At the 2020 Albert Londres Awards ceremony held on December 5th, the Audiovisual Prize was awarded to the team behind the documentary All Eyes on Us: 7 Billion Suspects.
Written and directed by Sylvain Louvet, co-directed by Ludovic Gaillard, and produced by Jean-Marie Michel, the film explores a world increasingly ruled by powerful nations that, under the guise of fighting terrorism or crime, arm themselves with cameras and the latest surveillance technologies. With visuals by Christophe Astruc, the film reveals a chilling reality in which every citizen can be constantly watched—particularly in China, where the Uyghur community is subject to extreme surveillance and harsh re-education campaigns.
The documentary will air in Taiwan on December 18th on the public broadcaster PTS, following broadcasts in Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, Norway, and Japan.
In France, the film closed the 2020 FIGRA Festival and was broadcast on ARTE on April 21st. Amid the public debate surrounding the launch of the StopCovid app and growing concerns over digital surveillance, the documentary resonated deeply, attracting nearly 1.9 million viewers across TV and replay platforms.
Sylvain Louvet shared:
“I’m deeply honored to receive this award and to become part of the prestigious Albert Londres family. It’s especially emotional for me as it happens at CAPA, the agency where I began as an intern 14 years ago. This prize celebrates two and a half years of hard work by a fantastic team, especially Ludovic Gaillard, who edited and co-directed the film, and Christophe Astruc, who brought it to life visually. And of course, the teams at CAPA and ARTE France, who supported us throughout every step of this journey. The film has found a particularly powerful echo in the current climate.”
Producer Jean-Marie Michel added:
“From Chinese concentration camps to the ongoing debate about public freedoms in democratic societies, our investigation into the dangers of digital surveillance and its threat to civil liberties concerns us all.”
This marks the fourth time CAPA (a Newen company) has supported journalists in winning this prestigious award—an unmatched record for a production company. This year alone, CAPA had two out of five preselected documentaries, setting yet another record. Director Alexandra Jousset was also shortlisted for her investigation The Afghans: Sacrificed in the Name of Peace, also produced by CAPA and ARTE.
CAPA warmly congratulates Sylvain, Ludovic, and Jean-Marie, and thanks all those involved in the project—especially at ARTE: Bruno Patino, as well as Fabrice Puchault and Rachel Adoul from the Documentary Unit. CAPA also extends its gratitude to the Newen Connect team for distributing the film internationally.