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First Anniversary Of Surfside Condo Collapse Nears In Florida© GettyImages

Miami Herald set to release ‘Surviving Surfside,’ the definitive story of the Miami condo collapse

A crucial journalistic mission to search for the truth


Shirley Gomez
Senior Writer
JULY 6, 2022 11:57 AM EDT

In a crucial journalistic mission to search for the truth, 101 Studios, Grain Media, and the Miami Herald will release a documentary telling the definitive story of the seemingly inexplicable Surfside condo collapse that took the lives of 98 people — including children as young as one.

In the early morning of June 24, 2021, the Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, Florida, suddenly collapsed and became one of the deadliest building failures in modern history. However, only a few were extricated alive; the vast majority were pulled lifeless from the ruins.

Search Shifts To Recovery Operation At Surfside Condo Collapse© GettyImages
Rescue worker oversee an excavator dig through the mound of remains from the collapsed 12 story Champlain Towers South condo building on July 09, 2021 in Surfside, Florida.

The upcoming film will go to the visceral heart of the disaster, alongside survivors, first-responders, and desperate relatives, including all the prime suspects that may have contributed to the condo collapse.

“As a newsroom, we poured our hearts into the breaking news and the ongoing daily coverage, and subsequent investigative coverage, of the Champlain Towers South condominium collapse story,” said Miami Herald Executive Editor Monica Richardson. “It was our story to tell because the people and the families in Surfside impacted by this unthinkable tragedy are a part of our community.”

Search Shifts To Recovery Operation At Surfside Condo Collapse© GettyImages
Mourners gather at the memorial site for the victims of the collapsed 12 story Champlain Towers South condo building on July 08, 2021 in Surfside, Florida.

David Hutkin, COO of 101 Studios, although the film documents a tragedy, also highlights an empathic community willing to help. “This story is obviously about an unthinkable tragedy, but it is also one that is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the importance of tenacious journalism fighting for the truth. We are so proud to be partnering with the Herald and Grain Media to bring this high-stakes mystery to audiences in a way that has never been seen before,” Hutkin says.

London-based Academy Award, Emmy, and Peabody-winning film production company Grain Media’s co-founder Orlando von Einsiedel says: “It’s always a huge responsibility to tell stories of painful human tragedies like Surfside. For us, the Herald’s unwavering search for answers and the survivors and relatives battle for justice makes this a powerful story of resilience and the real value we place on life.”