Yahoo News Leaving Neverland bags five Emmy nominations - including 'outstanding director'
Dan Reed's poignant documentary Leaving Neverland, which chronicles allegations of child sexual abuse against Michael Jackson, has been nominated for five Emmy nominations.
The categories include Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction program, Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction program, Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction Program and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction Program.
The two-part HBO and Channel 4 film tells the story of James Safechuck and Wade Robson, who recount in painstaking detail claims of sexual abuse that Michael Jackson inflicted on them as children. Their family members claim they were groomed and manipulated by the music entertainer.
The Jackson estate previously denied the claims made in the documentary and criticised the film when it first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Director Reed said the purpose of the film wasn't about inciting a boycott of Jackson's music, but to give Robson and Safechuck a voice after being debilitated into silence for almost thirty years from the trauma and to demonstrate the power of an abuser.
Meanwhile, Lifetime's six-episode series Surviving R Kelly – which featured more than 50 people speaking about the alleged acts of sexual abuse by the singer-songwriter R. Kelly – was nominated for Outstanding Informational Series or Special.
Executive producer Dream Hampton responded to the nomination by telling The Hollywood Reporter: "Our team is so grateful to the Academy for this nomination, and to the brave women who sat with us and shared their stories on camera.
"We could have never imagined the impact Surviving R. Kelly would have, but we hope it continues a long overdue and necessary conversation that centres on survivors."
The Emmys will air on Sunday, September 22 on FOX in the US. Digital Spy will of course bring you all of the winners.
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