Category: Factual & Arts TV
Date: 28.11.2005
Printable version
Nick Fraser, Series Editor of 91Èȱ¬ Storyville, has been awarded the Trustees' Award by the Grierson Trust.
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Nick's exceptional contribution and enthusiasm for documentaries has been recognised by the trust in this new award.
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Nick Fraser said: "I think the Trustees' Award is terrific. Our films always get awards but I never do, so I am delighted.
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"It is a vindication of Storyville, of the people who work there and all the film-makers who contribute their work."
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Each year, the trust acknowledges the best documentary film-making from Britain and abroad.
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Edward Mirzoeff, Chairman of the Grierson Trust, said: "The Grierson Trust is delighted to present the 2005 Trustees' Award to Nick Fraser. The award recognises an outstanding contribution to the art of documentary each year.
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"Nick is instrumental in not only helping film-makers to bring their ideas to life but in showing these excellent documentaries to audiences."
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Glenwyn Benson, Controller, 91Èȱ¬ Factual Television, said:
"Nick Fraser has carried the flame for high quality documentary on behalf of the 91Èȱ¬ and talented film makers from all over the world.
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"We are deeply grateful to him and very proud of what he has achieved to sustain documentary excellence at the 91Èȱ¬. It is also great pleasure to work with such a nice person."
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Nick Fraser graduated from Exeter College, Oxford, in 1969. Since then, he has worked as a television reporter, producer and editor.
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He has had four books published including Evita: The Real Life Of Eva Peron; The Voice Of Modern Hatred; and Aristotle Onassis. And The Importance Of Being Eton is due to be published next year.
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Nick has been series editor of 91Èȱ¬ Storyville since it started in 1997.
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As one of the 91Èȱ¬'s flagship international documentary strands, Storyville showcases the best and brightest of world non-fiction film.
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Storyville documentaries have successfully picked up awards at Sundance, BANFF, Festival dei Popoli, Grierson Awards and the Oscars.
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Nick says: "Documentaries are the real rock and roll of our times. They are the most interesting form at present and far more inventive than feature films.
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"At Storyville we have been lucky. We've been able to tap into the best films from all over the world. We invest in individual films and film-makers find the rest of the money where they can.
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"It costs less to make a doc these days, and I'm not surprised about the quality of the films that appear each month in our offices any more.
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"I'm glad the 91Èȱ¬ has backed Storyville, it was an imaginative thing to do and I feel it has paid off."
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Little Dieter Needs To Fly by Werner Herzog, Leslie Woodhead's A Cry From The Grave, One Day In September from Kevin Macdonald, and Chavez: Inside The Coup directed by Donnacha O'Brian and Kim Bartley are just a few of the superb documentaries that Nick has brought to British television audiences under the Storyville banner.
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Storyville has an exciting winter season planned, including Darwin's Nightmare, a true story about humans, about globalisation - and about fish. It is an interactive, globalised incubus of modern times written and directed by Hubert Sauper.
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Notes to Editors
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The Grierson Trust commemorates the Scottish documentary maker John Grierson. For more information visit www.griersontrust.org.
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91Èȱ¬ Storyville documentaries were nominated for several categories in this year's Grierson:
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The Liberace Of Baghdad by Sean McAllister has been nominated for Best Documentary On A Contemporary Issue;
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The Control Room from Jehane Noujan and Eugene Jarecki's Why We Fight have both been nominated for Best International Cinema Documentary;
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Franny Armstrong's McLibel and The Importance Of Being Elegant from George Amponsah and Cosima Spender have both been nominated for Best Newcomer.
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91Èȱ¬ Storyville commissions and buys international documentaries. Storyville began in 1997 and has shown more than 200 titles.
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91Èȱ¬ Storyville is shown on 91Èȱ¬ FOUR and has seasons on 91Èȱ¬ TWO.
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The Grierson Awards will be shown on 91Èȱ¬ FOUR in the programme British Documentary Awards at 9.00pm on Tuesday 29 November 2005.
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