Director of ‘Killer Ratings’ wins Emmy for documentary series on tsunami
27 de June de 2025
By Ana Pastana – From Cenarium
MANAUS (AM) – The series Tsunami: Race Against Time, directed by documentarian Daniel Bogado, won the Emmy for Outstanding Historical Documentary at the 46th edition of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Emmy Awards, held this Thursday, the 27th, at Palladium Times Square in New York.
Released in 2024 with four episodes, the series tells the story of the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean in December 2004. The natural disaster is considered the deadliest in modern history, striking 14 countries and killing over 225,000 people.
Director and documentarian Bogado used social media to thank the award, the producers of the series, and the entire team involved in the production. Daniel stated that the recognition marks the culmination of the series, which took two years to complete and crossed four countries affected by the tsunami.
Watch the trailer for “Tsunami: Race Against Time”
“This award crowns a two-year journey that took us through Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the United States in search of stories, images, and voices that could do justice to that tragic day,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
Daniel Bogado also made sure to thank the people who contributed to the documentary. He stated that there are many “quiet” heroes, and that the entire production team is grateful for their efforts.
“Above all, we owe a deep debt to the courageous contributors who relived the worst day of their lives so that the world could better understand it. There are many more quiet heroes who gave their talent, time, and heart to this series. Please know how grateful we are. Last night’s Emmy is as much yours as it is ours. Thank you so much!” he concluded, in free translation.
The series
Available on streaming platforms such as Disney+, Prime Video, and Apple TV, the series recounts, through testimonies and reports, the most devastating tsunami that impacted thousands of people.
Over four episodes, viewers learn how a massive earthquake in the Indian Ocean triggered a tsunami that, within minutes, reached the bustling city of Aceh, in Indonesia, causing chaos and destruction. The first episode runs for just over 40 minutes.
In another episode, the documentary features accounts from locals and tourists who worked together to save as many lives as possible after multiple waves hit Thailand. Then, in another 40-minute episode, the series shows how doctors fought to save lives in Sri Lanka, more than 1,600 kilometers from the epicenter of the earthquake.
Who is the director
Director and documentarian Daniel Bogado is a British filmmaker internationally recognized for his works that tell real stories with a humanized approach.
Among his productions is Killer Ratings (Bandidos na TV), released in 2019 on the Netflix streaming platform. The series covers the case of Wallace Souza, host of the police program Canal Livre, who was accused of ordering the murder of drug traffickers to boost the ratings of his own show. At the time, the series ranked among the ten most-watched documentaries in several countries, including Brazil.