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Marikana documentary wins Emmy award

Cape Town -  The South African documentary, Miners Shot Down, on Monday night walked away with the International Emmy award for best documentary.

The film covers the 2012 Marikana massacre when mineworkers in one of South Africa’s biggest platinum mines began a wildcat strike for better wages. Six days later, the police used live ammunition to brutally suppress the strike, killing 34 and injuring many more.

The Emmy award, which was handed over to the winners at the glitzy Hilton New York, is just the latest in a long list of accolades for the team behind the gripping documentary.

“We are continuously humbled by the way the film is being appreciated by audiences all over the world. It shows how deeply disturbed people are about what happened at Marikana on 16 August 2012. It is now three years on and the commission of inquiry came to close a year ago. We await a fair and just outcome for the victims,” said director, Rehad Desai.

AP reports that France had a big night on Monday with a leading three awards, led by the hit crime thriller Engrenages (Spiral) which won for best drama series. Brazil received two Emmys, with Doce de Mae (Sweet Mother) chosen the best comedy.

Another highlight of the awards ceremony came when Downton Abbey creator and writer Julian Fellowes was presented the honourary International Emmy Founders Award.

The International Emmy Awards honour excellence in television programming outside the U.S. This year 40 nominees from 19 countries were competing in 10 categories.

The awards ceremony, organised by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, was hosted by Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef.
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