CIVIS Media Prize 2013: Eight Programmes Honoured in Berlin!

BERLIN, May 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

- Cross-reference: jury grounds are available at: http://www.presseportal.de/pm/60510 -

Eight European radio and television programmes have been honoured with the award of the renowned CIVIS Media Prize for Integration and Cultural Diversity. The prize-giving ceremony and TV gala was held in the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin on Thursday evening. The prizes, endowed with 3,000 Euros per category, this year went to productions from TVP (PO), SRF (CH), went MDR/ARTE, NDR, WDR, as well as the Filmakademie Baden-Wurttemberg. The multi-medial political rap casting show "raputation-casting.tv" was already honoured with the "European CIVIS Online Media Prize" in April. The presentation of prizes will be broadcast by the ARD/Das Erste and several European television channels.

CIVIS celebrates a small anniversary in 2013: 10 years of the CIVIS Media Foundation!

For over two decades, the CIVIS Media Prize has been honouring programme contributions which promote the peaceful coexistence of people of the most varied national, ethnic, religious or cultural origins. 639 programmes from 22 EU states and Switzerland were entered in the European competition in 2013, a pleasantly high overall result.

Patrons of the CIVIS Media Prize 2013 are Federal German President Joachim Gauck, Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Guido Westerwelle and the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz - who presented the European CIVIS TV Prizes to the winners during the TV gala. With him, numerous other prominent guests attended the TV prize-giving ceremony presented by Sandra Maischberger in the Federal Foreign Office. Among them, the Federal Government's Commissioner for Integration, Minister-of-State Maria Böhmer, the Deputy Director-General of Westdeutscher Rundfunk Eva-Maria Michel, Friede Springer, the President of the German Saving Banks Association Georg Fahrenschon, the Director-General of Deutsche Welle Erik Bettermann, science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar, the Director of the Swiss SRG SSR Mariano Tschuor, the TV director of Westdeutscher Rundfunk Verena Kulenkampff, the Executive Director of ORF III Television Peter Schöber, the Radio Director of Westdeutscher Rundfunk Wolfgang Schmitz, the Head of the ARD Capital Studio Ulrich Deppendorf, WDR editor-in-chief Jörg Schönenborn, the ARD's Tel Aviv correspondent Richard C. Schneider, media expert Jo Groebel, TV presenter Frank Elstner, ARD Tatort police inspector Miroslav Nemec, TV reporter Sonia Seymour Mikich, ZDF society reporter Cherno Jobatey and Michael Radix, Executive Director of the CIVIS Media Foundation.

The new CIVIS Magazine Prize for short programmes up to 10 minutes, awarded for the first time in the area of European television, went to Djamila Benkhelouf, Anna Orth and Anne Ruprecht, for "Panorama 3: Foreigners out! Smear campaigns against home for refugees" (NDR). The nightmarish report confronts with a possible catastrophe: the accommodation of refugees in a social hotspot. Rejection, social envy and open hate assail the refugees from the neighbourhood. Neighbours prophesy that "the block will burn". Committed, powerful images, impressive, was the jury's opinion, an outstanding report.

The European CIVIS TV Prize in the entertainment category (fiction) this year went to Grzegorz Loszewski for "Shameless" (TVP). Brotherly love, neo-Nazis, Roma - the television film plays with broken taboos, infringements of the rules and social norms. And it examines the tendency to judge others according to one's own ideas. An excellent film, according the jury, which calls for tolerance. With impressive direction and excellent actors. Outstanding both formally and in terms of content.

The European CIVIS TV Prize in the Information category (non-fiction) went to the author Andreas Morell for his documentary "die Story: Cemetery of the illegal" (WDR). In it he documents the difficulties and the misery of the people who want to cross the border from Istanbul to Europe - to a new, better life. The jury found: a first-class investigation, dramatically and cinematically impressive. A politically important film.

The author Mizzi Meyer was honoured with the award of the German CIVIS TV Prize in the Entertainment category (fiction). In the comedy series "Scene of the Crime Cleaner: Schotty's Battle" (NDR) in a clubhouse Schotty also cleans away the whole brown swamp of memorabilia. A light, humorous play with subtle and dynamic dialogues, judged the jury, great art on a small scale - with excellent direction and first-class actors.

The German CIVIS TV Prize in the Information category was divided equally between John Goetz, Djamila Benkhelouf, Anke Hunold, Anna Orth, for the documentary "Panorama: From baby of the family to terrorist (NDR) and to Inga Klees, Markus Weller for the documentary: "The terror trio. Why the authorities failed" (MDR/ARTE). Panorama showed a discussion with the parents of the radically right-wing terrorist Uwe Böhnhardt and provides insights into the personal circumstances of the NSU terrorists and their radical right-wing body of thought. The ARTE/MDR documentary presents failure of the German security agencies and secret services in connection with the NSU murders. Whether on a state or personal level, the jury felt that both films were packed with facts, moving, journalistically outstanding. Both productions presented investigations of the highest professional standard.

The European CIVIS Radio Prize in the "Long programme" category (over six minutes) went to Andrea Kath, Martina Meißner for their radio feature: "Private Radio: Farid Vatanparast and his liking for "Liebesstützen" (WDR). An example of successful integration: Farid Vatanparast and his boxing school. Anyone who learns at school and improves his grades may take part in the training. Without omitting breaks and conflicts, the jury felt, they succeeded in producing an atmospherically powerful, dramatically highly-structured listening experience. Cultural differences are named, without being ethnicized. An excellent feature.

Casper Selg was honoured with the European CIVIS Radio Prize in the "short programme" category (up to six minutes), for his radio report: "Echo der Zeit: Meschugge Party - Jewish Life in Berlin" (SRF). The topical short report offers an impressive, authentic radio feature about the fastest-growing Jewish community in the world. The Jewish feeling for life in Berlin becomes clear, judged the jury, but also how it is negatively affected by anti-Semitic violence and the circumcision debates. Linguistically outstanding and of a high radiophonic quality.

The sponsor prize European Young CIVIS Media Prize went to Kasia Wilk, Anna Matacz for their animated short film "Bear me" (Filmakademie Baden-Wurttemberg). The amusing film about Lilly and her bear convinces through its cheerful, humorous plea for the right to be different. An impressively crafted short film about love, everyday problems and the challenges of idealistic relationships, judged the jury. A lovely film which goes to the heart.

Broadcasting times - CIVIS Media Prize 2013

ARD/Das Erste        17.05.2013    00.35 - 01.50
ORF III Fernsehen    16.05.2013    23.30 - 00.45
tagesschau24         17.05.2013    22.15 - 23.30
WDR Fernsehen        18.05.2013    08.45 - 10.00
3sat                 26.05.2013    11.30 - 12.45

Also on the programme of the Deutsche Welle (DW).

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