The Marshall Project has been honored with two 2021 Deadline Club Awards, recognizing the finest examples of journalism in the New York area, in the “Digital Video Reporting” and “National TV Series or Investigative” categories.
“We’re honored to be recognized for work bringing viewers inside the world of motherhood in prison and probing the challenges of defining a hate crime,” said Susan Chira, editor-in-chief of The Marshall Project. “We sought to humanize challenging social and legal issues and explain them with subtlety and rigor."
The short documentary “Tutwiler,” reported by The Marshall Project’s Alysia Santo and directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Elaine McMillion Sheldon, is a rare look at the lives of expectant mothers inside a notorious women’s prison in Alabama. Produced in collaboration with FRONTLINE, the film won best national television investigative report.
The judges said, “This piece was a window into a world we may not have otherwise seen. While the access to the incarcerated women alone was impressive, it was what the team did with that access that really shone. The way this piece was shot felt intimate and made it clear that the team spent a lot of time with the women, and built trust. It allowed the viewer to see the story unfold rather than telling the story, which created a level of empathy that might not be traditionally seen around this topic."
“Anatomy of Hate,” published in partnership with TIME, was awarded best digital video reporting. Directed by Emily Kassie and co-produced by Marshall Project reporter Joseph Neff, the short documentary follows the families and community of three Muslim college students fatally shot in 2015 by a White neighbor in , exploring the reality of hate in America and its nuances in the eyes of the law.
The judges commented, “A captivating film from beginning to end. The filmmakers had amazing access, and they used it well, particularly in how they carefully included the story and interview with the killer. Engaging interviews, well-paced editing and gorgeous cinematography set this entry apart."
The Deadline Club Awards are organized by the NYC Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). One of SPJ’s largest chapters, who have served New York-area journalists since 1925, the Deadline Club is dedicated to perpetuating the freedom of the press and encouraging the highest standards of excellence and ethics. See the rest of this year’s Deadline Club winners and finalists here.