Brief
South African documentary on Philipstown kids nominated for International Emmy
The film, directed by Paul Ward and produced by Giant Films, joins two other South African entries at the ceremony.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix documentary has been nominated for the 2026 International Emmy Awards, one of only four entries in the Sports Documentary category, according to bizcommunity.com.
What happened
The film, produced by Giant Films and directed by South African filmmaker Paul Ward, tells the story of children in the Karoo town of Philipstown who build handmade wire cars from scrap and race them over a three‑kilometre course. The documentary was created by Accenture Song South Africa in partnership with the Philipstown WireCar Foundation as part of a campaign to raise the town’s profile and attract sponsorship for youth programmes.
What the reports add
Bizcommunity notes that the nomination is one of just two for South Africa at this year’s International Emmys, the other being actor Ian Roberts’ nomination for “A Kind of Madness.” The documentary has already collected a string of awards in 2026, including a Silver Lion in Entertainment at Cannes Lions, three Gold Pencils at The One Show, and a Social Impact Award at Tribeca X.
What was said
Executive creative director Cameron Watson and Devin Kennedy said the aim of the Philipstown project was always to get the kids’ story seen by as many people as possible.
How it came about
The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix began as a local annual race that grew into a brand‑funded documentary, earning recognition at festivals such as the Webby Awards, Clio Awards, and D&AD before securing the International Emmy nod.
Key facts
- The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix documentary is nominated for the 2026 International Emmy Awards in the Sports Documentary category. (bizcommunity.com)
- It is one of only four productions nominated in that category and one of two South African entries overall. (bizcommunity.com)
- The film was directed by Paul Ward, produced by Giant Films, and created by Accenture Song South Africa with the Philipstown WireCar Foundation. (bizcommunity.com)
- The documentary has previously won awards at Cannes Lions, The One Show, Tribeca X, and the Webby Awards. (bizcommunity.com)
Sources
- [1] bizcommunity.com — originally reported as “From small town to the international stage: Local kids story nominated for Emmy Award”
