CIVIS Media Prize 2014 - ten programmes honoured in Berlin

Berlin (ots) -

- Cross-reference: background information is available at
http://ots.de/GtZ8C -

New CIVIS Cinema Prize goes to "Fack ju Göhte"

Eight European radio and TV programmes as well as one Web portal
were honoured on Thursday evening (8.5.) in Berlin with the renowned
CIVIS Media Prize for Integration and Cultural Diversity. Two of the
awards, which are endowed with prizes of 3,000 Euros per category,
went to productions from ORF (Austria). Prizes also went to
programmes from BNT (Bulgaria), HR (Germany), KRO-NCRN (Netherlands),
SRF (Switzerland), SWR (Germany) and ZDF/Arte (Germany). The
"European CIVIS Online Media Prize" was awarded to the video platform
"everydayrebellion.net" (Austria). The CIVIS Cinema Prize, awarded
for the first time in 2014, was taken by the German school comedy
"Fack ju Göthe". Sandra Maischberger was the presenter at the
official prize-giving ceremony in the Federal Foreign Office in
Berlin. The TV gala was broadcast by ARD/Das Erste and several other
European television programmes (Please see below for broadcast
times).

For 27 years now, the CIVIS Media Prize has been recognizing
programme contributions which promote the peaceful co-existence of
people of the most varied national, ethnic, religious or cultural
origins. The European competition in 2014 registered a record
participation of 709 programmes from 23 EU countries and Switzerland.
Patrons of the CIVIS Media Prize 2014 are German Federal President,
Joachim Gauck, and the President of the European Parliament, Martin
Schulz.

The official prize-giving ceremony was attended by a large number
of prominent guests - among them the Federal Government's Integration
Commissioner, Minister-of-State Aydan Özoguz, the Minister-of-State
for Foregn Cultural Relations in the Foreign Office, Maria Böhmer,
the Federal Chairman of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Cem Özdemir, TV
presenter, Frank Elstner, WDR Director-General, Tom Buhrow, the ARD
Chairman and NDR Director-General, Lutz Marmor, the Director-General
of Deutschlandradio, Willi Steul, ORF Director-General, Alexander
Wrabetz, SRG SSR Director-General, Roger de Weck, the President of
the German Savings Banks Association, Georg Fahrenschon, the Director
of the 1st German Television, Volker Herres, the Television Director
of Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Jörg Schönenborn, der Leiter des
ARD-Hauptstadtstudios, Ulrich Deppendorf, the political scientist,
Werner Weidenfeld, the Chairman of UFA, Wolf Bauer, media experts,
Jo Groebel, Minu Barati-Fischer and Mathias Schwarz from the Deutsche
Produzenten Allianz, the Chairman of the WDR Mediagroup Michael Loeb,
the Chairman of Constantin Film, Martin Moszkowicz, WDR TV
Editor-in-Chief, Sonia Seymour Mikich, TV journalist Cherno Jobatey,
Michael Radix, Executive Director of the CIVIS Media Foundation.

The Prize-Winners

The CIVIS Cinema Prize for European feature films in German
cinemas, awarded for the first time, went to Bora Dagtekin, Christian
Becker, Lena Schömann and Martin Moszkowicz for the school compedy
"Fack ju Göhte", produced by Rat Pack Filmproduktion and Constantin
Film (Germany). In the public voting in April 2014 via the Internet,
the majority of all those participating in the ballot, voted for the
witty and fast-paced film. 26,600 Loads were registered in the online
voting, with a clear preference for "Fack ju Göhte".

The European CIVIS TV Prize in the Information category (non-
fiction) went to the author Ed Moschitz for the documentary "dokfilm:
Mama Illegal" (ORF). In it, Ed Moschitz documents the consequences of
illegal labour migration and the loss of the home country. The lives
of three Moldovan women is sensitively presented. Their fears, the
uncertainty of their illegal status - but also the strength and the
courage of women. "Mama Illegal shows the enormous differences in
levels of prosperity in Europe, exploitation and villages without
women, in which children grow up without mothers. A politically
important, a shocking film - about people who live concealed in our
cities" -judged the jury.

The CIVIS Magazine Prize for short programmes up to 10 minutes
went to Kremena Budinova und Svetoslav Draganov for the report .
"Small Stories from the Roma world: Hristov family" (BNT). "For ten
years, the Bulgarian television programme 'Roma World' has been
campaigning against discrimination and for integration. The programme
is directed against the passivity of the Roma and demands more self-
respect from them. In their short report on the Hristov family,
Kremena Budinova and Svetoslav Draganov give an insight into the
daily life of a traditional Roma family. There produce very authentic
pictures - powerful images and impressive", according to the jury.

The European CIVIS TV Prize in the entertainment category
(fiction) went to Martin Ambrosch for the ORF-Tatort "Out for the
Count". An exceptional crime thriller which is played out on the
milieu of forced prostitution and organized human trafficking. The
police commissioners investigate a brutal case: with a
twelve-year-old and thus not responsible perpetrator. The police
appear powerless in the face of the underground business of human
trafficking. In the jury's opinion: "The television film is moving
and deeply thought- provoking. The excellent direction and acting
performances make a crucial contribution to the outstanding overall
impression. A great film".

The European CIVIS Online Media Prize was awarded to Arash T.
Riahi und Arman T. Riahi for their new web-platform
"everydayrebellion.net" (Golden Girls Filmproduktion & Filmservices
GmbH). The unusual video platform, with numerous, even secretly shot
videos, audio files, photos, tweets and interviews, offers an
elaborate multimedia network of peaceful protest and social change
possibilities. The jury's comments: "The imaginative multimedia
webpage shows backgrounds to migration movements and calls for
cultural diversity. Highly political, outstanding in both content and
form, visually impressive. A superb webpage".

The European Young CIVIS Media Prize went to Eline Schellekens for
the short film "A home for Lydia" KRO-NCRV (Netherlands). The film
documents the everyday life of a little girl who was born in the
Netherlands but lives there without a residence permit with her
family. Repeatedly, the family is forced to move their home. They
live illegally, have no papers. The jury's verdict: "Impressive,
sensitive, humorous. A political film - a moral appeal, with an
exceptional protagonist".

The German CIVIS Television Prize in the Information category
(non-fiction) went to Diana Löbl and Peter Onneken. The long-term
report "Extradited! Temporary workers at Amazon" (HR/ ARD) looks
behind the glittering facade of Amazon.de and meticulously describes
the shadowy world of the online retailer's contract workers. It
reveals poor pay and degrading treatment of foreign workers.
Intimidation and mistrust. It criticizes working conditions, contract
terms and the links to questionable sub-contractors. "An outstanding
piece of journalism - with far-reaching political consequences.
Impressive craftsmanship", thought the jury.

The German CIVIS TV Prize in the Entertainment category (fiction)
this year went to Gabi Blauert, Damir Lukacevic and Gérald Klein fort
the film "Transfer - The dream of eternal life" (ZDF/ ARTE). With
their science-fiction thriller, the prize-winners deliver a
thought-provoking contribution about modern slavery and medical
exploitation. The film logically takes the organ trade from the third
world a step further and focuses on the theme of the global ranking
of ethnic groups. It shows people who can afford everything, but
ethically and morally have reached their limits. The jury found it:
"Cinematically impressive, with a colour design which is harmonious
down to the smallest detail. With wonderful actors and outstanding
direction. An extraordinary film".

The European CIVIS Radio Prize in the "Long programme" category
(over six minutes) went to Klaus Schirmer for his radio feature
"Scrubbing against right-wing extremism. The relentless struggle of a
pensioner against Nazi slogans" (SWR). Klaus Schirmer accompanies a
pugnacious pensioner on her cleaning tour against stickers bearing
Nazi slogans through Berlin and Chemnitz. "Beyond the personal
commitment of the protagonist, he produces an atmospherically
intense, highly differentiated sound picture of the threatening
development of right-wing extremism in Germany. Official ignorance
and shortcomings are identified. A great feature - surprising and
impressive", was the jury's conclusion.

The European CIVIS Radio Prize in the "Short programme" category
(up to six minutes) was awarded to Marc Lehmann for his radio report
"Echo der Zeit: Peaceful coexistence between Roma and Czechs" (SRF).
"The short report offers an impressive and positive example of
successful integration of Roma. "Marc Lehmann presents the peaceful
coexistence of Roma and Czechs - without prejudice, precisely and
curiously. He produces a diverse audio picture - of high radiophonic
quality", was the jury's opinion.

Broadcasting dates - CIVIS Media Prize 2014
08.05.2014 ARD/Das Erste, 0.00 - 1.15 (Night of 8th/9th April)
08.05.2014 ORF III Fernsehen, 23.00 - 0.20
09.05.2014 tagesschau24, 23.15 - 00.30
10.05.2014 WDR Fernsehen, 8.45 - 10.00
11.05.2014 3sat, 10.15 - 11.30

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

You will find further information at www.civismedia.eu

Pictures for download: www.ard-foto.de

Press contact:
Stefanie Schneck, WDR Presse und Information
stefanie.schneck@wdr.de, 0172 2599042