Channel 4’s ‘Return To the Dying Rooms’ has been awarded the highest international documentary prize. The Prix Italia award was given to Channel 4 for the second year running for its documentary screened in January 1996. As part the Secret Asia series, ‘Return To The Dying Rooms’ is a revised version of the original screened in June 1995 and exposes the disastrous conditions in China’s orphanages. The programme included scenes of children tied up, babies being unattended for long periods and toddlers tied to bamboo seats in make-shift potties.
John Willis, Director of Programmes at Channel 4, said: “We are extremely pleased to win the Prix Italia for the second year running with a brave important film. It only confirms the quality of documentary making throughout Channel 4.”
Shown in 24 countries, thousands of people wrote to the Dying Rooms Trust and the Heritage secretary, Virginia Bottomley MP, said that it was an example of how a programme can raise important and shocking issues. The programme itself was debated in Parliament and then raised to the Chinese government by British ministers.
Channel 4: 0171 306 8666
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