enemy and was considered, perhaps because of the strength of its actuality, to have been the most gripping of all the films."

'Africa Rising'

One World Africa Rising "A superbly shot and uplifting film about poor people in a rural region of Ethiopia who get together to help themselves. The jury found this a compelling piece of work that drew the viewer into the heart of this community as it struggled to shake off a dependency culture. From an endearing woman dismissed as mad for starting a cafe in her bush village, to the candid money lender lamenting the loss of his profits from the poor, this rich and inspiring production had it all."