CIVIS Media Prize 2012: Seven Programmes Honoured in Brussels!

BRUSSELS, May 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

On Wednesday evening seven European radio and television programmes were honoured with the popular CIVIS Media Prize for Integration and Cultural Diversity during an official TV gala in the European Parliament in Brussels. The prize, endowed with a total of 40,000 Euros (5,000 Euros per category) were awarded this year to productions from SRF (Switzerland), VPRO (Netherlands), Deutschlandradio, WDR, SWR, ZDF as well as the "Nederlandse Film en Televisie Academie in Amsterdam". They were selected by an international jury of independent media experts. The web platform of the multilingual Parisian online magazine, http://www.cafebabel.com, had already been presented with the "European CIVIS Online Media Prize" in April. The ARD/ERSTE will broadcast the prize-giving ceremony on May 10, 2012 at 0.00 hrs. 

CIVIS celebrates an anniversary in 2012: 25 years of the CIVIS Media Prize!

The CIVIS Media Prize annually honours contributions which promote the peaceful coexistence of people of the most varied national, ethnic, religious or cultural origins. 631 programmes from 25 EU states and Switzerland were entered in the European competition in 2012 - an encouragingly high overall result. In her video message at the official ceremony, Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel praised "the 25-year success story of this renowned media prize". Patron of the CIVIS Media Prize 2012 is the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. Together with him, numerous other prominent guests took part in the TV prize-giving ceremony presented by Sandra Maischberger in the European Parliament. They included the Federal Government's Commissioner for Integration Minister-of-State Maria Böhmer, the Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery Minister-of-State Thomas Kreuzer, the ARD Chairwoman and WDR Director-General Monika Piel, the NDR Director-General Lutz Marmor, the Director-General of the Deutsche Welle Erik Bettermann, the Director-General of the Swiss SRG SSR Mariano Tschuor, the Executive Director of ORF III TV Peter Schöber, TV presenter Frank Elstner, ARD Tagesthemen presenter Tom Buhrow, ARD Tatort Detective Inspector Miroslav Nemec, TV journalist Sonia Seymour Mikich, the film actresses Suzanne von Borsody and Marie Luise Marjan, ZDF presenter Cherno Jobatey and Michael Radix, Executive Director of the CIVIS Media Foundation.  

The European CIVIS TV Prize in the Entertainment category (fiction) this year went to Marius van Duijn for "No Place Like Home" (VPRO). The biting game show exposes the dubiousness of public demands for integration in view of the actual deportation practice in Europe. "A merciless game", according to the jury, "which with smiling faces, highlights the misery of applicants for political asylum. With a laugh which sticks in the throat. A production which is outstanding in terms of both form and content." 

The European CIVIS TV Prize in the Information category was awarded to author Mano Khalil for his documentary: "Filmszene: Our Garden of Eden" (SRF). In it he documents the meanwhile dramatic coexistence of native Swiss and new Swiss citizens in a multicultural garden colony. The jury's view: "A splendid documentary which is outstanding from both journalistic and cinematic points of view." 

The German CIVIS TV Prize in the Entertainment category (fiction) went to the authors Ali Samadi Ahadi and Arne Nolting. In "Salami Aleikum" (ZDF), a small Persian falls in love with the towering daughter of the landlord of an East German village hostelry and thus becomes the bearer of hope for the textile industry which has laid fallow ever since reunification. "A grotesque comedy which passionately plays with cultural stereotypes," in the opinion of the jury. "A funny, emotionally strong and moving ethno-comedy. First class cinematically and in terms of its acting." 

The German CIVIS TV Prize in the Information category went to Günter Yasemin Balci and Nicola Graef for their documentary: "Menschen Hautnah: Death of a Judge - on the Trail of Kirstin Heisig" (WDR). The authors show the Berlin juvenile court judge Kirstin Heisig with her great personal engagement for prompt criminal prosecution, jurisdiction as well as prevention and integration of juvenile delinquents. The jury's opinion: "Exciting, very interesting - Impressive in both form and content."  

The European CIVIS Radio Prize in the "Long Programme" category (over six minutes) went to Patrick Batarilo for his radio feature programme "Back to Bosporus" (SWR). More and more Turks of the second and third generation are turning their backs on Germany and move to the Bosporus. The author follows the German-Turks to Turkey and discovers them mediators of German culture. "It presents," said the jury, "a reflection of the German integration debate - humorous and of high radiophonic quality." 

Christina Rubarth was honoured with the European CIVIS Radio Prize in the "Short Programme" category (under six minutes), for her report "All Summer Long - Summer camp for Romany children in Berlin" (Deutschlandradio Kultur). Many Romany children hardly speak a word of German even after months of school lessons. The author approaches the Romany children cautiously and focuses on their statements. "An impressive, intense listening experience," praised the jury. "A politically important contribution about Europe largest minority." 

The sponsoring prize European Young CIVIS Media Prize went to the director Shariff Korver for his television film "No way back" (Nederlandse Filmen Televisie Académie). The action is set in a Dutch refugee camp and tells an exciting psychological drama. "A film that demands you take a position," believed the jury. "Strong images and haunting. An outstanding piece of direction. Impressive formally and in terms of content."

Overview of all prize-winners 

European CIVIS TV Prize - Entertainment (fiction):
"No Place like Home" (VPRO), Marius van Duijn

European CIVIS TV Prize - Information:
"Our Garden of Eden" - Mano Khalil

German CIVIS TV Prize - Entertainment (fiction):
"Salami Aleikum" (ZDF) - Ali Samadi Ahadi, Arne Nolting

German CIVIS TV Prize - Information:
"Death of a Judge" - Kirsten Heisig (WDR) - Günter Yasemin Balci, Nicole Graef

European CIVIS Radio Prize - long programmes over six minutes:
"Back to Bosporus" (SWR) - Patrick Batarilo

European CIVIS Radio Prize - short programmes under six minutes:
"Summer Camp for Romany children in Berlin" (Dradio Kultur) - Christina Rubarth

European Young CIVIS Media Prize:
"No way back" (Nederlandse Film en Televisie Academie Amsterdam) - Shariff Korver

European CIVIS Online Media Prize:
Web platform of the Parisian online magazine "cafebabel.com" - Alexandre Heully 
 
Broadcasting times CIVIS Media Prize 2012

PHOENIX  09.05.2012 23.00 hrs (Der Tag)
ARD/Das Erste  10.05.2012 00.00 hrs.
ORF III TV  10.05.2012 23.00 hrs.
tagesschau24  11.05.2012 21.00 hrs.
WDR Fernsehen  12.05.2012 10.00 hrs.
3 Sat  13.05.2012 12.00 hrs. 

WDR Radio and the television channel of Deutschen Welle (DW.) will also be reporting.

Live on the Internet at http://www.civismedia.eu and http://www.wdr.de.  
 

Media-Contact:
Annika Hoffmann
WDR Press and Information
Telephone: +49-0221-220-7125
Email: annika.hoffmann@wdr.de