FOCAL Awards Set for June 24th, Production Nominees Shorlist Announced

The 17th annual FOCAL Awards are set to take place online on June 24, 2021. FOCAL will be streaming the program at 19:00 (BST) on FOCAL’s Vimeo, Facebook and YouTube channels. The links will be available shortly.

This will be the second year that the FOCAL Awards will be presented virtually in response to the global pandemic. And while FOCAL is eager to return to its live awards ceremony, the virtual event has allowed a significantly larger global audience to take part. In total, 1325 people viewed the 2020 Awards ceremony, roughly four times the normal attendance at FOCAL’s live awards ceremonies, and similar numbers are expected this year.

FOCAL’s recently announced production nominees shortlist includes some of the past year’s most acclaimed documentary films, such as Crip Camp, MLK/FBI and Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President. The shortlist was derived from a wide range of entries from across the global production community, with 49% coming from the UK, 27% from North America and 24% from across Europe, South Africa and South America.

“This year we have received a wide variety of submissions making it an undeniably rich and diverse contest,” said Mary Egan, Director of Operations, FOCAL. “This would not be possible without the incredible work of archive professionals, restorations and researchers. The quality of the 2021 submissions has been exceptional. A special thanks to our international Jury for sharing their time and expertise. We hope you can join us on the 24th June to honor all the nominees and celebrate with the winners.”

A final jury vote on the shortlist will take place on May 28, and nominees for awards in Restoration and Preservation, The Jane Mercer Researcher of the Year and The Student Award will be announced at the end of the month. FOCAL has decided not to present the Footage Person and Footage Company of the Year awards, and will instead honor all FOCAL members in the virtual program.

The 2021 FOCAL Awards will be hosted by Jo Caulfield, a stand-up comedian, host and comedy writer who has worked on some of the biggest shows, and with some of the biggest names, in British comedy. Not only has she been the regular warm-up performer for Have I Got News for You for many years, she has appeared as a guest on the show, as well as on Mock The Week and Never Mind The Buzzcocks. Jo has also appeared on Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow. On Radio 4, Jo has her own acclaimed shows, It’s That Jo Caulfield Again, Jo Caulfield's Speakeasy and Jo Caulfield Won’t Shut Up, as well as regularly appearing on shows including The News Quiz, Just A Minute, The Now Show, and The Unbelievable Truth. She has also written for Ruby Wax, Joan Rivers, Ant and Dec, and Graham Norton.