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IDA honours Dina, Planet Earth II

Blue Planet II shows “how fundamentally connected humans are”

BBC wildlife series Planet Earth II and a feature documentary about an autistic couple took the top prizes at the International Documentary Association’s 33rd annual awards show in LA.

The BBC’s natural history series fought off competition from Nat Geo’s Mars, Netflix’s Chef’s Table, A&E’s Leah Remini: Scientology & the Aftermath and CNN’s Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown to take home the Best Episodic Series prize.

Accepting the award, BBC America president Sarah Barnett paid tribute to the series’ creators for making a wildlife show that “reminds us how fundamentally connected humans are.”

Meanwhile, Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles’ Dina, which explores the relationship between an eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door-greeter, was an unexpected winner for the Best Documentary Feature prize.

The film was snubbed from the Oscar shortlist of 15 last week and its directors expressed shock and gratitude in receiving the IDA’s highest prize.

Elsewhere, HBO’s The Defiant Ones took the Best Limited Series prize, while PBS’s Independent Lens was honored with the Best Curated Series award. Laura Checkoway’s Edith + Eddie won the trophy for Best Short, while Nat Geo’s LA 92 won the ABC News VideoSource Award, recognising the use of archival footage.

Four films tackling the Syrian crisis were honoured with the Courage Under Fire award for bravery in filmmaking: City of Ghosts, Cries from Syria, Hell on Earth and Last Men in Aleppo.

Yance Ford, creator of Netflix doc Strong Island, won the Emerging Documentary Filmmaker award, while Mexican-American artist Lourdes Portillo received the Career Achievement award.

Finally, filmmaker and philanthropist Abigail Disney took home the Amicus Award, given to an individual who has been a great supporter – financially or otherwise – of doc filmmaking.

In taking to the stage at Hollywood’s Paramount Studios, Disney – whose great uncle was Walt Disney – paid tribute to attending filmmakers and used the opportunity to acknowledge her privilege in contrast to most documentarians.

“I’ve never had to go hungry, I’ve never had to worry about healthcare and I’ve never had to run from my home,” she told the crowd of mostly fellow doc makers.

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