2020 ROCKIE AWARDS INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED Toronto, Canada – June 15, 2020 – The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is proud to announce the winners of the 2020 Rockie Awards International Program Competition. Hosted by Aurora Browne, Carolyn Taylor and Jennifer Whalen of the award-winning Canadian sketch comedy Baroness von Sketch Show, the virtual edition of the Rockie Awards International Program Competition was streamed live celebrating excellence in television and digital media content from around the world.
One of the largest awards programs of its kind and juried by an esteemed panel of 150 international industry professionals, the Rockie Awards International Program Competition presented awards in twenty-six (26) categories spanning Documentary & Factual, Arts & Entertainment, Children & Youth, Scripted and Podcast. In addition, special gala awards were presented including Innovative Producer Award, A+E Inclusion Award, Canadian Award of Distinction, Francophone Prize, $25,000 Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content and the Grand Jury Prize.
The competition featured 128 nominations from 35 countries including the UK, USA, Canada, Belgium, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, China and Switzerland.
Countries taking home top Rockies honours include: UK: 14 awards USA: 11 awards Canada: 7 awards France: 3 awards Australia & Belgium: 2 awards each
International Program Competition winners include: Drama Series: English Language Gentleman JBBC, HBO, Lookout Point UK, USA
Comedy Series: English Language Fleabag all3media, BBC Three, Two Brothers Pictures UK
Limited Series Chernobyl HBO, Sister, Sky Atlantic, The Mighty Mint, Word Games Lithuania, UK, Ukraine, USA
Drama Series: Non-English Language Giri/Haji (Duty/Shame) BBC Two, Netflix, Sister Japan, UK
Comedy Series: Non-English Language Mytho ARTE France, Netflix France
Children & Youth Fiction Series Hardball ABC iview, ABC ME, Australian Children’s Foundation, Northern Pictures Australia, UK
Lifestyle Program Employable Me Accessible Media Inc., all3media, Thomas Howe Associates Inc. Canada
Comedy & Variety Program Baroness von Sketch Show CBC, Frantic Films Canada
Science & Technology Program Science Fair Muck Media, National Geographic, Univision USA
History & Biography Program Free Solo Image Nation, Itinerant Media, Little Monster Films, National Geographic, Parkes+MacDonald USA
Docusoap & Docuseries Who Are You Calling Fat? BBC, Love Productions UK
Sci-Fi & Genre-Based Series His Dark Materials Bad Wolf, BBC, HBO Canada, UK, USA
Podcast of the Year This Sounds Serious Castbox, Kelly&Kelly Canada, USA
Innovative Producer Award Winner: Wattpad Studios The Innovative Producer Award recognizes the entrepreneurial excellence and achievements of an independent producer in TV/digital media.
A+ E Inclusion Award Winner: Niecy Nash The A+E Inclusion Award is presented in recognition of visionary work in media that champions and reflects the diversity of the world in which we live.
Canadian Award of Distinction Winner: Aurora Browne, Carolyn Taylor, Jennifer Whalen & Meredith MacNeill of Baroness von Sketch Show For the first time, this year the award is presented to a group whose body of work exemplifies outstanding achievement in the entertainment industry. Francophone Prize Winner: MAMMOUTH 2019 The Francophone Prize is awarded to the jury’s highest-scoring French-language video submission.
Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content Winner: Baroness von Sketch Show The $25,000 Rogers Prize is awarded to the highest-scoring Canadian program or property in the Rockies International Program Competition across two rounds of independent jury review.
Grand Jury Prize Winner: Fleabag The Grand Jury Prize recognizes the “best in show” from all Rockies International Program Competition winning entries.
The full list of Rockie Awards International Program Competition Winners is available on: https://rockies.playbackonline.ca/Winners/Winner/2020
###
About BANFF The Banff World Media Festival is one of the world's most important gatherings of entertainment industry executives and creators, dedicated to content development, production, broadcast and distribution within the screen industries. BANFF provides a platform for the evolving media industry to develop its creative and business objectives. It serves as a leading destination for co-production and co-venture partners and is an unparalleled marketplace for over 1500 international decision-makers to connect with new partners, learn from industry leaders and execute new business deals. The festival will again take place in June 2021 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada.
For more information on the Banff World Media Festival, click here. @banffmedia #BANFF2020 #BANFFRockies2020
For media inquiries, please contact:
Pam WilsonInk Media Corporation Tel: 818 495 3800 Email: [email protected] NOTE TO EDITOR – Please find below quotes from each of the Special Award winners: INNOVATIVE PRODUCER AWARD: Aron Levitz, Head of Wattpad Studios – “We’re thrilled to be named Banff World Media’s Innovative Producer. Innovation is a guiding principle for Wattpad Studios, and what we bring to entertainment with our data-backed approach to creating hit TV shows, films, and books. Today, just four years since launching Wattpad Studios, our approach has been embraced by studios and entertainment executives from LA, to Paris, Seoul, and everywhere in between. Wattpad stories are on screens and bookshelves everywhere. We couldn’t have done this without the support of an industry ready for innovation and the incredible writers who build amazing worlds on Wattpad every day.”
A+ E INCLUSION AWARD: Niecy Nash – “I’m deeply honored to receive the prestigious A+E Inclusion Award and grateful to be recognized as a champion of women and brave storytelling.”
CANADIAN AWARD OF DISTINCTION: Baroness von Sketch Show (Jamie Brown, CEO & Executive Producer, Frantic Films) – “As this series first started coming together, we dared to dream we might create a show that could stand with the best of Canadian comedy – and considering the company we’d be in, we knew that was an incredibly ambitious goal. I’d like to think that this incredibly important award goes a long way in showing that we may have achieved that audacious dream. Everyone knows how incredibly talented, funny, smart - and distinct - each of the Baronesses are, and they are truly deserving of this honour. I know they would also be the first to say that this award is shared with our incredible team of writers, directors, editors, cast and crew who have dedicated so much to making Baroness the incredible success it is.”
FRANCOPHONE PRIZE: MAMMOUTH 2019 (Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, Co-Host) – "By celebrating MAMMOUTH, you give a voice on TV to those teenagers. You give them the right to tell you what inspires them. It's very important. Thank you."
ROGERS PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN CANADIAN CONTENT: Baroness von Sketch Show (Jamie Brown, CEO & Executive Producer, Frantic Films) – “Thankfully, there are sometimes second chances in life. Last year, I was so caught off guard when they announced we won this award, I forgot to thank Rogers and Robin Mirsky – ughh. We are so thrilled to have won this award, and I’m especially happy as it gave me a second chance to thank Robin and Rogers for this incredible recognition! I’d also like to thank CBC, CMF, everyone at Frantic, our incredible production and post teams, and of course the incredibly talented Baronesses.”
GRAND JURY PRIZE: Two Brothers Pictures – “We are beyond thrilled that Fleabag has won the Grand Jury Prize at the BANFF Rockie Awards. Although it was one of the funniest scripts we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, Fleabag is also one of the most romantic, sexy, heart-breaking, smart and devastating programmes on television; which only proves the genius of the Phoebe and the phenomenal cast.”