Sony Impact Award – Winner
Jaber Jehad Badwan & Vanessa Bowles
Kill Zone – Inside Gaza
Commissioned by: Channel 4
Kill Zone – Inside Gaza tells the story of what happened in Gaza after the 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel. Following the brutal assault, Israel took swift action – pummelling Gaza and killing thousands of civilians. Thousands more have sustained life-changing injuries. This film follows Palestinians as they are forced from North to South, from hospital to hospital, from one designated safe zone to another, as the Israeli military onslaught intensifies.
Filmed over months by a team of Palestinian filmmakers and journalists, this film follows Dr Abu Sitta fighting to save lives in Al Shifa Hospital in northern gaza – overwhelmed by the number of children coming in for treatment. We follow paramedic Yusef as he rescues people from the rubble. We meet two young girls, Jewan and Mirvat who have suffered life changing injuries and the loss of their families from airstrikes.
In the centre of Gaza, the Badwan family struggle to live and survive amongst the devastating military action all around them. They are still in their home, but school has stopped, family members have died and food is scarce.
Following every horrific turn of events is Gaza’s brave young reporters. We witness their extraordinary efforts to report what is happening to the world, enduring power cuts, losing colleagues on an almost weekly basis and how even despite the harshest of wars, they find relief and moments of joy in their friendships.
“As an award that recognises the immense risks and challenges that freelance journalists take to bear testament to some of the key moments of our times, the judges felt that Kill Zone – Inside Gaza was both vital and humanising in its portrayal of this ongoing war. The filmmakers’ unflinching commitment to capture their own lived reality in such depth was awe-inspiring, and their ability to convey both the light and the dark through well-crafted storytelling had a unique impact on the panel. Placing family at the heart of the film gave it a clear universality, and helped an international audience gain a rare understanding of life beyond the headlines.”
Sony Impact Award Jury
Bio
Vanessa Bowles is a London-based Lebanese/British documentary producer-director. Her work is often centred around stories from the Arab world. She has produced mutiple films and series, including multi-award-winning ’Once Upon a Time in Iraq’ BBC (2020)’, ’LIFE AT 50°C, BBC World (2021)’ and ’Saudi Arabia Uncovered’, ITV’s Exposure and PBS Frontline (2016).
Jaber Badwan is a photographer and director from Palestine. He grew up in Deir El-Balah camp, Gaza. He dreams of travelling and seeing the outside world.