Realscreen has announced the winners of the 2025 Realscreen Awards Program Competition. The event was hosted by acclaimed unscripted producer, podcast host, and on-air personality Carlos King, known for his work on "Love & Marriage" (OWN), "Bold & Bougie" (WE tv), and the "Reality with the King" podcast.
Now in its 15th year, the Realscreen Awards honor exceptional content from across the globe, celebrating excellence in non-fiction and unscripted entertainment. An esteemed panel of over 150 senior international industry professionals from 21 countries evaluated entries across multiple genres. This year’s competition included 94 nominees and recognized winners with Awards of Excellence in key categories.
In the Competition category, "The Traitors" took home the top honor. Produced by Studio Lambert, the series was led by executive producers Mike Cotton, Toni Ireland, Sam Rees-Jones, Stephen Lambert, Jack Burgess, and Tim Harcourt. It aired on Peacock, gaining critical and audience acclaim for its gripping gameplay and high-stakes drama.
The Lifestyle category award went to "High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America." Produced by One Story Up and Pilgrim Media Group, the series featured executive producers Roger Ross Williams, Geoff Martz, Craig Piligian, Sarba Das, Fabienne Toback, Karis Jagger, Jessica B. Harris, Stephen Satterfield, and Michele Barnwell. Streaming on Netflix, the series has been praised for its rich storytelling and cultural exploration.
In the Non-Fiction category, "Planet Earth III" was recognized for its breathtaking cinematography and compelling narrative. Produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit in collaboration with BBC America, ZDF, and France Télévisions, the series was helmed by executive producer Mike Gunton. It aired on BBC America, continuing the legacy of the acclaimed "Planet Earth" franchise.
The Reality category saw "90 Day Fiancé" take the prize. Produced by Sharp Entertainment, a part of Sony Pictures Television, the show was guided by executive producers Matt Sharp, Dan Adler, Joanne Azern, Rebecca Morris, Dave "Paco" Abraham, David Bresenham, and Rob Dybas. Network executives Stacey Altman and Elana Wertkin also played key roles in bringing the TLC hit to audiences worldwide.
The Talent award was presented to Dr. Michael Mosley for his work on "Australia's Sleep Revolution with Dr. Michael Mosley." Produced by Artemis Media, the show was led by executive producer Celia Tait, with Bernadine Lim serving as the commissioning editor for SBS Australia. Mosley’s work continues to shed light on the importance of sleep and its impact on health and well-being.
As part of the Special Honors segment, Cris Abrego was inducted into the Realscreen Hall of Fame. The Co-Founder and CEO of Hyphenate Media Group, Abrego has had an influential career spanning more than two decades. This prestigious honor recognizes his significant contributions to the industry, joining past inductees such as Paul Buccieri (A+E Networks), Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller (HBO Documentary Films), filmmakers Alex Gibney and Stanley Nelson, and PBS CEO Paula Kerger.
Additionally, Dawn Porter was awarded the Realscreen Action Award. This distinction acknowledges her impactful work within the unscripted and non-fiction content sector, as well as her dedication to driving positive change within the industry and beyond. Porter's commitment to storytelling continues to inspire and educate audiences worldwide.
PROPELLE WINNERS
As part of its activities, Realscreen, together with Everywoman Studios and A+E Networks, announced the winners of the Propelle Content Accelerator initiative. This collaborative initiative brings together Realscreen, Everywoman Studios and A+E Networks to select standout creators from the program. These participants receive guidance from leading executives in the non-fiction and unscripted entertainment sectors. Let’s go over its key points.
Charlotte Lindsay Marron and Susan McClelland were crowned as the winners of this year’s Propelle Content Accelerator initiative for their project "How to Kill Someone in the 21st Century." The eight-episode investigative documentary series explores real-life cases that reveal how the internet has given rise to new forms of predators and victims.
Launched in 2020, the Propelle Content Accelerator initiative champions emerging women creators by providing project development support and pitch mentorship, fostering greater diversity within the non-fiction content landscape. This year’s winning project exemplifies the mission of the Propelle initiative by bringing bold, investigative storytelling to light while amplifying innovative voices from women in media.
Everywoman Studios CEO Abby Greensfelder praised the winners:“Charlotte and Susan’s compelling and timely project, 'How To Kill Someone' In The 21st Century, stood out both for their unique journalistic approach to crimes in the internet age and their exclusive access and sensitive approach to victims. The Everywoman Studios team and Realscreen is thrilled that this story will be developed under the expert guidance and care at A+E Networks, who have had an incredible track record of bringing buzzy crime series to audiences. Propelle is about enhancing connections and opportunities for women producers. We’re proud our program can play that positive role in the business," stated.
In addition to the Propelle project winner, A+E Studios has announced it is awarding Propelle participant Anna Wasylenki a paper development deal for a new creative format. We were really impressed by the level of creativity and the thoughtfulness behind this year’s pitches. While there can only be one winner for Propelle, we’re excited to announce that A+E Factual Studios will be entering into a development deal with Anna. It’s a true testament to the remarkable talent we saw,” said Steve Ascher, EVP, Head of Development, A+E Factual Studios.
Finally, Mary Maddever, EVP of Realscreen and NATPE Executive Content Director celebrated the fact of being able to stimulate audiovisual production led by women: "Propelle embodies our commitment to empowering women creators within the non-fiction storytelling space. Realscreen is able to open doors through the Summit experience, and the Propelle partnership not only provides unique unscripted market access and onboarding, it also cultivates community among current and future women leaders within our industry," commented.
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