CNA documentary The Exiles nominated for an International Emmy
Released in 2023, the two-part documentary sheds light on the deportations of Asian men from post-World War Two Australia and the United Kingdom.
Peter Foo, one of the interviewees on The Exiles. Foo's father had been deported from the UK and was forced to leave his family behind. (Photo: Mediacorp)
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The Exiles, a 2023 documentary by CNA, an English language Asian news network based in Singapore, has been nominated for an International Emmy Award.
Produced by British director Tom St John Gray, the two-part series spotlights the forced deportation of Asian men from post-war United Kingdom and Australia, and the ramifications it had on their descendants.
Interviewees include Peter Foo, a British citizen who grew up thinking that his father had left their family, only to discover that the latter had been deported.
The Exiles is nominated in the best documentary category, alongside Brazil's Transo, France's The Billionaire, The Butler And The Boyfriend, and the UK's Otto Baxter: Not A F**king Horror Story.
Another Singaporean production that has been nominated in the International Emmys 2024 is Sharkdog Season 3 by Singaporean studio One Animation.
In a statement, Bruce L Paisner, the president and CEO of the International Academy said: “Every year the international television community competes to be recognised on the International Emmys’ much coveted global stage.
"We congratulate the nominees for their outstanding programmes and performances, they are once again a testament to the universal appeal of great storytelling across all genres, countries and cultures.”
Speaking to CNA, director Tom St John Gray spoke of The Exiles' nomination: "It is an incredible honour for The Exiles to be nominated for Best Documentary at the International Emmys – and we are thrilled for the series to be representing CNA’s first ever nomination at this competition. The hard work and determination by CNA's production team and the generosity of our contributors made this all possible.
“The Exiles continues to resonate with audiences who are learning about this story for the first time, and it’s very touching to keep receiving messages from people who believe they are connected with these stories.
"I was delighted to welcome one of our main protagonists, Barbara Ong Janecek, to Singapore late last year as she continues to search for clues of her missing Chinese Liverpool father. This shows the enduring power of the series, that it continues to have relevance to this ongoing search today."
The Exiles has already picked up several awards, including Gold for Best Factual Programme for multiple markets at the 2023 ContentAsia Awards and Gold for History & Society at the 2024 New York Festivals TV & Films Awards.
