The British director Peter Watkins who broke the rules of documentary and drama has passed away at the age of 90 on October 30, 2025. Watkins created a legacy of movies that challenged the media and government in influencing the opinion of the people. Among his many accomplishments is the Academy Award he won in 1967 for The War Game.The War Game was a film that was radical in nature and depicted the impact of a nuclear attack on Britain. It was first commissioned by the BBC in 1965, but was prohibited to be shown as it was considered by the authorities to be too disturbing to the TV viewers. Nevertheless, the movie not only got to the theatres, but it also caught the attention of audiences all over the world and even won one of the most important awards in the film industry.This Oscar won by Peter Watkins was the turning point in his career. Not only did it make him a serious filmmaker, but also made him a respected director in the genre of docudrama. His work still left an impact to successive generations of filmmakers who embraced storytelling to challenge power and authority.Peter Watkins’ Oscar win for The War Game View this post on Instagram Instagram PostPeter Watkins received his sole Oscar in 1967 for The War Game that won the Best Documentary Feature award. The movie was initially filmed in 1965. The BBC however decided not to broadcast the film because they thought that the effect of nuclear destruction and the social impact of the effect portrayed in the film was too realistic.The ruling to block the movie led to a controversy in the society regarding censorship and the role of the media to present challenging realities. Therefore, The War Game was subsequently released in cinemas rather than on television. Viewers and reporters have appreciated it for being realistic and for its strong statement concerning the threat of nuclear war.The victory of Watkins for the movie introduced his work to the international community. The War Game is also among the few BBC productions that scooped an Academy Award.Read More: "I like the job and the people that I work with": Gayle King responds to speculation about her CBS Mornings futurePeter Watkins’ impact on documentary and filmThe work of Peter Watkins contributed to the creation of new trends in film narrative. He is said to have created the genre of docudrama and the mockumentary, the mix of the real with the imaginary. This approach enabled the viewers to identify with social and political matters more personally and in a more provocative manner.Following The War Game, Watkins went on to produce films that dealt with power, conflict and media influence. His subsequent works such as Punishment Park (1971) and La Commune (Paris, 1871) (2000) had the same themes of social understanding and political commentaries. Numerous of his movies were censored or were only distributed later on for academic and independent film audiences.Although in many cases he did not work in the mainstream film industry, Watkins did shape generations of filmmakers and journalists. His life like approach in narrating the stories has remained a source of discussion on truth, media control and the consumption of information by people.Read More: What odd gift did Kimberly Williams-Paisley give Brad Paisley for his 53rd birthday? Details explored