Banff, Canada — The documentary Hell Jumper, which chronicles the life and death of British aid worker Chris Parry amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, captured the Grand Jury Prize at the Rockie Awards during the Banff World Media Festival on Monday night. The film, directed by Paddy Wivell, also secured the award for best social issues and current affairs program.
In his acceptance speech, Wivell emphasized the profound impact of Parry’s life and dedicated the honors to him and his family. He also extended his tribute to displaced Ukrainians affected by the war, noting the broader human struggles many face amid global turmoil.
The Rockie Awards showcased a range of talents, with Peacock’s The Day of the Jackal winning for best English-language drama. The BBC garnered multiple accolades, including best comedy and variety series for The Graham Norton Show for the second consecutive year and best competition series for The Traitors UK. The network also claimed best lifestyle series with The Travel Show: Vietnam: Return to Banana Garden Market.
Hulu’s Black Twitter: A People’s History, a three-part docuseries from Onyx Collective, topped the category for best docuseries. An emotional moment occurred when actor Shamier Anderson presented his brother, Stephan James, with the Canadian Award of Distinction. James, known for his roles in If Beale Street Could Talk and Homecoming, expressed gratitude for his Canadian roots during his acceptance.
This year, the festival merged the Rockie Awards with the Banff Gala Awards, turning the event into a competitive showcase for U.S. series alongside international productions. Mark Suknanan, also recognized as drag queen Priyanka, served as the evening’s host, humorously recounting her motivation for leaving Los Angeles for the Rockies.
Australian productions shone brightly as well, with The Jury: Death on the Staircase taking home the trophy for best reality series, while Sugarcane, a docuseries shedding light on Canada’s indigenous residential schools, won for best investigative series. Phil Rosenthal, famed for Everybody Loves Raymond, received accolades at the event, highlighting the importance of niceness in global storytelling.
The evening also honored the late Carrie Hunter, founding director of the Banff World Media Festival. Her daughter, Kendall Hunter, and a grandson presented the Carrie Hunter Emerging Talent Prize, awarded to Marushka Almeida, Nisha Khan, and Rabiya Mansoor for their work on Get Up, Aisha, a drama focusing on mental health challenges faced by a Pakistani-Canadian student.
Accepting the Country of Honor trophy on behalf of South Korea, Hyun Suk Yoo, president of the Korean Creative Content Agency, spoke to the global influence of Korean content. Other notable awards included The Simpsons for best animated series and We Are Lady Parts for best English-language comedy series.
Among individual performances, David Mitchell received recognition for best comedy performance for his role in the BBC series Ludwig, while HBO’s Industry led to Marisa Abela winning best drama performance. In feature film, the award for best film was claimed by Disney+’s Out of My Mind, a coming-of-age story.
Hans Zimmer, a legendary film composer, was presented with the Career Achievement Award but could not attend in person. His business partner, Russell Emanuel, read Zimmer’s speech, where he expressed gratitude to the storytellers and collaborators who have shaped his career.
This year’s event not only celebrated outstanding works in media but also highlighted the pressing global issues facing society today. The complete list of Rockie Awards winners is available for those looking to explore the festival’s achievements.
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