CIVIS Media Prize 2013: eight programmes honoured in Berlin!

Berlin (ots) -

- 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).

Contact:
CIVIS Media Foundation
Breite Straße 48-50
50667 Cologne / Germany

Fon: +49 (0)221 277 587-0
Fax: +49 (0)221 277 587-16
Email: info@civismedia.eu