I was so thrilled to see Olaide Sadiq recognized as one of BAFTA’s Breakthrough talents for 2025! Especially after directing such an amazing and well-received documentary this year. She’s incredibly talented, but still so down-to-earth and happy – she called the news a ‘nice surprise,’ which is just lovely. It’s great to see BAFTA and Netflix supporting filmmakers like her.
The documentary Grenfell: Uncovered has been nominated for a Rose d’Or award, recognizing the significant effort Sadiq put into creating a truly impactful film.
Some of Sadiq’s colleagues wondered why she was so taken aback by the award, but she points out that the past year has been full of impressive work and talented people in the industry. She also feels honored to be recognized alongside artists like Adjani Salmon and Letitia Wright, both of whom she greatly respects.
She admits it feels strange being among such accomplished people, but she’s incredibly thankful to be recognized alongside them. I noted to Sadiq that it must be a surreal year overall, especially considering it’s only been a little over five months since the release of her documentary, Grenfell: Uncovered.
Sadiq’s first film as a director, a Netflix documentary, turned out to be a much bigger success than she expected. She initially thought it might be a low-key release, but the heartwarming response to the film surprised and delighted her. “I really didn’t anticipate this kind of reaction,” she says.
Honestly, working on this documentary felt like so much more than just a job. It quickly became a huge responsibility, and I’m incredibly proud of how it all turned out. While directing has definitely brought me more attention, the most important thing to me is that the Grenfell community finally has the recognition they deserve. That’s what this production was really about.
Since the film came out, Sadiq has been showing it at various events and has received interest from companies – including those in the housing sector – who want to feature it in their publications, presentations, and educational programs. She explains, ‘I didn’t anticipate the film would resonate so strongly with people working in the industry, but I’m thrilled that it has. It’s unusual to work on a documentary that leads to tangible, positive changes, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see that happen.’
Sadiq explains that when planning the documentary, her main goal was to present a fair and unbiased account of events. She wanted to tell the story in a concise and easy-to-understand way, especially for those who weren’t already familiar with it.
I realized not everyone was familiar with the full story, even within my own family, and the documentary revealed more than some knew. That’s one reason I wanted to share it. I also wanted to evoke a strong reaction – I feel the story is deeply upsetting, and that’s even as someone who wasn’t directly involved or part of the community affected.
Sadiq hoped the documentary would evoke the same anger she felt when reflecting on the events of June 14th, 2017. She didn’t want the anger to feel manufactured, but rather a natural response to the stories and experiences shared in the film. Her goal was to create a powerful emotional impact alongside revealing new information.
She wanted to primarily pay tribute to the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire, and then share their stories in a way that would both educate and provoke a strong reaction. Her hope was that this combination would spark important conversations about how things could be improved, what went wrong, and what changes needed to be made.
The project started with many different goals, but ultimately I just wanted it to spark conversation and make a difference. Of course, there’s no guarantee of that – it relies on the quality of the work and how people respond to it. I hoped any positive impact would happen naturally as a result of achieving the project’s core objectives.
Although eight years have passed since the Grenfell Tower fire, which tragically took 72 lives, the disaster remains a significant concern. This is partly because no one has been held accountable for the tragedy, and also because plans are moving forward to dismantle the tower itself.
Sadiq has become the director of the Grenfell: Uncovered documentary, and with that position comes the expectation of leading the narrative effectively. While taking on such a responsible role could be intimidating, she seems to be handling it with confidence.
Dealing with the aftermath of the Grenfell documentary has been challenging, but I’m okay with the attention it’s brought. I’m also aware that people often assume I’m an expert in areas like fire safety, housing, planning, and regulations, which isn’t the case. I need to make sure people understand I don’t have specialized knowledge in those fields.
You know, even before I started working on the Grenfell project, I’d already been learning so much about what happened. And honestly, I’m still learning now, as I delve deeper. It’s made me realize people might start coming to me with their experiences and stories related to it, and I feel a responsibility to listen and understand.
After the documentary came out in June, Sadiq’s LinkedIn activity skyrocketed. She went from rarely using the platform to receiving hundreds of messages. While a few messages came from people within her industry, most were personal stories from viewers all over the world.
Sadiq felt a strong sense of duty to reply to everyone, whether they were sharing old stories, like a fire from the 1970s, or discussing current problems with the council regarding their properties.
She explains that after putting effort into a project and seeing it succeed, she couldn’t just walk away and disregard the results. She felt a responsibility to acknowledge and address the changes it brought about.
As a new director, I quickly learned that every detail is important,” she explains. While she’d always believed a documentary’s story and subjects were most crucial, she didn’t fully appreciate how essential elements like the music, visuals, and filming location are to the overall success of a film.
Sadiq’s experience making documentaries on many subjects has given her a flexible and adaptable approach to problem-solving.
Working on ‘Grenfell: Uncovered’ brought back a lot of memories from my previous experiences with emergency response programs and shows featuring first responders. I’d dealt with similar, emotionally challenging situations before – navigating strict protocols, handling sensitive content, and supporting vulnerable people – so I felt prepared and comfortable revisiting that kind of work.
She previously worked on projects that required filming difficult-to-reach people – like those in government, politics, or large organizations. This experience was extremely helpful when she made the documentary Grenfell: Uncovered, which featured interviews with survivors, families who lost loved ones, and even former Prime Minister Theresa May.
Sadiq consistently focuses on the real people and experiences behind her stories, and that’s evident in her work. However, with television sometimes seeming to move backwards in the types of stories and people it highlights, it’s a challenge to stay true to telling ethical, character-focused narratives.
She emphasizes the importance of staying true to her values. She needs to believe in a project’s purpose, and if she can’t find one, that’s often a sign to move on. She acknowledges the debate surrounding true crime content, understanding why some people might find it exploitative or question the need to revisit difficult events.
Looking at the larger context, revisiting difficult or tragic events can be meaningful. Some viewers have described the documentary Grenfell: Uncovered as a true crime story, but it’s important to remember that, as of now, no one has been formally charged with a crime related to the Grenfell Tower disaster.
She explained that the reason they revisited the project was simple: there were still important stories to tell and people who deserved to be heard. She stays dedicated to projects when they have a clear purpose and genuinely benefit both the people involved and the story being shared. She also believes it’s important to ask questions and voice concerns – she’s not afraid to speak up when something doesn’t feel right, and that’s how she maintains her commitment.
Sadiq recalls being asked a few years ago if she’d ever considered directing. She wasn’t even a producer at the time, but someone wanted to know what kind of documentary she might want to make someday.
She mentioned wanting to create something meaningful with a real impact on people, perhaps related to the Grenfell tragedy. It was just a casual comment, but it was one of the few times she knew exactly what she wanted to do, as she admits she often feels lost and unsure of her path, and laughs about it.
After directing something as intense as ‘Grenfell: Uncovered,’ figuring out what to do next was surprisingly tough. Honestly, the aftermath was hard because everyone kept asking what my next project would be. There’s this feeling like people expect me to only make films tackling huge social issues now, which is a bit of a box to be in, you know?
Her resume clearly shows her passion for diverse subjects and people, and this openness helps Sadiq remain excited about future possibilities.
She explained she doesn’t want to be limited to just one skill or job, as it’s easy to fall into that pattern. She wonders why people expect her to focus on just one thing when she’s capable of many things. However, she’s also trying not to stress too much about what to do next.
These days, the line between true stories and made-up ones on TV is increasingly blurred, with shows based on real events becoming very popular. This raises the question: would Sadiq ever consider working on a scripted, fictional television series?
I’ve always preferred watching scripted shows, and I used to enjoy writing stories when I was younger. That background made me consider a career in writing. However, I found documentary filmmaking to be a more natural fit, and I realized while working on factual programs that many stories could also work well as dramatic series.
Sadiq remembers people telling her that watching ‘Grenfell: Uncovered’ was deeply upsetting, with many describing it as emotionally devastating. She believes there’s a special quality to factual dramas, explaining that they can document difficult events without being as overwhelming as traditional documentaries sometimes are.
I was really struck by Netflix’s ‘Toxic Town.’ It brought a largely unknown real-life scandal to my attention, and honestly, it sent me down a total research rabbit hole about the Corby toxic waste case. It just goes to show that a good drama can be just as impactful as a documentary. I’d absolutely love to work in that genre if the right project came along – it’s amazing how a story can really grab you and make you want to learn more.
The emotional impact Sadiq Khan felt while working on “Grenfell: Uncovered” likely influenced the production team’s strong commitment to diversity among its staff and crew.
When I began working in television, I immediately noticed a real lack of diversity, not only in terms of race, but also socioeconomic background. I knew that if I ever reached a position of power, I wanted to use that opportunity to make a difference. It’s especially challenging in television, though, because people often avoid acknowledging the problem.
After the Grenfell tragedy, I felt pressure from others in the industry to specifically hire Black people for projects. I don’t think that’s always the right approach, and it’s not always achievable. I try to be realistic – I’m not in a position of major decision-making power like an executive producer or commissioner, and those are the roles that really drive change in the industry.
I believe it’s crucial to have a diverse team – people from different backgrounds and cultures – because what we create should represent both the content itself and the audience who will be watching it. It’s easy to forget we’re not making shows for people like ourselves, but for everyone.
She explains that people in the industry come from incredibly diverse backgrounds – different lifestyles, beliefs, ethnicities, and races. She believes that embracing this diversity will lead to better and more interesting projects. As a director, she felt a strong obligation to reflect this belief in her work and lead by example.
Sadiq is unsure if the TV industry is making real progress on issues of race and class. He’s observed a trend common in many fields: a surge of attention in 2020 followed by a decrease in recent years.
People don’t want to be given opportunities just to fulfill a diversity quota. It’s crucial to acknowledge that simply assigning roles without considering someone’s skills feels dismissive. I’ve personally experienced being contacted for opportunities solely because of my race, and it’s important to me – and to everyone – to be considered for a role because of qualifications and ability, not just identity.
Sadiq explains that she’s often had to be firm with herself and decline opportunities she suspected were offered simply to fulfill diversity requirements.
I hope we can all start focusing on improving diversity within the industry. It’s a crucial discussion, though I often find people aren’t prepared or willing to have it. If everyone shares the same background and experiences, we’ll only get limited and repetitive results. We need different perspectives to foster innovation and growth.
After realizing Sadiq has become the go-to source for information about Grenfell, it feels unnecessary to ask him how to keep the conversation going after the documentary comes out. We’ve already established he’s leading that discussion.
Sadiq shared that a friend recently saw the film and had the same reaction: feeling compelled to take action. The director acknowledges this is a common response, and a valuable one to have, after watching the movie.
Sadiq explained that the Grenfell community wants to ensure their experiences aren’t forgotten. They’re deeply concerned that their story is fading away before they’ve received any real accountability, and the demolition of the building itself feels like a tangible part of that erasure.
People worry that if something isn’t visible, it will be forgotten. It often feels like these important topics only get discussed once or twice a year. To keep things alive, we can all continue learning, stay involved, share information, participate in the community, and continue to support the cause and its story.
She emphasizes that actions speak louder than words when it comes to showing support. At the very least, she believes, people should demonstrate they care, which would be deeply appreciated by those affected, the grieving, and the community as a whole.
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2025-11-25 14:38