Edward Watts Email & Phone Number

London, England Metropolitan Area

Undertaking multiple award-winning film projects, both documentaries and narrative, as an independent filmmaker working through my own company. Specific projects listed below.

International

Impact campaign in support of For Sama to challenge false narratives about the revolution, to shed light on human rights violations, and raise awareness of the targeting of healthcare facilities in Syria and push for accountability for war crimes.The campaign led to screenings of the film at the United Nations, US State Department, UK Parliament, in Congress and Holocaust Museum in DC and to Waad’s footage being submitted to International War Crimes investigators.

Uk / Syria

FOR SAMAFeature documentary tracing the journey of a young woman, Waad al-Kateab, through love, marriage and motherhood across five years of the revolution in Aleppo, Syria.* Nominated for Oscar, Best Documentary 2020 * Winner - BAFTA Best Documentary 2020 * Winner - International Emmy for Best Documentary 2020 * Winner – Golden Eye for Best Documentary, Cannes Film Festival 2019* Winner – Amnesty International Best Human Rights Documentary 2020* Winner of 4 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs) 2019 including Best Film * Winner of over 50 other international awards

Uk

OKSIJANCampaigning independent short film telling the true story of an Afghan boy who saved 15 refugees from suffocation as they were smuggled to the UK in a lorry. The film was made to raise funds for the charity ‘Help Refugees/Choose Love’ and to raise awareness of the conditions refugees suffer.* Official selection BFI London, Portland International Film Festival, London Short Film Festival, Nepal International Human Rights Film Festival & 15 other festivals worldwide.

London, England, United Kingdom

Impact campaign set up in partnership with the AMAR Foundation to provide mental healthcare support for traumatised victims of ISIS sexual violence. The campaign raised over $1million from private and governmental donors, which led to the opening of mental health centres across Iraq. The film was quoted by David Cameron in a major ISIS policy speech and, as part of the campaign, I testified to the US Congress House Committee on Foreign Relations.

Iraq / Turkey

ESCAPE FROM ISISChannel 4 / PBS June 20151 x 60 MinsI directed, filmed and produced this documentary for Channel 4 in the UK and PBS in America which tells the extraordinary story of an underground network trying to save women trapped in sexual slavery inside the Islamic State.The film won an International Emmy, was nominated for a Bafta for Best Current Affairs Documentary, won Amnesty International’s award for Best Human Rights Documentary 2015 and the Royal Television Society’s award for Best International Current Affairs 2016. I was also nominated for the Best Factual Director award 2015 by the Royal Television Society.“Epic storytelling, heart-stopping television” - Broadcast Award Citation“TV at its most unmissable… Escape From Isis is such an important documentary it ought to rank with the footage of British troops liberating Belsen.” - The Spectator“A breathtakingly bold piece of journalism.”- The Guardian“The most unforgettably powerful moments you will see on TV all year.” - Mail on Sunday

London

As the Islamists of Boko Haram continue their campaign of terror in the north-east of Nigeria, this year-long investigation reveals an unseen side of the conflict: abuses committed by Nigeria’s security forces against the very civilians they’re supposed to defend.I directed in the edit, but the real kudos goes to Reporter Evan Williams and Producer Eve Lucas who toiled for over a year to gather the shocking material seen in the film.The film won an Emmy in 2015 for Outstanding Investigative Journalism and the Broadcast Award for Best Current Affairs Programme.

Uk / Brazil

WELCOME TO RIOBBC2 May/June 20143 x 60 minsI series directed and filmed a three-part series for BBC2, following the lives of inspirational people living in the slums of Rio de Janeiro across a six month period that saw immense upheaval in the city.I was responsible for directing the efforts of a large production team, securing access to film with drug trafficking gangs and police, casting, and I self-shot many of the characters' stories.The series was broadcast on BBC2 through May/June 2014.Series director Edward Watts excelled in so many ways: getting astounding access to residents and astonishing shots of the favela.” - The Times“An astonishing, moving, uplifting and inspiring series.” - Herald Scotland

Uk / Usa / China

DISPATCHES SPECIAL: CHINESE MURDER MYSTERYChannel 4 November 20121 x 60 minsI directed and filmed a one hour Dispatches Special exploring the life and death of the British businessman Neil Heywood, whose murder led to the downfall of one of the most powerful men in China. The film included extensive undercover filming in China as well as dramatised reconstructions that I directed, shot and lit myself.It was nominated for a Golden Nymph award at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival, 2013."An astonishing tale of intrigue, murder and political infighting at the highest levels of Chinese politics" Alison Graham - Radio Times"Playing out as a taut political thriller with a dizzying number of twists and turns" Metro“An unusually compelling episode.” Matt Baylis, Daily Express"Dispatches restores a sense of just how dangerously murky politics in China can be. Gripping for all the right reasons." Tom Sutcliffe - The Independent"A proper and thorough investigation, an extraordinary story told better here than it has been before." Sam Wollaston - The Guardian

Uk / Norway

THIS WORLD: NORWAY'S MASSACREBBC2 April 2012 I directed, produced and filmed a BBC 'This World' documentary tracing the course of the 2011 terror attacks in Norway. I interviewed key players in the crisis, including the Norwegian prime minister, survivors, the commander of the police response and the head of the Delta Force team that arrested Breivik. The film included unique footage and unseen archive and used a detailed analysis of Breivik's own 1,000 page manifesto to cast new insights into the workings of his mind.“A riveting, disturbing documentary” Daily Mail“This hard-hitting documentary tells the shocking inside story of last summer’s massacre” Michael Hogan, TelegraphPick of the Day in The Times, The Observer, Independent on Sunday, The Independent and Sunday Times

Uk / Usa / Afghanistan / Pakistan

SECRET PAKISTANBBC2 October 20112 x 60 minsI directed and filmed a two-part series tracing the history of Pakistan’s secret war against the West since the September 11th attacks. The series included observational footage I shot in Afghanistan and interviews with soldiers, politicians and Taliban commanders."Riveting...excellent interviewees and strong footage." - Sunday TimesVery revealing...an absorbing two-part series.'The Observer '[This] chilling series reveals how British and American intelligence agencies uncovered compelling evidence that Pakistan's military establishment, despite official denials, has not only been arming and sheltering Taliban insurgents but has been actively involved in scuppering peace talks." Daily Telegraph

Pakistan

UNREPORTED WORLD: DEFENDERS OF KARACHIChannel 4 April 20111 x 30 minsI directed produced and filmed an observational documentary following the life of Mohammed Saleem, an ambulance driver trying to survive the war on the streets of Pakistan’s largest city.'A terrifying portrait of a nation on the verge of collapse into a failed state' The Observer

Jharkhand, India

UNREPORTED WORLD: CHILDREN OF THE INFERNOChannel 4 April 20091 x 30 minsI directed, produced and filmed a documentary following the lives of children in Jharia, India - a vision of hell where the earth is literally on fire, as vast subterranean coal fires burn out of control beneath towns and villages."It is very easy for very important stories to go missing in a country as vast, populated, diverse and bewildering as India, but this episode illuminates one of the most crucial." - The Guardian

The Democratic Republic Of Congo

UNREPORTED WORLD: FOREST OF THE DEADChannel 4 March 20091 x 30 minsWe were the first crew to film the sites of massacres committed by the Lord’s Resistance Army in the remote jungles of northeast Congo. The film told the story of ongoing atrocities through the testimony of the few survivors."This opening salvo in the new Unreported World series, never less than searingly brave and fair, is an eye-opener" - The Observer

Yemen

UNREPORTED WORLD: SEA OF TEARSChannel 4 December 20081 x 30 minsI directed, produced and filmed a documentary following the torturous journey of refugees from Somalia, who flee across the seas and deserts of Arabia in search of a better life."If we do indeed belong to a global community, this unassuming half-hour programme is worth more than all the rest of the week's television put together" - The Times

Kerala, India

UNREPORTED WORLD: GOD'S OWN COUNTRYChannel 4 November 20081 x 30minsI directed, produced and filmed documentary meeting the spiritual and not-so-spiritual gurus driving a tourist boom in Southern India."Admirable" - Guardian

Uk

DISPATCHES: IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO A MUSLIMChannel 4 July 20081 x 60 minsI directed and produced a documentary revealing tales of discrimination and hostility suffered by British Muslims in the aftermath of the 7/7 London bombings."Muslims feel like 'Jews of Europe" - Front Page Lead, Independent"Minister: We Muslims are the new Jews" - Daily Mail"Muslims 'under siege like Jews'" - BBC News

Gaza / West Bank / Israel

UNREPORTED WORLD: REIGN OF THE ROCKETSChannel 4 March 20081 x 30 minsI directed, produced and filmed a documentary looking at what life is like for the people of Gaza, from electricians to Hamas fighters, living under the siege imposed by Israel."Cutting edge and frankly brave reporting from one of the bloodiest and most intractable conflicts" - Daily Telegraph

The Democratic Republic Of Congo

UNREPORTED WORLD: CHILDREN OF GENOCIDEChannel 4 November 20071 x 30 minsI directed and filmed a documentary revealing new crimes committed by the Interhamwe, the perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide, with stories told by their victims and the killers themselves. "Exemplary television” - The Observer

Guinea Bissau

UNREPORTED WORLD: COCAINE COUNTRYChannel 4 October 20071 x 30 minsI directed, produced and filmed documentary revealing how the impoverished state of Guinea Bissau is falling into the hands of Colombian drug traffickers.

Israel / West Bank

UNREPORTED WORLD: ISRAEL'S WILD WESTChannel 4 June 20071 x 30 minsI directed, produced and filmed documentary following the lives of right wing Israeli settlers in the West Bank as their movement grows in strength."Reporter Sandra Jordan and director Edward Watts risk their lives to tell of life in the West Bank" - Daily Telegraph

Bachelor'S Degree, Modern History, First Class

Awarded Gibbs prize for excellence in Modern History, Final Examinations Awarded Henry S Henriques prize for excellence in a humanities.

Education record