ABC titles win at Rose D’Or Awards

ABC ME series First Day has picked up a prestigious Rose D’Or award, adding to its growing list of accolades.

Created by writer / director Julie Kalceff, the 4 part series stars young transgender actor Evie Macdonald as Hannah Bradford, who is about to start her first year of high school.

The original short film, on which the series is based has previously won the Diversify TV Excellence Award for Kids’ Programming at MIPCOM 2018 and the Gender Equity Prize at the prestigious Prix Jeunesse International in 2018. Also a winner at the Chicago International Film Festival, it was produced by Epic Films and co-funded by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

Also winning was Content by Brissy’s Ludo Studios described as “the world’s first scripted vertical comedy set on a phone.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award, which honours a television personality for their exceptional contribution to the entertainment industry, was presented to Sir David Attenborough to celebrate his 60-year career as a natural history broadcaster.

Libbie Doherty, ABC Head of Children’s Production, said, “This is a phenomenal win for First Day and the amazingly talented transgender actor Evie Macdonald.

“The series enables trans children and their families to see themselves and their stories reflected on screen in a beautiful and sensitive child-centric way, which has resonated with young people and the international transgender community. Congratulations to ABC ME, writer-director Julie Kalceff, producers Kirsty Stark and Kate Croser and Epic Films, for helping to bring wider understanding and empathy to the world.”

Sally Riley, ABC Head of Drama, Entertainment & Indigenous content, said: “The ABC is incredibly proud of this team and the boundaries Content pushed in terms of form and story. Congratulations to Ludo Studio, Meg O’Connell, Anna Barnes and the team. We are deeply proud of the bold and fearless storytelling that Ludo and the ABC championed on this show.”

Mark Rowland, chair of the 2020 judges, said: “It has been an extraordinary year for television, reinforcing its role as central to all of our lives. It’s been an honour to review this incredible body of work – produced before and during the pandemic. Congratulations to the winners, all our entrants and every production team member who made these great shows possible.”

Nine Head of Content and Rose d’Or judge Adrian Swift told TV Tonight, “It’s been an honour to be asked to judge some of the best television in the world in several categories in this year’s Rose d’Or awards. It’s also been incredibly difficult given the wonderfully high standard of entries. I wish all the finalists the best of luck. You are some of the best of the best in a difficult year to make television”.

Winners in bold:

Comedy
Famalam UK
Secret Gameshow Japan
Woke USA
Did You Get the Message Belgium
R Mexico
Toren C Netherlands

Comedy Drama and Sitcom
257 Reasons to Live Russia
Parliament France
Sex Education UK/USA
Two Weeks to Live UK
Feel Good UK
This Way Up UK

Drama
Unorthodox Germany/USA
Babylon Berlin Germany
Normal People UK
Das Boot Germany
The Capture UK
Baghdad Central UK

Soap or Telenovela
District 31 Canada
Victoria Small Argentina
A Life Worth Living Brazil
Casualty UK
Nazare  Portugal
100 Dias Para Enamorarnos USA

Reality and Factual Entertainment
Still Standing Canada
We’ll Meet Again Israel
The School That Tried to End Racism UK
Smuggled UK
Generation Dating Ireland
Race Across the World UK

Documentary
The Forum Germany
Confronting Holocaust Denial: David Baddiel UK
For Sama UK
Afghanistan. The Wounded Land Germany
The Unwanted: Secret Windrush Files UK
Once Upon a Time in Iraq UK

Arts
The Great World Theatre – Salzburg and its Festivals Austria
This House is Full of Music UK
Lee Miller – A Life on the Frontline UK
Wim Wenders, Desperado Germany
Marianne and Leonard: Words of Love UK
Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words UK

Studio Entertainment
Mute It Japan
There’s Something About Movies UK
The Wonderbox France
The Way Out Belgium
Beat The Channel Germany
Lego Masters USA USA

Children and Youth
Malory Towers Canada
First Day Australia
Never Have I Ever USA
FYI Investigates: Children Caught in the Crossfire UK
The Tiger Who Came to Tea UK
Nighthawks Belgium

Social Media and Video Series
Labels: Young and Homeless Belgium
Anne Frank Video Diary Netherlands
The Square Root United States
Content Australia
Cancelled Spain
The Shape of Us UK

Innovation in the Time of Covid
Petrolio (Breathless) Italy
The Proms 2020 UK
Homefest: James Corden’s Late Late Show Special UK
At Home Spain
Front Messages Netherlands
Container Cup Belgium