FRONTLINE Wins Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for “Iraq Uncovered”

The FRONTLINE documentary Iraq Uncovered has won a 2018 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award.

In the March 2017 documentary, producer and correspondent Ramita Navai made a dangerous and revealing journey inside war-torn Iraq, investigating allegations of abuse of Sunni Muslim civilians by powerful Shia militias. The film revealed what’s happening on the ground in Iraq in areas where ISIS has been pushed out, and shed new light on the region’s spiraling sectarian conflict.       

The documentary was filmed and directed by Patrick Wells; reported by Navai; produced by Mais Al-Bayaa; Navai and Wells; and senior produced by Dan Edge.

“It’s such an honor to win an RFK award, and it means a lot to know that our work has been recognized in this way by our peers,” says Navai, whose next documentary with FRONTLINE, UN Sex Abuse Scandal, will air in the coming months. “This was one of those stories that really got under my skin, as the more we investigated the more we realized the extent of the abuse. It was vitally important to get this story out, and it was a particularly tough story to film – people were extremely scared to talk and the militias are very secretive. It’s because of some incredibly brave Iraqis that we got this story, and I feel that with this award, their bravery is being acknowledged. For me, the story symbolizes post-invasion Iraq and how its effects are still being felt, far and wide.”

“We are honored to see our 2017 documentary Iraq Uncovered recognized with this RFK Award,” says FRONTLINE Executive Producer Raney Aronson-Rath. “Ramita Navai’s fearless reporting and her commitment to unearthing the truth in this dangerous war zone exemplify powerful, investigative journalism at its best. We remain so thankful to PBS, CPB and WGBH for their unwavering support of FRONTLINE’s work.”

The Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards, given annually by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, recognize outstanding reporting on human rights and social justice issues. Iraq Uncovered —a Quicksilver Media production for WGBH/FRONTLINE in association with Channel 4 — won in the International Television category. The 2018 RFK Award winners will be honored on May 22, 2018 in Washington, D.C. at the awards’ 50th anniversary celebration.

Including this year’s win, FRONTLINE has earned 17 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards to date. You can read the full list of this year’s RFK winners here, and watch this year’s award winning documentary, Iraq Uncovered, below: