We are excited to announce that WMM release BELLY OF THE BEAST (dir. Erika Cohn, prod. Angela Tucker) and new films from WMM filmmaker Deeyah Khan and program alum Liz Garbus have been nominated for the Peabody Awards, which honor and reward the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and online media. On Tuesday, May 4, the Peabody Awards Board of Jurors announced the 60 stories (chosen from more than 1,300 submissions) that will be considered for its prestigious award honoring broadcasting and streaming media during 2020.
Awarded to those whose storytelling reflects the most relevant social issues and the emerging voices of our day, the Peabody Awards recognize programs in seven categories: news, entertainment, documentaries, children’s programming, education, interactive programming, and public service. Jeffrey P. Jones, the executive director of Peabody shares, “Peabody is proud to continue its tradition of recognizing diverse and emerging voices, those telling powerful stories that audiences need to engage with and hear. Once again, our nominees offer moral clarity for how we as ethical citizens might respond.”
We commend the filmmaking team behind BELLY OF THE BEAST who are bringing the human rights violations happening in our criminal justice system to light. Told through intimate accounts of currently and formerly incarcerated women, BELLY OF THE BEAST exposes a pattern of modern-day eugenics and reproductive injustice in California’s women’s prisons while also telling an inspiring story of human resilience. The film is available to book for screenings and to purchase.
We’d also like to congratulate WMM filmmaker Deeyah Khan (dir. WHITE RIGHT) for her nomination for forthcoming WMM MUSLIM IN TRUMP’S AMERICA and Production Assistance program filmmaker Lisa Cortés and WMM alum Liz Garbus for their nomination for ALL IN: THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY. MUSLIM IN TRUMP’S AMERICA investigates what it’s like to be a Muslim in a country where many people feel you don’t belong while ALL IN: THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY is an examination of the history of voter suppression in the U.S., told through the story of Stacey Abrams.
Thirty winners will be announced in June via a virtual event. A full list of nominees can be found here.
