'Collisions' wins Outstanding New Approaches: Documentary plus the U.K.'s former nuclear test site in Australia

I began the section over the jump in 'Body Team 12' and 'Extremis' both nominated for Outstanding Short Documentary plus other science, health, and environment nominees by naming and describing two nominees for Outstanding New Approaches: Documentary.

I found three nominees that were more science than either health or the environment.  Two of them were nominated for Outstanding New Approaches: Documentary, "A Bear's-Eye View of Yellowstone" and "Collisions."  The former looks like a fun follow-up to 'Wild Yellowstone: The Frozen Frontier' -- last year's Emmy winner for Outstanding Cinematography: Documentary and Long Form.  The second is much more serious and on-topic for this blog, the story of a native tribal elder's recounting of his being witness to an atomic bomb test in the Australian Outback.  Not only does it talk about the event, but also the elder's philosophy on caring for the environment.  For both of these nominees, it is not the content that is being recognized, but the technology used to tell it.

Reading between the lines, one might be able to tell that I was more impressed with "Collisions."  So were the Emmy voters.  Here is Scott Kelly, star of "A Year in Space," announcing the winner of Outstanding New Approaches: Documentary.


Like Lynette Wallworth, I find the timing of this production's release particularly apt.  Here is the trailer that describes both the story and the technology being honored.

"Collisions" with Dolby Atmos and Jaunt VR from Michael Coleman on Vimeo.

A work of stunning visuals and powerful narrative, Collisions tells the story of Aboriginal elder Nyarri Nyarri Morgan who lived as 1000 generations before him in the remote Pilbara desert of Western Australia-- until his life was dramatically impacted by a collision with the extreme edge of Western science and technology.  [Lynette] Wallworth is an acclaimed Australian artist and documentary filmmaker known for producing immersive artworks that provoke a profound emotional response. She is ideally positioned to explore the storytelling potential of VR, and sees the new form as the perfect vehicle for Nyarri to communicate his story.

Congratulations to Wallworth and all the people she named in her acceptance speech.

That's not all.  Follow over the jump for a video of one of the tests and another about the site today.

First, Atomic Bomb Test (Australia) from worldswonders.


Yes, that's what Nyarri Morgan likely saw.

Next, The Wall Street Journal describes the former nuclear testing site as An Australian Tourist Attraction With a Radioactive Past.

More than 50 years ago, the British government tested nuclear bombs in the remote desert near Maralinga, South Australia. Now, after decades of radioactive cleanup, the site is open to tourists.

Australia is on my bucket list of places to visit, but I'm not sure I want to tour a nuclear test site.

I'll have more on the News and Documentary Emmy winners next week.  Stay tuned.