Palestinian Journalist Bisan Owda Wins Her First Emmy for Documenting Gazan Life After October 7th
Trigger Warning: Descriptions of Graphic Content
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) filled New York City’s Palladium Times Square with outstanding creatives and educators for the 45th Annual News and Documentary Emmys on September 25-26, 2024. Celebrating another year of educational storytelling, the nights’ nominees and winners alike stood as the faces representing voices and realities far beyond New York.
Amidst the large news channel and corporation nominees shone a resilient voice — Bisan Owda, rising Palestinian filmmaker and journalist. Having previously won a Peabody Award for her video journalism, Owda has now secured her first Emmy Award for her documentary It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive (2023).
Recognized for her critical storytelling in the Outstanding Hard News Feature Story: Short Form category, Owda made waves in video journalism in Gaza. Strapping a phone to her hand, Owda personally documents the severe struggles of survival after the bombing of the Gaza Strip. In the wake of the attack and evacuation transition, she resolutely narrates to her audience that she’s Bisan from Gaza, a reminder and personal account of the grim realities behind the victims of genocide — her friends, family, and people.
Indomitable Human Spirit: A Smile that Never Dies
Filmed on her phone in a first-person perspective, Owda brings a personal look into the life of millions of Gazans after the Israeli bombings. Crowds of displaced Palestinians cluster together in tents on the streets, taking refuge at Al-Shifa Hospital — Gaza’s largest medical complex. As the documentary ends with hospital resources rapidly dwindling, It’s Bisan from Gaza and I’m Still Alive records the substantial aftereffects of the Israeli bombardment.
Families shattered, split, and struggling are shown on-screen as the sounds of warplanes buzz overhead and the echoes of bombings are heard after. Victims are hauled out on stretchers as the number of casualties increase, with every day unpromised to Owda’s community. “I’m smiling because I’m alive,” Owda expresses, thankful to be alive but terrified to not live to the next day.
From rationing foods to running on generators to charge phones, the impact of Israeli forces is felt more than seen, diminishing the livelihoods of Gazans from every direction. Showing the humanity behind the numbers is an incredibly chilling and heart-wrenching tool that Owda wields as a filmmaker. But perhaps the most powerful tool is Owda herself, as she tries to stay positive amidst uncertainty and death. With Owda at the forefront, her documentary serves as a personal declaration of the bravery and persistence of her people.
She’s Bisan from Gaza and She Has More
Owda is familiar with video journalism and documentaries with her It’s Bisan from Gaza YouTube series, a continuous collaboration with AJ+ to document life in Gaza. Released just two weeks before the Emmys ceremony, her latest It’s Bisan from Gaza short-form documentary captures the current water shortage in Gaza. Vocalizing the health crises in her documentary series, Owda captures the dire conditions Gazans continue to face a year after the start of the Israeli bombing agenda.
With her personal YouTube channel documenting more intimate discussions with displaced Palestinians, the sheer contrast of her videography trajectory before and after the bombings is apparent. Nevertheless, her commitment to stories has never faded, speaking true to her impassioned online presence and authentic journalism.
To find more information about the 45th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards, check out the Emmy Awards’ official website. For more information about Bisan Owda and her story, check out her accounts on Instagram and YouTube.
Interested in more ACT!ON awards content? Read our piece about the 76th annual Emmy Awards here!
