It may have missed out on winning Best Documentary Feature at this year's Oscars, but the awards run for one Syrian film may not be over.
For Sama, the heart-rending documentary by Waad Al Kateab and Edward Watts, is nominated at this year's Peabody Awards.
The annual prizes shine a light on some of the most compelling stories told on television, radio and online media, with 60 nominees acknowledged for the 2020 awards.
In an announcement made on Wednesday, May 6, For Sama was listed among the 20 nominees for Best Documentary, alongside the likes of Apollo 11, a film about the 1969 space mission, and Leaving Neverland, the HBO film that re-examines allegations of sexual abuse against Michael Jackson.
For Sama was filmed inside besieged Aleppo over five years, and gives a first-hand account of war from the perspective of a new mother. It won the Best Documentary Bafta at the British ceremony earlier this year, and the Prix L'Oeil d'Or for Best Documentary at Cannes Film Festival in 2019.
The film, to Al Kateab, is "for all the people I lost, for all the people killed in Aleppo, and in all other places after us and before us. For me, it's very important to say: 'This is what happened,'" she told The National last year. "I feel a lot of guilt that I am out and I cannot do anything for these people. So, maybe, with this film, I can go to the people, let them watch it, and maybe something will change."
Also nominated in the Peabody Awards' category for Best Documentary is Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl), Carol Dysinger's short film about young Afghan girls learning to read, write and skateboard in Kabul.
In the Entertainment section, meanwhile, Ramy Youssef's semi-autobiographical comedy show Ramy has scored a nod, alongside series such as Fleabag, Good Omens and Stranger Things.
The Egyptian-American star won Best Actor in a Television Series at the Golden Globes back in January for his performance in the show, in which he plays a Muslim man grappling with his background and faith in the US.
The Peabody Awards, named after US businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, will name 30 winners on an unconfirmed later date.
“Peabody is proud to champion this year’s nominees who inspire our connection, provoke our thinking and delight our senses,” said Jeffrey P Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Amidst the challenges of our present moment, we can find empathy, entertainment and truth in these nominees.”
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
Monster Hunter: World
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