On Saturday night PRIX EUROPA 2008 reached its climax with the Awards Gala in the RBB Haus des Rundfunks in Berlin. 12 award winners are taking home a PRIX EUROPA Trophy and 6,000 Euros each. 213 productions from 31 countries had been nominated for the festival. Competition categories were presented to eight juries during the festival week.
In the categories for documentary and factual TV the following winners were announced:
TV DOCUMENTARY: PRIX EUROPA
PRIX EUROPA Best Television Documentary Programme of the Year
TESTIMONY
by Razvan Georgescu (author/director), Stefan Grandinetti, Hans Zimmermann (camera). Produced by Starcrest Media GmbH, co-produced by Pelegrin Films s.r.l. & YLE, Finland.
After being diagnosed with a brain tumor, the author of the film decides to undertake a voyage tracing the thin line between life and death, visiting artists who are terminally ill or who have been working on their final work of art in the hope that it will outlive or even save them. How does their work change when faced with mortality; how does one prepare for the final journey; what remains when you are gone?! The film discovers beauty in the face of one of the last social taboos, death. TESTIMONY is a film about the healing qualities of art. A roadmovie full of twists and turns but without a predetermined ending. TESTIMONY is not about watching the body surrender to disease, it is a film about vibrant life before death. It accompanies artists from around the world right until they finish their project or until they leave. Protagonists: Jorg Immendorf (+2007), Bill Viola, Harold Pinter, William Finn. Locations: Venice, New York, Timisoara, Los Angeles, Prague.
The film was presented at the 2007 Docu Talents from the East.
Special Commendation
DIVORCE ALBANIAN STYLE
Razvod po albanski by Adela Peeva (author/director/producer), Joro Nedel-kov (camera). Produced by Adela Media Film & TV Production, Bulgaria, Co-pro¬duced by WDR, BNT, Film Studio Kalejdoskop.
Best Regional, Local or Low-Budget Television Documentary of the Year 2008
ADA GALLERY
Galeria Ady by Uladzimir Kolas (author/director), Uladzimir Babaryyka, Jury Plushchau, Henadz Zayats (camera). Produced by Film Studio Everest, co-produced by TVP S.A. - Belsat TV
The residents of Hiermanavichy in rural Belarus can barely make ends meet. Ada Raichonak is a former teacher who spends her retirement trying to alleviate people's misfortune by organising an annual festival. She invites artists from all over the country to come to Hiermanavichy to paint in the open air, and then hangs the results in her improvised gallery. Under the motto "Beauty influences people," she sits at her computer making preparations until deep into the night; in between milking cows, she's on the phone trying to mobilise her fellow villagers.
In 2007, the project was presented at the Ex Oriente Film workshop.
Special Commendation
HOTEL ROOMS
Otel odalari by Sevinc Yesiltas (author/director), Levent Ahi (camera), Sevinc Yesiltas (producer). Produced by TRT, Turkey.
TV CURRENT AFFAIRS: PRIX EUROPA
Best Television Current Affairs Programme of the Year 2008
MEN IN DANGER
Males en Peril by Sylvie Gilman, Thierry de Lestrade (authors/directors), Thierry de Lestrade (camera). Produced by Point du Jour, co-produced by ARTE, SBS-TV Australia & RTBF
Special Commendation
DIRTY CARGO
Mitt skip er lastet med... by Kjersti Knudssøn (author/director), Synnøve Bakke (director), Anette Berentsen (camera). Produced by NRK program, Brennpunkt, co-produced by SVT, Nordvisjon.
Special Commendation
NOT MY BUSINESS
by Magnus Svenungsson, Pelle Westman (authors), Kenny Adersjo (director), Mattias Jansson (camera), Pelle Westman (producer). Produced by Sveriges Television, SVT.
PRIX EUROPA TV IRIS
Best Multicultural Television Programme of the Year 2008
GOD'S WAITING ROOM
by Heenan Bhatti (author/director/camera/producer). Produced by Century North
PRIX EUROPA EXPLORATION
Best European Emerging Media Project of the Year 2008
GAZA/SDEROT - LIFE IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING
entered by ARTE France, gaza-sderot.arte.tv
For more information please visit www.prix-europa.de