ABC wins at Diversify TV Awards in France

Two ABC shows have been awarded at the Diversify TV Excellence Awards during MIPCOM Online+.

Total Control  from Blackfella Films and ABC Children’s short film And Then Something Changed from Sticky Pictures were both winners in the prestigious awards.

Total Control won the MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for Representation of Race and Ethnicity, beating US series Twenties and Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.

Deborah Mailman,  said: “This is a production I’m most proud of. It’s a dream to play such a complex and ambitious character that brings a unique voice to the screen. It’s wonderful that Blackfella Films, the ABC and all involved have been honoured on the international stage in this way. It’s absolutely thrilling.”

Sally Riley, ABC Head of Drama, Entertainment & Indigenous content, said: “I’m ecstatic about this award because we have been working so hard in this area for a very long time. It’s great to see diverse Australian writers, directors, actors and producers getting international recognition and congratulations to Blackfella Films and the amazing team they gathered for this show.

“Total Control for the ABC really struck a chord with our audiences because they are seeing a powerful Indigenous woman on screen fighting for what she believes in. It’s not a stereotypical role – she’s authentic, she’s sassy, she’s irreverent and just a really great character.”

Darren Dale, Managing Director and Producer at Blackfella Films, said: “Blackfella Films has always championed Indigenous voices and fought to have more inclusive stories on our screens, so this award is a wonderful affirmation of all we have aspired to.

“Deborah Mailman is a powerhouse actor and the combination of her extraordinary gifts and Rachel Griffiths’ brilliance made a thrilling drama where overt notions of diversity and inclusion became irrelevant, because they were simply intrinsic to the power of the story. And that is where we all want to be.”

A second season is in development.

Best scripted representation of race and ethnicity goes to Darren Dale of @blackfellafilms, for Total Control. 👏🏽 Congratulations for an impressive #MIPCOM @diversifytv Awards win!

Watch the ceremony in full: https://t.co/gH12IrjUZh pic.twitter.com/oaZlGgCtoH

— MIP Markets (@mip) October 13, 2020

ABC ME’s And Then Something Changed, produced  as part of the DisRupted funding program to support Australian creatives with disability, won the MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award in the Kids’ Programming category, beating UK program Pablo and Canadian program Lockdown.

Starring Theo Watson-Bonnice, the series enabled audiences to discover what it’s like to be a child with Achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, and to have to navigate a world that isn’t built for you. The short film screened on ABC ME to celebrate International Day of People with Disability on 3 December 2019.

Libbie Doherty, ABC Head of Children’s, said: “Breakout newcomer Theo Watson-Bonnice delivers a standout performance in this wonderful and clever film about the inaccessibility of the world around his character Luis. Huge congratulations to all the team behind the scenes, including Eliza Hull and Sticky Pictures, Donna Andrews and Stu Connolly. We are thrilled this film has been recognised.”

Eliza Hull, the film’s creator and producer, said: “I am very thrilled that our short film And Then Something Changed was awarded a MIPCOM Diversify award. What an incredible opportunity! Thanks to ABC Kids, Sticky Pictures and all the crew and cast, especially our lead star Theo Watson-Bonnice. As a person with a disability, I feel exceptionally proud of how the film shines a light on disability.”

Donna Andrews, CEO of Sticky Pictures, said: “Sticky Pictures is thrilled to win a MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for our short film And Then Something Changed. We are incredibly proud of this film and the wonderful team behind it, with special thanks to Producer Eliza Hull, Director Keiran Watson-Bonnice and our young, very talented star Theo Watson-Bonnice.”

Last but not least, the final #MIPCOM @diversifytv Award is for Best representation of diversity in kids programming. The prize goes to Eliza Hull, producer, co-writer and composer of And Then Something Changed. 🥳

Watch the ceremony in full: https://t.co/gH12IrjUZh pic.twitter.com/rwjluN8ian

— MIP Markets (@mip) October 13, 2020

 

Winners in bold:

Race & Ethnicity

Scripted
Twenties
Production company: BET
Distributor: ViacomCBS International Studios
Original Broadcaster: BET
Country: USA

City of Angels
Production company: Desert Wolf Productions, Aguilar Entertainment, Neal Street Productions
Distributor: ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group
Original Broadcaster: SHOWTIME
Country: USA

Total Control
Production company: Blackfella Films
Distributor: Keshet International
Original Broadcaster: Australian Broadcast Corporation
Country: Australia

Non-Scripted
Marry Me, Marry My Family
Race-Ethnicity-Non-Scripted-Marry-Me
Production company: CJZ
Distributor: TCB
Original Broadcaster: SBS
Country: Australia

The School That Tried To End Racism
Production company: Proper Content
Distributor: Banijay Rights
Original Broadcaster: Channel 4
Country: United Kingdom

VICE News Tonight
Production company: VICE News
Distributor: VICE Media Group
Original Broadcaster: VICE TV
Country: USA

LGBTQ+

Scripted
Veneno
Production company: Atresmedia Studios + Suma Latina
Distributor: Atresmedia
Original Broadcaster: Atresmedia
Country: Spain

Work In Progress
Production company: SHOWTIME Networks, Circle of Confusion, Jax Media
Distributor: ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group
Original Broadcaster: SHOWTIME
Country: USA

Feel Good
LGBTQ-Scripted-Feel-good
Production company: Objective Productions, Objective Fiction
Distributor: all3media International
Original Broadcaster: Channel 4
Country: UK

Non-Scripted
La Memoria Homosexual – Queer Memory
Production company: MEDINA MEDIA
Distributor: MEDINA MEDIA
Original Broadcaster: CANAL SUR – RTVA
Country: Spain

Jake and Charice
LGBTQ-Non-Scripted-Jake-Charice
Production company: Documentary Japan, NHK, NHK Enterprises, ABS-CBN
Distributor: N/A
Original Broadcaster: NHK
Country: Japan, Philippines

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2020
Production company: Blink TV Production
Distributor: N/A
Original Broadcaster: Special Broadcasting Service Australia (SBS)
Country: Australia

Disability

Scripted
The Accident
Production company: The Forge
Distributor: all3media International
Original Broadcaster: Channel 4
Country: UK

The A Word
Disability-Scripted-the-A-word
Production company: Keshet Productions, Fifty Fathoms Production
Distributor: Keshet International
Original Broadcaster: BBC One
Country: UK

Mental Season 1
Production company: Black Sheep Films
Distributor: Magnify Media
Original Broadcaster: France Televisions Slash
Country: France
Short Synopsis: Welcome to the “Primevères”

Non-Scripted
The Loop
Production company: Tallstoreez Productionz Pty Ltd
Distributor: Change Media
Original Broadcaster: SBS Special Broadcasting Service Australia
Country: Australia

Auténticos
Production company: Buendia Estudios
Distributor: Talpa (ITV)
Original Broadcaster: La Sexta (Atresmedia)
Country: Spain

Employable Me Canada
Disability-Non-Scripted-employable-me-canada
Production company: Thomas Howe Associates Inc.
Distributor: all3media International
Original Broadcaster: Accessible Media Inc. (AMI), TV0 (TV Ontario)
Country: Canada

Kids Programming

Pablo
Kids-Programming-Pablo
Production company: Paper Owl Films
Distributor: CAKE
Original Broadcaster: CBeebies and RTÉjr
Country: UK

Lockdown
Production company: Sinking Ship Entertainment
Distributor: Sinking Ship Entertainment
Original Broadcaster: YouTube
Country: Canada

And Then Something Changed
Production company: Sticky Pictures
Distributor: Australian Children’s Television Foundation
Original Broadcaster: ABC
Country: Australia