Edward R. Murrow Award to Simcha Jacobovici
In the interest of showing “honor where honor is due” I pass along this bit of news regarding film producer Simcha Jacobovici. I have seen this documentary called Sex Slaves and I can not recommend it too highly. It was made with courage and at great risk.
Jacobovici is best known now for his controversial film, “The Lost Tomb of Jesus,” but he and his company, Associated Producers, have won many awards over the years including the 1996 and 1997 Emmys for outstanding investigative journalism for The Plague Monkeys, about the Ebola virus outbreak in Zaire, and The Selling of Innocents, about the child sex trade in India. Jacobovici’s best-known film, before The Exodus Decoded and the Lost Tomb of Jesus was his 1991’s Deadly Currents, about the Arab-Israeli intifada. It won a Genie for best feature-length documentary. He also received the coveted Dupont-Columbia award for Broadcast Journalism.
Toronto’s Associated Producers wins the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award from The Overseas Press Club of America
NEW YORK CITY (April 26, 2007)
The Overseas Press Club of America (OPC) has awarded their prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Television Documentary on international affairs to Toronto based film production company Associated Producers for Sex Slaves, an investigation into the multi-billion dollar world of sex trafficking of women from the former Soviet Union. According to the OPC, the documentary was recognized for its “first-rate reporting and forceful storytelling”.
On Thursday, April 26, 2007, hundreds of members of the international press gathered at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City to honor the recipients of this year’s OPC awards. This year, the awards were presented by CBS anchor Katie Couric. In awarding Associated Producers the Edward R. Murrow prize, the OPC stated:
“Sex Slaves represents everything a winner should have; a strong dramatic story, riveting characters, amazing access, good journalism, and professional execution. This portrait of modern day slavery is made possible by the most compelling use of undercover cameras in recent memory. Worthy of the name Murrow.”
Sex Slaves aired on Frontline on Feb.7, 2006 to the highest ratings since the Iraq war. The film premiered on the CBC and Channel 4 in the UK and has since aired in over 30 countries. The company recently made international headlines with The Lost Tomb of Jesus, an investigation into a first century Jerusalem tomb purported to belong to Jesus of Nazareth.
Sex Slaves director, Ric Esther Bienstock said “Felix Golubev, Simcha Jacobovici and I are all so proud to be the recipients of this award, which bears the name of one of the most respected journalists in history; a man who symbolized freedom of the press. It is humbling to be in a room with so many notable journalists working for the most influential publications on the planet. We were determined to put sex trafficking in prime time and we have been overwhelmed by the incredibly positive response to the film.”
Sex Slaves has screened at over 20 international film festivals and has already garnered numerous international awards including the British Broadcast Award for Best Documentary, a Royal Television Society Award, a Gracie Award and Best of the Festival at the U.N. Documentary Film Festival. The film was also nominated for the British Academy Award for Best Documentary.
Sex Slaves was written and Directed by Ric Esther Bienstock, and produced by Bienstock, Felix Golubev and Simcha Jaxcobovici. Executive Producers are Simcha Jacobovici and Brian Woods. Produced for PBS by David Fanning and Ken Dornstein.