At the young age of 25, Bisan Owda is already making waves in the world of documentary filmmaking, bringing a fearless voice from one of the most turbulent regions on the planet, Gaza.
The Palestinian journalist and activist has been documenting the harsh realities of life under siege in the Gaza Strip after her family had to flee the bombings in their home in Beit Hanoun to the Al-Shifa Hospital and beyond.
Her documentary It’s Bisan from Gaza, and I’m Still Alive, created with Al Jazeera, was nominated for the 45th News and Documentary Emmy Awards 2024 for Outstanding Hard News Feature Story: Short Form.
Furthermore, Bisan Owda won the Peabody Award in the News category and the Edward R. Murrow Award for News Series for the same show.
However, the pro-Israel nonprofit organization Creative Community for Peace published an open letter signed by 150 industry people calling for revoking the Emmy nomination.
Emmy reaffirms support for Bisan Owda’s nomination, defending her Gaza documentary!
The Creative Community for Peace accused Bisan Owda of having ties with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a group designated as a terrorist organization in the US, EU, and Japan.
Famous celebrities like Debra Messing, Sherry Lansing, Rick Rosen, Haim Saban, Micael Rotenberg, and others signed the nomination cancellation letter to the Emmys, precisely the NATAS (The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences).
The letter quickly took the internet by storm, with thousands supporting Bisan Owda’s work throughout the Israel-Hamas war and critiquing CCFP’s actions against her.
Emmys stands by Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda nomination for news awardhttps://t.co/YHHiNU1gsD
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 21, 2024
Nonetheless, NATAS CEO Adam Sharp responded to the letter, affirming that there is no evidence of Owda’s involvement in the PFLP, which leaves no reason for rescinding her nomination.
He wrote, “The content submitted for award consideration was consistent with competition rules and NATAS policies. Accordingly, NATAS has found no grounds upon which to overturn the editorial judgment of the independent journalists who reviewed the material.“
As NATAS refused to withdraw the nomination of Bisan Owda, who is at the age of 25, the documentary is all set to win the Emmys and reach more people around the world while she continues her journey.
Additional Information
- The Emmy-nominated documentary is titled after Owda’s opening line in all of her videos: ‘Hello, it’s Bisan from Gaza, and I’m still alive.’
- There are reports of over 40,000 casualties in Gaza, with actual casualty toll estimates going over one hundred thousand.
- Bisan Owda has worked with the United Nations, the European Union, and the UNFPA on gender equality, climate change, and many other concerns.
