Confronting ISIS, an investigation of the complexities and challenges of the U.S.-led fight against the terror group, was named a George Foster Peabody Award winner for excellence in documentary filmmaking on April 18th, 2017.
An October 2016 film from writer, reporter and producer Martin Smith and producer Linda Hirsch, Confronting ISIS investigated two years of American-led efforts to defeat ISIS, with on-the-ground reporting from five countries with key roles in the anti-ISIS fight — Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Turkey.
“Veteran correspondent Martin Smith’s deliberate reporting provides context to America’s ongoing war against Islamist extremists in this essential primer on the origins and timeline of the conflict,” said today’s announcement on the Peabody Awards website. “Confronting ISIS clearly articulates the political complexities behind the rise of the terrorist group, their strategies in recruitment and tactics, and America’s diplomatic missteps and heightened challenges.”
“Our team is honored to be chosen from among such a strong slate of 2016 finalists and by the recognition that the Peabody Award signifies,” Smith says. “To do this kind of work is a tremendous privilege. I want to thank everyone who worked on Confronting ISIS and the ongoing support of FRONTLINE and PBS.”
