The Rory Peck Awards in a dramatic year for News

The skill, courage and enterprise of freelance news and current affairs cameramen and women were honoured for yet another year at the annual Rory Peck Awards ceremony, which was held on November 16 at London’s BFI Southbank, and hosted by the BBC’s Mishal Husain and Channel 4′s Alex Thomson.

Jezza Neumann's Zimbabwe

Belgian freelancer Ahmed Bahaddou was presented with the Rory Peck Award for News for his extraordinary frontline footage of rebels fighting Gaddafi forces in Western Libya.  In what has been a stand out year for news entries, the judges praised Bahaddou for his enterprise, determination and skill. They said his footage was “everything you could want and more. It is incredibly composed shooting. You can almost feel the bullets whistling past you.”

American freelancer Abdallah Omeish, who was born in Libya, won the Rory Peck Award for Features, for his Benghazi film, Libya: Through the Fire – a portrait of the city, and one of its sons, Mohammed al-Nabbous – the first person to broadcast from within Libya and report on events in English and Arabic. Judges said the film was moving and powerful and felt the central character of Nabbous embodied the story of the Arab Spring.

Jezza Neumann was awarded the Sony Professional Impact Award for Zimbabwe’s Forgotten Children, which the judges described as ‘astonishing’. They were impressed by the continuity and emotional impact of his film about the harsh reality of life for three children in Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe, and by the quality of camerawork, especially given the difficulties of operating inside Zimbabwe.

Bahaddou's "Libyan Rebels"

“It’s been an extraordinary year for the Rory Peck Awards – incredibly strong entries across all of the categories and three outstanding winners”, said Tina Carr, Director of the Rory Peck Trust. “I want to congratulate all of this year’s finalists on producing such exceptional work – the sheer range and quality on show tonight demonstrates how vibrant and talented the freelance community is right now. It is a privilege to celebrate their work.”

“We are delighted to be here this evening to join the Rory Peck Trust in congratulating not only this year’s winners but all the finalists for the fantastic work they have been doing over the last year”, said Olivier Bovis, Head of AV at Sony Professional.

Abdallah Omeish

“This has been a dramatic year in terms of world events and this year’s finalists should all be immensely proud of the contribution they have made in bringing these events to the world’s attention. The footage that we have seen has been incredibly moving and reminds us all what can be achieved when you combine technology, talent and a tireless commitment to exposing the truth.”

The Rory Peck Awards is the only competition in the world dedicated to the work of freelance cameramen and women in news and current affairs.

Libya: Through the Fire

Internationally recognised and highly prized, the Rory Peck Awards celebrate the outstanding work of freelancers around the world and show why they are so important to the newsgathering and media industries.

About The Rory Peck Trust
The Rory Peck Trust is the only organisation in the world dedicated to the safety and welfare of freelance newsgatherers and their families around the world. A small organisation with a big reach, the Trust works in over 60 countries providing financial assistance to freelancers who have been injured, imprisoned or threatened during the course of their work, and supporting the families of those who have been killed. The Trust also provides safety training bursaries for freelancers working in hostile environments and is a source of information and advice on issues including insurance, risk assessment, safety and trauma counselling. A non-profit, non-partisan organisation, the Trust relies entirely on charitable donations and sponsorship to carry out its work.

For further information about the Rory Peck Awards and the work of the Rory Peck Trust, please visit: www.rorypecktrust.org or contact:

Molly Clarke, Head of Communications, the Rory Peck Trust Tel: +44 (0)20 3219 7861
Email: molly@rorypecktrust.org