6 linee tematiche inglese - Prix Italia

THEMATIC GUIDELINES OF RADIO PROGRAMMES IN COMPETITION
PRIX ITALIA 2011
Experimenting with Music
More than one hundred miniatures by composers living in Austria – in radio-shows, on
TV, in internet, as in concert-events, choreographic realisations, TV-versions, new
music festival appearances and live-transmission in the program commissioned by "ORF
Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna", for ORF Radio Österreich. (Miniatures for orchestra
for radio - ORF, Austria). A musical lecture in 40 minutes with live examples played on
the piano in order to explain, and at the same time, entertain music connoisseurs and
novice listeners. Interesting and inventive points of view, philological proficiency without
pedantry, a pleasant presentation of musical didactics in a radio programme. (Tête-à-tête
with music – RAI, Italy). The authors try to answer the question – what is jazz and
improvised music in today’s world Does it carry any values anyone should care about
In the first half of the 20th century, jazz was one of the most popular (and revolutionary)
music genres in the world. Why did it lose its mass popularity Why in despite of that
fact does it still attract brilliant musicians and devoted listeners "An improvisor" is a
story about life with music, dedication and reward. In the words of interviewed
musicians one can see the music shown in a political and social context. But also they
reveal their most intimate artistic experiences and their personal "philosophies of
music". During the programme voices of prominent jazz musicians can be heard, such
as Anthony Braxton, Branford Marsalis and John McLaughlin. (Improvisor – PR,
Poland). I asked the art critic and historian, Serge Fauchereau, ex-curator of Constantin
Brancusi's exhibitions for the Pompidou Centre in Paris, where he felt that Brancusi's
revolutionary creation was more authentic... in Paris, Bucharest or in Targu Jiu
Bucharest has its place in the long journey towards "The Golden Bird", work of the
famous Romanian sculptor and where we can find his fingerprints along with those of
some children in his workshop "Hidden-bird in stone". A radio sound-essay, an exercise
based on imagination for the listeners, who are all invited to touch the "fingerprints" and
listen to the light, glow and brightness. (Brancusi fingerprint – ROR, Rumania). “All of
the music derives from a single simple melody, which I harmonized, and then removed
the melody, leaving a series of chords. I then wrote another simple melody from those
chords, harmonized that melody with a different set of chords, and removed that melody
as well, giving me all of the final musical material. The first electronic section is built
from the last chord of the preceding section, with each individual instrument being run
through a simple granular synthesis program. The second electronic section was made
with two analog oscillators”.(Nearly last breath – CR, Czech Republic). “In creating
D-503, I wanted to produce a utopian environment of sound while stepping into a
"dystopian" world, using excerpts from the work of Yevgeny Zamyatin, "We", the sound
utopia, because a cluster of tones come from instruments not often brought together (be
they baroque, electronic or concrete); samples cut up into a thousand pieces;
compositions for piano and improvisations; hundreds of fragments put back together to
invent an unlikely instrumental ensemble, with a city in the background. Dystopia,
because in Zamyatin's work, written in the 1920's, I can see a world of excessive
surveillance which is becoming a reality before our eyes. However, D-503, the novel's
main character, doesn't give up hope”. (D-503 – SRF, France). Guro-gu’s, "My
neighbourhood orchestra" is composed of kids from families on welfare as well as
multi-cultural families. The purpose of the show was to introduce the orchestra and how
children are learning to respect themselves and hope for the future through musical
achievements. Not only was it meant to cheer the kids, but also to emphasize the
positive influences music and art education programmes can have on social change.(Lee
Hyeon-Woo’s music album – KBS, South Korea).

Redeem Music
Nebojša Ignjatovic, a lecturer at Belgrade’s faculty of music had an accident. He
underwent surgery on his hip and consequently had to walk on crutches for two
months. Looking at this old orthopaedic device – which has remained the same in Serbia
since the First World War – it hit his mind to turn a crutch into a musical instrument.
(Optimism – SBC/RTS, Serbia). "Indian summer" shines a spotlight on the lives of the
aboriginal peoples in Canada through the stories and songs of indigenous musicians.
Music is a way to bring diverse audiences together by giving listeners a common
experience by creating cultural understandings that build bridges between aboriginal
peoples and non-aboriginal Canadians. Billy Joe’s gritty guitar style and compelling
lyrics are the result of the catharses of his childhood traumas and continue to be a part
of his healing journey. (Indian summer: Billy Joe Green sings the residential blues –
CBC/SRC, Canada). "Brothers of Italy" is a program, an event realized for the
celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Unity of Italy. Through a unique
re-interpretation of the Italian national anthem, directed by Giovanni Allevi, the program
retraces the main phases of Italian history, from the Renaissance up to the present,
which have contributed to the affirmation and consolidation of the hymn, not only as the
national song, but also as a means of belonging, identity and historical continuity of our
country. (Brothers of Italy – RAI, Italy). We hear, but can we listen The world is getting
noisier and noisier. Sounds are growing louder, our ears are assaulted by the strident
clang of machines, and the ambient space is filled with grey background hubbub. We
can fill our ears with music anywhere, anytime. With all this going on around us, can we
hear what is worth listening to If we gave ourselves time to listen, what would we hear
The programme explores a world of listening. There is no time to follow every path, but
we can open the door a chink on a world of a myriad sounds with endless ways and
levels of listening (On the art of listening – YLE, Finland). The story about the birth of the
first radio station in this (Southeastern) part of Europe emerges from the documents
found in a family legacy. This documentary takes us from our present time back to 1924
and reconstructs the period along with the political atmosphere and social relations. The
feature plan is based on documents, newspapers and testimonies. The enthusiasm of
people coming from different social and public status (from Doctors of Science to clerks,
from important lawyers and actors to students), underlines that the essence of the "new
electronic media" was recognized from its democracy and its power to unite the peoples
from the most remote geographical points and social differences. (The day for listening –
HRT, Croatia). Who walked from Siberia to the village of Kuorevesi Who murdered
postman Matti Mäkeläinen on the first of October 1867 Who made a folksong out of his
own life Who walked from Siberia through Alaska to Duluth in USA – Janne of Halli!
Facts and stories make him a villain and a hero at the same time. Stories and the person
are fascinating the community while it’s explaining the evil being outside the
community. What makes Janne of Halli unique is the music, which has become part of
Finnish folk tradition, even though it was made by himself while being in prison in the
castle of Häme (in Hämeenlinna). (He must be different- The ballad of a man called Janne
of Halli – YLE, Finland). Kim So-eun, a college girl who thinks classical music is too
boring and difficult, receives an educational album "Listen & lesson: classical music
with commentaries" from her uncle. Through three consecutive episodes, she slowly
learns to love the genre. The first episode introduces music from the "Baroque and
Classical period", while the second introduces the "Romantic period" and the third "Late
Romanticism and 20th century music".While classical masterpieces by such composers
as Bach and Rachmaninoff are introduced throughout the programme, Kim falls asleep
listening to the album she received as a gift. In her dream she comes across major
composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Wagner and Tchaikovsky, who help
2

her learn about classical music. (Kim So-eun meets classical music – KBS, South Korea).
We meet the saxophonist Daniel. Naturally he can’t play the trumpet like Chet Baker.
That is precisely the point. Since the time he was thirteen years old and heard Chet
Baker on the radio he has had only one aim in life: to find a tone so pure that no one
knows where it comes from, a moment when the soul falls into place, those few seconds
of happiness. He has sacrificed everything else for this. At the age of thirty five he looks
back: was it worth it (Chet doesn’t play here – NRK, Norway). This is the story about an
instrument that survived centuries in the eternal winter, and how it inspired chamber
music in the Northern Lights Festival, February 2011. In the late 16th century, the
Dutch explorer, Willem Barents went searching for the North-East Passage. He and his
crew got stranded on the archipelago, Novaya Zemlja, in the Arctic Ocean where they
built a provisional cabin. This cabin was left untouched for centuries, until the
Norwegian explorer, Elling Carlsen, discovered it in 1871. Among the interior he found a
flute, a drumstick and a hymnal. The flute has now been reconstructed and has sparked
a concert project. (A flute in the ice – NRK, Norway). The radio feature "Lost wars"
provides an insight into the past and present day life of the Romanian city of Rasnov.
Situated right on the border between Transylvania and the Southern region of Romania,
the ethnic makeup of this community renders it an unique and interesting subject
matter. What started as a light hearted depiction of this colourful and interesting
community, led us to the unveiling of a grimmer reality – a reality replicated everywhere
in contemporary Romania – a reality of a people for whom freedom has still to be won.
(Lost wars – ROR, Rumania). In the 1950's more than 100,000 political prisoners were
imprisoned in communist Czechoslovakia. About 60 Slovak writers found themselves
behind bars. No comprehensive literary study about their tragedy has been published so
far. Ján Bábik decided to fill this gap. He prepared a three-part documentary titled
"Muses Behind Bars", based on sound archive material, memories of imprisoned writers,
their relatives, friends and literary historians.(Muses behind bars - 2nd part - RTVS,
Slovak Republic).
Yesterday’s Fairytale to T oday’s Reality
Adrian Penketh’s vivid 21st-century re-imagining of Honoré Balzac’s classic novel, "La
peau de chagrin", explores the tensions between ruthless self-gratification and power on
the one hand, and thought and knowledge on the other. Relocated to contemporary
London, Rupert is an unemployed investment banker, a victim of the financial crash of
2008. He is distracted from his suicidal despair by a "magic" animal skin which can
grant his every wish. But the skin shrinks with each wish and when it disappears he will
die. This is the story of his efforts to profit from and survive his ownership of the skin.
The production reflects Rupert’s state of mind as he is initially caught up in the noisy
hedonism of the city before escaping to the calm of the country as the skin weaves its
spell. (The wild ass’s skin reloaded – BBC, United Kingdom). "Little Thumb" is a radio
drama based on Charles Perrault's well known story. Little Thumb is a child who lives
with his six brothers in a poverty stricken country always at war. To emigrate to Europe,
he needs money and also needs to be very clever once he arrives in Europe, where he
has to go through bureaucratic procedures to avoid being classified as an "illegal
immigrant" and obtain the refugee status instead. (Little Thumb – Radio 24, Italy).
Contemporary Literature
In "The burial at Thebes", we hear a new translation of Antigone, by Seamus Heaney
who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995, "for works of lyrical beauty and
ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past". The poet’s technical
3

mastery is evident in his rendering of this ancient drama, beat for beat, and he lends his
voice to the production, as narrator. Under Patrick Mason’s direction, maximum
attention is paid to the rhythm and timing of each word, aiming to faithfully re-voice the
play for a contemporary audience. (The burial at Thebes – RTÉ, Ireland). The specificity
of this radiophonic adaptation of the renowned Doyle’s mystery, "The adventure of the
resident patient", is in conversion of four principal male characters into four female
personalities. In our version of the story, Mrs. Holmes investigates the case of robbery
and betrayal, helped by her friend and assistant, a very charming woman, Dr. Watson.
The adaptation strictly and faithfully follows Doyle’s text, but overthrows the loyalty of a
male cast to an entirely female one with the aim of questioning the (im)possibility of
being an emancipated female detective at the turn of the century. (The adventure of the
resident patient – HRT, Croatia). How can one put Leo Tolstoy’s "War and Peace" on the
radio At first, it seemed an impossible mission. Then suddenly the idea of "Memorable
Scenes" came to mind. Slowly, then at a gallop, because reading War and Peace has
imprinted in the memory of every reader, a memorable scene, several memorable scenes,
as if Tolstoy's narrative strength and drive was precisely to inscribe permanently the
"memorable" as the main character of his novel's incredible appeal. Choices were
necessary in order to realize the two hour and three episode project. It was complicated
and difficult at times to do the cutting. The narrator's voice, the vivid and choral scenes,
the rhythm, the fervor that the book generates coming from Tolstoy's questionings and
the pleasure coming from Tolstoy's readings, had all to be transmitted in its whole also.
(Memorable scenes from "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy – SRF, France). "The last tape"
is a radio adaptation of one of the most famous Samuel Beckett’s dramas, "Krapp’s last
tape". The radio production focuses on the verbal layer of text and on the other hand, it
composes sound and musical background that creates an independent plan of thoughts.
For the creators, the main subject of the play is the inability to record memories and
emotions that eventually cease to exist in time, because as a consequence our imperfect
memory can not fully replace the initial experience. (The last tape – RTVS, Slovak
Republic). "Aunt Julia and the scriptwriter", an autobiographical romantic comedy by
Mario Vargas Llosa in a dramatisation by Magnus Berg. Every year, the Radio Theater
especially produces a radio play dedicated to the year’s Nobel Prize winner in literature.
(Aunt Julia and the scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa – SR, Sweden). On the occasion of
the 50th anniversary of the death of the author Willem Elsschot in 2010, Pat Donnez
realized the radio series Zot van Elsschot. Prominent figures from the Flanders and
Holland talk freely about their favourite author. 'In occasione del cinquantenario dalla
morte dello scrittore Willem Elsschot nel 2010, Pat Donnez ha realizzato la serie
radiofonica Zot van Elsschot, in cui personaggi illustri delle Fiandre e dell’Olanda
parlano liberamente del loro scrittore preferito (Mad about Elsschot – VRT, Belgium).
Twenty years ago, Andreas came to Paris to work on his doctorate. In the beginning
everything went smoothly but then his money ran out. Beer was expensive and the
evenings were long. Then Andreas was approached in a bar by a stranger who handed
him 5,000 euros. A chance to start anew, on the condition that after a year he would
have to donate the sum to "Saint Thérèse of Lisieux" in the parisian church of
Sainte-Marie des Batignolles. (Destiny, by all means destiny "The Legend of the Holy
Drinker"– ARD, Germany). The city is infested with plague.A fiery family battle rages
inside the palace while inundation and conflagration ravage the country. Are great
misfortunes and natural disasters the consequence of human failings The story is
inspired by events in the Oresteia. A parallel narrative is told by the child who inhabits
both the past and present. (Dance of the hungry ghosts – ABC, Australia). There is
nothing unusual about an actress being able to act; however, the leading lady in Antonio
Fian's play can do much more. She can neigh, stamp, paw the ground and buck; after
all, that is what she has been engaged to do. A radio production, "Troy for Kids",the aim
is to make classical education palatable for young listeners, using modern language and
methods.. "Hennir" (French: to neigh) is a reflection on theatre, on bourgeois classical
4

ideals, on unfulfilled desires and the deadly power of the imagination. (Hennir – ORF,
Austria). Set in the contemporary Romania, "Argentina", explores a personal apocalypse,
in which dreams and desire, love and hate, sin and redemption all blend together in one
man’s tragic journey through life. The main character, Vlad The Impeller (the world
famous Bram Stoker`s character) is unconsciously following the destiny of the
Argentinian DJ, Fernando Peña. Society’s values and morals are meaningless to him,
while he endlessly questions himself on his homosexuality and on his cynicism. His
emotions run free, fueling and exhausting him at the same time. (Argentina – ROR,
Rumania). The philosopher Alain feels "burnt out" and leaves Europe for a road trip to
America. On his journey he meets Pete, a young man. Their initial and non-binding
relationship becomes deeper. On their adventurous travel they are joined by a young
man named Donny, who commits suicide on meeting with them. This brutal act results
in Alain’s and Pete’s awakening and drastically finishes their journey. Alain’s character
is inspired by Michel Foucault’s biography and work. His thesis about the end of man
inspired Ravenhill to review the Faust-like myth through the Western philosophy, when
it arrived at the end of the twentieth century. (Faust. Faust is dead – RTVS, Slovak
Republic). Prior to the 2010 Riksdag elections, Marie Lundström, cultural journalist and
literary critic met with leaders and/or representatives of all seven parliamentary parties.
She gave them all the task of reading and interpreting the 1941 poem, "Everyone is a
World", by the famous Swedish poet Gunnar Ekelöf. One poem, seven readers, one from
each parliamentary party... Are their political opinions noticeable in how they read the
poem (Politicians reading poetry - SR, Sweden).
Stories of Women
Emily Dickinson (1830-1856), "the white hermit" from Amherst, the strange poetical
character in 19th century’s New England, is a character in her own dream. In the
monodrama "Emily Dickinson’s last dream", Stamatis Polenakis, the contemporary
Greek playwright, restores her fascinating personality, recreating her with an empathy
going far beyond profound knowledge, intuition and sensitivity. The character of the play
relives her obsessions, her dreams and her guilt, her wishes and unfulfillment, her
happy moments or her unbearable pain, her agonizing fears, all in an unlimited
confession.. (Emily Dickinson's last dream – ROR, Rumania). Four prima donnas from
the 1950's and 60's cast open the doors to the palace of grand emotion: Martha Mödl,
Ljuba Welitsch, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Leonie Rysanek. The fifth protagonist in this
ensemble is the narrator himself, the devotee whose perspective, memories, choice of
words and phrasing bring the divas to life. (Prima la donna – ARD, Germany). "From the
darkness" is the story of the life and music of Ina Boyle (1889-1967), the neglected Irish
composer. She spent all her life in the Irish village of Enniskerry, apart from some
studying with Ralph Vaughan Williams in London. She wrote vocal, choral and
orchestral works.Soprano Sonja Keogh, with pianist David Brophy, recorded some of Ina
Boyle’s songs specially for this programme.(From the darkness: composer Ina Boyle –
RTÉ, Ireland). A new opera based on the writings of the 15th-century hermit Suster
Bertken, by the "ASKO/Schönberg Ensemble". When she was about thirty years old, she
had herself locked up in a small brick cell next to the Buurkerk in Utrecht, to spend the
rest of her days in meditation. Her outlook on the world was limited to two tiny windows;
one gave a view to the altar, enabling her to witness the masses that were performed
there, and the other looked out onto the street. Many would come to the recluse with a
request to pray for them, or their family members. She was known for her harsh and
Spartan lifestyle, that went far beyond the already strict rules for those who wished to
devote their lives to God. She was always barefoot, never used any fire, dairy products or
meat, and was dressed in all seasons in a coarse hair cloth and a simple, grey
dress.(Sister Bertha – NPO, Netherlands). This radio play centres around Yerma, a
5

young woman who hopelessly yearns to become a mother. Her husband Juan is
interested in material wealth, while Yerma believes that not only will an offspring make
her life worth-while but it will continue her life throughout time - the female notion of
the essence of human life against the male principal imposing the obsession with
material (Yerma – SBC/RTS, Serbia). Malcolm McKay’s hard-hitting play centres on a
young woman in therapy after a violent assault. Etian was once called Josie, the
daughter of an ordinary Irish family living in London. That was before she was raped by
an intruder in her flat and began cognitive therapy to help her come to terms with her
ordeal. Soon after her therapist asks her to relive the events, Josie suddenly stops the
therapy, changes her name and enters a convent, choosing to use her experience to help
others rather than to cure herself. (Etian – BBC, United Kingdom). A portrait of the
little-known American songwriter Jessie Mae Robinson who reached the peak of her
success thanks to her numerous folk songs classified in the hit parade of the 50s and
the acknowledgement by her great-niece Malika Elizabeth, a musician herself. Her songs
were sung by some of the leading artists of the day, including Dinah Washington,
T-Bone Walker, Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters, Nina Simone, Johnny Mathis, Sarah
Vaughan, Patti Page, Judy Garland and Bing Crosby.(Mellow Mama - Jessie Mae
Robinson – ABC, Australia).
That instant change in your life
"The watershed" tells of many stories and yet just one. A powerful experience of any kind
may change the direction of a person’s life. We all, so it is said, experience at least one
major crisis such as this during our lifetime. This documentary is made up of the stories
told by people hit by the Asian tsunami of 2004, but without concentrating on the full
story of any one person. More than the giant wave itself it focuses on the time thereafter.
It is about realizing how small we humans are, about understanding the transient
nature of life, about longing, love and death. And finally, every new day is always a new
day. There is always hope, even though this is not immediately evident. (The watershed –
YLE, Finland). A woman and a man, both in their forties, accidentally meet in the
London subway. They knew each other from a "previous life", from a time when they
wouldn't have dreamt of abandoning their homelands, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Who
they are, how they lived their lives in the meantime and whether there was a possibility
of becoming close friends once again are all questions that Darko Lukic, author of this
radio drama, "Please mind the gap", is trying to answer by confronting the two of them in
five different versions of the same situation. (Please mind the gap – HRT, Croatia).
Numbers of people who have been evicted from their apartments by an authorized state
bailiff have doubled in recent years. Being behind with just two months rent could be
enough to be evicted If no money is paid the tenant gets 5 minutes to collect his
belongings before the lock is changed. Max has been a bailiff for almost 38 years. Once a
week he evicts people from their apartments.“ Even though you get tougher during the
years, there are still difficult and desperate evictions. “Of course there are cases you
think about when you get home, that leave you very upset - that is obvious” says Max.
(When the bailiff knocks on the door – DR, Denmark). Has your own past ever hunt you
down It happened, not only figuratively, to the sad heroes of Daniela Fischerová´s
radio drama "Ungrateful Children". Their imaginary twenty year's old counterparts come
to visit them in an old people´s home where they have been spending the rests of their
unsettled lives, to tell themselves, albeit 50 years younger, how they had reflected on
ideals and hopes of their youth, much harder questions than they seem!..... As one of
the character says: "To hope in better future is naive, but only a complete idiot would
hope in better past". (Ungrateful children – CR, Czech Republic). Paris is said to be a
second home for everyone of us - we all carry it within ourselves as a "movable feast", for
it doesn't matter how or when, until we experience it on the spot. This is about two
6

emarkable stories and the experience of two storytellers: Štefan Bednár, a painter, who
lived and worked in Paris at the beginning of the 1930’s, and Dominik Tatarka, a writer,
who took part in students’ riots in May 1968. The documentary "Paris forever" is a
homage to a city that must merit the love and favours of us all. (Paris forever - feature
from the cycle "Put shoes on and go!" – RTVS, Slovak Republic). Once upon a time there
was a little village with exactly 800 inhabitants. One percent of this number was
accounted by one particular family. The Putz family. Father and Mother Putz had moved
to the sleepy village more than 30 years earlier. In the course of nine years, Mother Putz
bore six daughters. At the tender age of 16 the second born, Claudia, met her fairy-tale
prince at a ball. They lived in concubinage for 11 years until one autumn evening he
proposed to her. Elisabeth Putz, the author and director of this play, is one of the
sisters. For months, she followed the wedding preparations with her microphone, and
out of this created a great, romantic story. (The wedding Scenes from a country event -
ORF, Austria). "The caretaker" tells the story of David James, who was single-handedly
responsible for stealing hundreds of priceless, ancient manuscripts from the Chester
Beatty Library, in what is to date Ireland's largest insider theft from a cultural
institution. The Chester Beatty Library is famous for its rare and beautiful artifacts from
around the world and David James, for over 30 years, curated the world leading Islamic
collection. However, in 1983, he began to steal. Over the next 6 years, he meticulously
covered up his actions. But in 1991, through a series of coincidences, he was found out.
(The caretaker – RTÉ, Ireland). Young Danish nobleman and landowner, Eitel, had been
suffering from a feeling of guilt that his late father had once tortured a peasant to death
over a trivial issue.One day, learning that the grandson of the peasant, Linnert, had
been sentenced to death for murder, Eitel comes up with the idea to plead and have
Linnert’s life spared. On the night of a full moon, Eitel’s wet nurse, who is also Linnert’s
mother, makes a sudden visit with a shocking confession. In an act of revenge against
the landlord who killed the peasant - her father - she had switched Linnert and Eitel
shortly after they were born.This story is presented in the style of a suspenseful
psychodrama, portraying the conscious of guilt of a person born into the noble family of
a landlord entangled with the silent retaliation of the tenant farmer. (Night of the full
moon – NHK, Japan). In autumn 2009, the literary debate in Norway exploded when
author Karl Ove Knausgård published the first of a total of six volumes of his
auto-biographical novel "Min Kamp" (My Battle)(the Norwegian title translates directly
into "Mein Kampf" in German). This extremely disclosing novel series sold a record
number of books and was seen as a ground-breaking work that revoked the novel as
genre. Tonje Aursland was formerly married to author Knausgård and is a central
character in several of his "Min Kamp" books. In the radio documentary "Tonje’s
version", for the first time, she explains what it is like to involuntarily be a character in a
novel and have her life exposed in his books. (Tonje’s version – NRK, Norway). This radio
play is not one with a typical narrative structure. It's a conversation that the main
character and the narrator is having with himself – he is a Member of Parliament, who
was to be one of the passengers travelling by plane with the official delegation of the
Polish President to Smolensk in Russia. The plane crashed just outside the airport, all
passengers were killed. The main character had given his seat on the plane to a
colleague of his, and this is why he is alive. However, when he saw his name on
so-called bar on the television news, in a certain sense, he died that day. (Go around –
PR, Poland). For over 60 years Aleksander Chudek, a Polish fighter-plane ace who did
not come back from a patrol flight over Normandy in June 1945, has been officially
presumed missing. He left his wife and two sons in England and parents and siblings in
Poland. Due to the Iron Curtain in Europe and difficult personal situation connected
with the tragic disappearance of the pilot, the families have not been in touch for many
of years. One day however, a group of people in a French village found the wreck of the
plane, which had fallen on a Norman farm during World War II. An event from the past
shrouded in an aura of mystery and ambiguity has suddenly become topical and started
7

to affect the lives of the Chudek’s family and other people involved in the search. (The
last flight – PR, Poland).
The Power of Love
In this emotionally wrenching drama we experience several months in the lives of two
young lovers, Vanessa and Yusuf (15 years old). Their problems with school, drugs,
pregnancy and quarrels between the two families. The language remained unchanged
with sometimes unintended poetic passages which remind us of the great love stories
from world literature, e.g. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.Through this story of
innocence and despair an image of contemporary Berlin slowly emerges in all its
multicultural complexity. A love story recorded on the tough streets of multicultural
Neukölln in Berlin. (Loverap – ARD, Germany). On a summer evening in a Tokyo
high-rise apartment, former star actress Chizuko Satomura (74) tells her daughter and
personal assistant Natsuko (46) that a friend has offered her a stand-in role in a play. In
tears, Natsuko explains that the play has already finished its run and Chizuko is
suffering from dementia. Reflecting on fond memories of her old house where roses
bloomed in the garden, Chizuko decides to spend the rest of her life playing the part of
Natsuko's mother. Together, the mother and daughter travel towards the serenity that
lies beyond resentment. (A house with roses – NHK, Japan). Modou is a vendor in
Europe and a respected trader in his country. In Italy he sells crafts along the Northern
beaches, but here in Senegal, in his hometown, Louga, he is a boss and commands a
team of his assistants. Aisha, instead is a cultural mediator in Italy, but in Senegal she
is an entrepreneur full of energy and initiative who teaches a group of women in
Khombole the way to enhance economy by converting and manipulating the fruit grown
and harvested in the village. In the meantime, a company of street actors warn the
youngsters in the town of Louga, not to take the long voyage on the rafts that carry
illegal immigrants from Sahel to Europe. The voices of the migrants narrate a great
social transformation that entails Italy and the whole of Europe. (Senegal, Aisha, Modou
and other travels – Radio 24, Italy). Bongchang is tired of his wife’s constant nagging
and spending. Out of frustration and desire to get rid of her, he posts a big ad on
internet: declaring, "Used wife for sale". Forgetting about the ad, Bongchang suddenly
receives an unexpected message from a certain "X-man made in heaven", wanting to buy
his wife. As the conflicts with his wife continue, Bongchang makes the decision to
actually sell her. With $10,000 in hand, Bongchang celebrates the departure of his wife
by throwing a dinner party when he receives a call from his wife’s friend, Yeongran. As
they talk, Bongchang learns things about his wife that he had never known. Regretting
his decision, he looks for his wife and also allows the opportunity to cancel the
transaction done by him. What will be Bongchang’s ultimate fate (Kbs stage - wife for
sale – KBS, South Korea). The story brings together two worlds but also narrates their
disparate cultures: Africa (Burkina Faso) and Europe (Slovenia). Viewed through a
different perspective, the image presented by Africa and Africans is far from
conventional. The male protagonist is an educated, sensitive, and politically aware
young African with his own radio station in Burkina. There he meets a young Slovenian
woman with whom he starts a love affair. After a certain time he travels to Slovenia and
perceives the country from his particular angle. The author of the radio play uses the
intimate world of doubts, contrasts, conflicts, and attractions that come to surface in the
relationship of the young couple to portray the encounter between two diverse cultures.
(Cotton skin – RTVSLO, Slovenia). "Cleansing the soul through fun and games" is a
comic opera on a serious issue: The opera is about a young man who loses his toe-hold
on existence after losing to his brother in croquet, and how he reconciles with his
brother and regains his faith in the meaning of life with the help of love and a toy
cobbler’s bench. The composer calls the work a radio opera, with an unbroken pattern of
8

narration and music in tight unison, a unique composition that provides an intimate
experience for many lonesome listeners in their little playrooms. (Cleansing the soul
through fun and games – SR, Sweden).
Reality or Fiction
A modern psycho-comedy without a classical drama form combines some characteristics
of Ionesco, and at the same time, exciting power of a "Hollywood" thriller. The idea for
the play came from psychotherapeutic work of Eric Berne. Serbian playwriter Ðjuric
features an absurd and comic game constantly changing situations and relationships,
and when we think that we’ve caught the right end, voilà!... the protagonists have
skillfully and amusingly confused us once again. An interesting play always able to
encourage new productions on television, theatre and radio. (Which play are you in –
RTVSLO, Slovenia). Producer Natalie Kestecher is on a mission to re-unite a vintage
dress with the former Finnish beauty queen from the 1950's or 60's who was its original
owner. During her search she comes across the Kalevala, Finland's national epic and the
story of the Sampo, a magical but undefined treasure. What could possibly connect the
glorious old garment to the mythical Sampo The answer lies buried in this magical,
mystery Finnish tour. (Miss Finland's dress – ABC, Australia). This drama is a story
about the protagonist's encounter with death during his long voyage by train to
Belgrade, where his mother is in critical condition and could worsen tragically. On the
way, the protagonist imagines himself in a train accident in the future and being faced
with numerous passengers' "deaths". Recollections from his past as well as future events
appear and mix in his imagination. So, during his real voyage he experiences the pain
and emotion that he would have to face with his mother on arriving. A real journey,
haunted with the imagination of death, which plays the main role and that
metaphorically represents the journey to the final destination of every living being. (The
voyage – SBC/RTS, Serbia).
Far from the City
Poet James Crowden experiences the wide range of sheep communication at lambing
time in the dead of night, the interaction between ewe and lamb – and birth itself, often
in a sheep shed where up to 1,000 can be lambing at once. In this programme,
interspersed with the noises of sheep, are the voices of shepherds talking to their
animals, calling and counting them in the wide variety of sheep counting systems in use
up and down Britain. (Between the ears: out counting sheep - BBC, United Kingdom). A
month spent among the Italian minor islands. Travelling from the north (Liguria and
Veneto) to the inaccessible Montecristo in Tuscany, then down to Sicily among the
smaller islands of the Aegadian and Aeolian archipelagos. The story’s narration is voiced
by Teresa Mannino, one of Italy’s most popular comedians, who was accompanied by a
small team of Radio2 RAI broadcasters made up of the director, the editor and the sound
engineer. Light equipment was used to go ashore amidst the rocks, onto the fisher boats
and into the houses to record the voices, sounds and history of the islands. Located in
the middle of the sea, where daily newspapers arrive usually after the news has already
been refuted, where there are hardly any cars or ATM's (bancomats). To buy a
washing-machine or give birth, one must go to the mainland. One of the last Italian
prison colonies with its three "residents" is situated on Gorgona Island. Teresa Mannino
visited the island to listen to the prisoners’ stories. (Unappreciated Islands – RAI, Italy).
Topical Stories
9

This is a story about two men and a little baby ... well, a big baby actually. And the two
men aren’t just any two men. Both of the baby fathers began their lives as girls. Their
journey through conception, pregnancy and childbirth is both exceptional and
mundane, both universal and unique. Although the narrative is familiar, this particular
"birth story" challenges conventional ideas about sex and gender. (The small person
acquisition project – CBC/SRC, Canada). In the mythology and ancient texts of India, the
idea of a third gender has always existed. This radio piece is a poetic encounter with
members of the Hijra community, the sacred trans-sexual community in India.
Translated from Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi, the Hijras' words and texts take us to the
heart of the complex and multiple site of identity. Game of mirrors, sound object in
kaleidoscopic form, on the boundary between documentary and hörspiel, a journey to
the frontier of Gender.. (Hijras diaries-Transgender journal of a Hijra family – SRF,
France). Booze tells four different stories on four different people and whom all have
checked into the rehab center, "Tranegaarden", situated in the countryside.Karen is a 54
year old divorcee and is a schoolteacher. She lives alone in a small row house in Aarhus.
Her daughter, Helen, returns from South Africa and finds Karen drunk at home. Helen
calls Bo, a therapist, who succeeds in luring Karen to check into the Tranegaarden; this
is done by using a bottle of vodka ("Booze" – DR, Denmark). This play consists of two
interwoven stories. The first, relates to a successful couple who are struggling to
conceive a child through IVF; the second is the story of a married couple who are
travelling to Switzerland where assisted suicide is permitted. In this sensitive play, light
is cast upon the human journey for two couples wrestling with very contemporary moral
dilemmas. (Begotten not made – RTÉ, Ireland). Emma has started a new job. Her boss, a
nameless manager, demands that she provide regular accounts of what she does and
how she feels in her life. Although these discussions appear to take the form of friendly
and informal chats, Emma soon realizes that everything within the company is very
strictly regulated. Emma falls in love. She breaks the cardinal rule – no love affairs
between colleagues – and the nightmare begins.Young British playwright Mike Bartlett
describes a simple scenario that takes a delicate issue to extremes. How much can a
company expect from its employees And how much are they prepared to reveal about
themselves. (Contractions – SRG/SSR/IDEE SUISSE, Switzerland). Alan Dein follows
the lives of two brothers, Alex, searching for a fresh start away from London gangs, and
his adoptive brother, JJ, who’s poised for success on the London stage. (Lives in a
landscape: between brothers – BBC, United Kingdom).
Change in Today’s World
Giving out tickets behind the office window on the toll road, working as a stewardess on
an inland flight, scaffolding on a construction sight, for a Dutch person travelling
through the USA, it is surprising to see the amount of elderly people at work, who, in
our country, would have retired long before. In the US, a quarter of women between 65
and 69 years old and one third of the men in this age group all work. (Old America –
NPO, Netherlands). This is a prison with no confining walls, without bars on the
windows and where the inmates are free to come and go as they please, including to the
beach that is part of the premises. The "Casabianda" detention center – an ex-penal
colony located 70 kilometers from Bastia on the eastern coast of Corsica, accommodates
up to 194 inmates, most of whom sentenced for sexual crimes or offenses. This
establishment, the only one of its kind in France, shows that a different sort of prison is
possible. (Beyond the walls – SRF, France). "Kongshavn" is a radio drama like you've
never heard before. It’s fast, it’s hard-boiled, it’s about a political tug of war, prying
media, love and the war in Afghanistan. But above all, it’s about the Ross family. Elise,
is a politician aspiring to be a minister. Her husband, Otto, runs the family recycling
company with a rough hand. Together they have three children: Martin is about to
10

eturn from Afghanistan after serving six months as a soldier, Victoria is trying to
establish herself in the fashion industry and the youngest, Theis, is a techno-nerd with
scary talents. All of them get caught up in a chain of events over which they have no
control. (Kongshavn (episode 10 of 12) – NRK, Norway). "The silent partner" is a story
about a man who inherits his father's evil and entire kingdom. It is a player's move in a
world of pure psychological power and rhetorics, a world with people who are nothing
but made-up phrases and identities, silent partners in a destruction taking place. The
image of our identity has changed irrevocably, not only on the Internet, which is merely
a wet dream of this change, but our entire economy and communication have been
gathered together under the umbrella of a single truth and single form and turned into a
universal nothingness of bits and shares. (The silent partner – YLE, Finland).
Past War - Present Violence
It is a story of life between kitch and terror, this is the monodrama´s characteristics of
its author, Werner Fritsch. Fritsch found inspiration to do the piece of work in the
memoirs of Emmy, the second wife of Hermann Göring, the notorious Nazi leader. Emmy
portrays with naive sincerity what the life of Nazi prominents in luxurious homes, far
and safe from the front lines and the ordeals of the war was like. She never brought
herself to admit the truth of Nazis´crimes and was never aware of the immensity of its
destruction. (Enigma Emmy Göring – CR, Czech Republic). Between 1943 and 1945,
when Italian Jews started to be deported to Nazi concentration camps, Gino Bartali,
pretending to train on his bike, rode across the Apennines from Gavignana to Assisi. He
had carefully hidden forged documents in the frame of his bicycle; documents which for
many Jews meant to be saved from being captured and deported. (That ride on the road
of the Just - Gino Bartali – RAI, Italy). The comedian Wouter Deprez grew up near Ypres,
West Flanders. White-stoned war cemeteries and the scars of the Great War trenches
were never far away, recollections of the awful slaughter that took place in life of
Wouter’s childhood at the beginning of last century. Wouter Deprez investigates
front-line stories: tales of horror and despair, but also little gems of friendship and
unexpected pleasure. (Jack – VRT, Belgium) September 1939. Warsaw’s zoological
garden comes under heavy German bombardment. Following Poland’s surrender, Lutz
Heck, director of the Berlin zoo and dedicated Nazi, comes to Warsaw to dispatch the
remaining animals to zoos in Germany. Heck also claimed to have revived the extinct
aurochs so as to create an icon for the Third Reich. Even as Heck was emptying the
Warsaw zoo, the zookeepers, Jan and Antonina Zabinski, hid Jews and resistance
fighters in cages for pheasants. The feature re-tells the story with archive recordings as
well as contemporary interviews of those close to the Zabinskis, including their two
surviving children. (Subhumans and super-beasts – PR, Poland). There are around 750
Danish soldiers in Afghanistan. Denmark is responsible for bringing safety to the central
part of the Helmand Province. A column with supplies is leaving the Danish main camp,
Camp Price, in the Helmand Province, for the smaller camp Budwan. Rasmus is driving
the mine trundle, an armored vehicle that clears a track of roadside bombs for the rest
of the column to pass. Roadside bombs – or Improvised Explosive Devices – are the
weapons that severely injure or kill the most soldiers in Afghanistan. But incidents with
roadside bombs rarely receive much attention in the media. (The road side bomb – DR,
Denmark). On the 7th of January 2005, Oury Jalloh, a 37 year old refugee from Sierra
Leone burned to death in police custody in Germany. He was drunk and had been
shackled hand and foot on a fireproof mattress. Two years later, the trial of two on-duty
police officers began at the Dessau Regional Court. After a 59-day trial, the court found
11

the defendants not guilty in December 2008. "Despite the most intensive efforts", the
court had been unable to explain the death, said the presiding judge. The radio
documentary looks into this case with the help of internal observers and takes us to the
place where it all happened. (Burned alive in police cell no. 5 - The death of the asylum
seeker Oury Jalloh in Dessau, – ARD, Germany). An exclusive reportage, an enquiry
from the core of a new-old forgotten war. We are in Kivu, the Democratic Republic of
Congo. Giampaolo Musumeci and Ugo Borga spoke to the victims of the mass rape of
July, 2010 in the lost village of Ruvungi. Why has the mass rape now become a war
weapon Who is taking profit from that Musumeci and Borga travelled for 12 days on
the most dangerous axis of Congo, between Walikale and Masisi, one of the richest
mining areas of the planet.The two journalists marched for 50 km in the jungle to meet
the general staff of the FDLR, the Democratic forces for the Liberation of Rwanda,
blamed to have caused the massacres, among which the genocide of 94 in Rwanda.. An
exclusive interview on that tragic page in history brings forth a sanguinary picture of
Kivu. A sad contradiction, the authors of the bloody killings were actually those whom
should have protected the population...the government military body. In the meanwhile
the women of Kivu are the main targets and undergo violence. (Congo, the raped Africa –
Radio 24, Italy). On the basis of an exhaustive study of historical sources and
substantial documentary material till now unknown, Dr Miklavž Komelj's book, "How to
Contemplate Partisan Art"(2010), revealed some emotional and ideological sources of
the spontaneous artistic creativity of fighters taking part in the Slovenian and Yugoslav
national liberation movement in World War II. From the extensive material, the most
revealing and meaningful radiophonic cases have been selected for the present
documentary radioplay. (How to contemplate partisan art – RTVSLO, Slovenia).
Amanda's grandmother survived the Holocaust. In this documentary Amanda asks her
grandmother and her mother to speak into the microphone and then uses it herself to
comment on how difficult experiences continue to be passed in a family, from
generation to another. (I call you sometimes – SR, Sweden).
Extraordinary everyday Stories
In this episode of “L’esprit des lieux”, we meet people who every night confront the great
void in its basest form – the space under their bed. What we enjoy throwing under, what
we throw under in desperation, what we stash under, what we know is under, but
mostly, what we fear might be under there. Warning: this programme may contain dust
particles. (The spirit of places (episode: "under the bed"– CBC/SRC, Canada). Sounds of
dissecting instruments, running water in the autopsy room or a children's metallophone
– all of these account for the soundscape of a feature giving a deeper insight in the work
and opinions of Radek, a thirty-eight- year old medical examiner. A long knife enables to
dissect the brain with one clear move only. As Radek has it, a clean cut is more than
necessary in addressing also rather general issues. He criticizes malfunctioning
mechanisms in the society and, figuratively speaking, performs their autopsy. (Clear cut
– CR, Czech Republic). No-one could imagine that a bell is a very sensitive and fragile
object. It is hard to found, it takes a long time before cooling down and it is hard to place
on the bell-tower. It is difficult to harmonize with other bells in order to get a
harmonious chord. It often tolls from one church to another, from one clock to another
till it settles down, because who ordered it doesn’t want it any more. The bell easily
creates harmony with other bells, but it also ruins that harmony. In the blink of an eye
the bell can be removed from the bell-tower or broken with a hammer. It can be easily
founded again and transformed into arms, thus it metamorphoses from a peaceful and
spiritual symbol to a killer. (The deep ut – story about a bell – metamorphosis – SBC/RTS,
Serbia).
12

THEMATIC GUIDELINES OF TELEVISION PROGRAMMES IN COMPETITION
PRIX ITALIA 2011
Women and Children, protagonists of small and great stories
A newborn baby was found abandoned and naked in an apartment building on a
Christmas Eve. The baby was covered in amniotic fluid and blood with its umbilical cord
untied. After spending a week in the intensive care unit, hanging between life and death,
the newborn boy was moved to a welfare center and named “Seongtan” which means
Christmas. The news of Seongtan touched the hearts of many people. The center then
receieved many calls for adoption. Seongtan and other babies now called "miracle
babies" because once abandoned, are being adopted thanks to the news spread and the
center. (Christmas miracle – MBC, South Korea) Farewell narrates the story of Lady
Grace Drummond-Hay, the only female passenger on the first journey around the world
of the "Graf Zeppelin" in 1929. Grace writes about her adventures not only in articles
for the Hearst Newspapers, as a reporter, but also in her diary. High in the sky Grace
changes. Her former lover Karl von Wiegand is amongst the other passengers. When the
Zeppelin finally flies over New York, Grace says goodbye to Karl and the lovers lose
touch. Landing in New York she is welcomed like a cinema star. A few weeks later Wall
Street crashed and a dark period in history began. Beautiful use of archival footage of
the Graf Zeppelin itself and scenery filmed during its flights. A romantic story of the
relationship between Grace and Karl von Wiegand. Not one new shot has been made for
this documentary. (Farewell – NPO, Netherlands). On December 14th, 2010, a mother
and a little girl went through the arrival gate at the Incheon International Airport. With
dark skin and curly hair, the mother looked 100 percent foreigner, while the girl looked
somewhat different from her. The child's name is Ji-hyun and was born five years before
from a relationship between a Liberian woman and a Korean man. Ji-hyun had been
missing her father whom she had never seen. After having flown across the globe how
will the encounter between father and child be like, when they meet for the first time
(The day of Ji-hyun’s first meeting with her father – MBC, South Korea).. Farewell
narrates the story of Lady Grace Drummond-Hay, the only female passenger on the first
journey around the world of the "Graf Zeppelin" in 1929. Grace writes about her
adventures not only in articles for the Hearst Newspapers, as a reporter, but also in her
diary. High in the sky Grace changes. Her former lover Karl von Wiegand is amongst the
other passengers. When the Zeppelin finally flies over New York, Grace says goodbye to
Karl and the lovers lose touch. Landing in New York she is welcomed like a cinema star.
A few weeks later Wall Street crashed and a dark period in history began. Beautiful use
of archival footage of the Graf Zeppelin itself and scenery filmed during its flights. A
romantic story of the relationship between Grace and Karl von Wiegand. Not one new
shot has been made for this documentary. (Farewell – NPO, Netherlands). "Tokio baby"
is a story about 15-year-old Saara whose fate is to be stuck on her parents´ farm. She
can only dream of an escape from the idyllic countryside to Animecon, a Japanese
animation and comics festival, when she gets grounded for three days. Hara-kiri!. Saara
is saved from dying of boredom by her imaginary friend Aiko. (Tokio baby – YLE,
Finland). Eun-ha goes to middle school and lives in her aunt’s house without her
parents. When she is upset about her overdue school fee, she experiments a new type of
"voice phishing" which she uses to cheat elderly people living alone to give her money,
by pretending to be their granddaughter. One day, a grandma who lives alone after
losing her little granddaughter in an accident and has only limited time to live due to
cancer receives the first phone call from Eun-ha...(It’s me, grandma – MBC, South
Korea) Swetlana Geier is considered the greatest translator of Russian literature into
German. She has just concluded her lifework for Zurich’s Ammann publishing house –
completing new translations of Dostoyevsky’s five great novels – known as "the five
14

elephants". Her work is characterized by a great and sensual feeling for language and an
uncompromising respect for the writers she translates. Together with the film director
Vadim Jendreyko, the eighty-five-year old woman is making her first trip from her
chosen home in Germany back to the places of her childhood in the Ukraine. (The
woman with the 5 elephants – ZDF, Germany). A series of short documentaries produced
by the NBC Universal Global Networks Italia, to reveal the other side of history - the part
written by women and unveiled by its protagonists: from Lady Diana to Maria Callas,
from Jacqueline Kennedy to Margaret Thatcher. Women of the 1900s who lived their
lives in an extraordinary and intense manner and who were able to get close to the
hearts of people and arouse admiration in all the world. (Great Women – NBC, Italy).
Lionel is an 11-year-old boy who lives happily in Switzerland with his mother and
step-father. During a school trip to the zoo, Lionel is irresistibly attracted to an old lion
lying in a cage. The lion starts to communicate with him and asks him to find a way to
set him free in order to go back to Africa. With the help of his best friend Federico and of
his classmates, Lionel is determined to keep his promise Lionel ( – SRG SSR
Switzerland). Eunjo was far from being loved. Hyoseon was loved by many people but
she endlessly yearns for love after losing her mother at a young age. The two girls grow
up together. They hate each other, they love someone together and feel pain because of
each other. But as the two girls turn into women and love the same man their
differences disappear. This is a fairy tale for women about love and life, told beautifully
by two girls and one man. (Cinderella's stepsister – KBS, South Korea).
Magda Prokopowicz found the first tumor in her breast at 27yrs old. It came as a shock
to her! At about the same time, she suddenly fell for Bartek – the photographer of
numerous ads and films, the rising talent of the Polish school of cinematography. It was
love at first sight! so they got married and decided to do everything to overcome her
illness..(Magda, love & cancer – TVP, Poland).
Anna German had a voice of an angel. Her life was bright, but full of trouble. She sang
like no one did. She was offered huge fees and contracts in the West, but she chose a
small flat in Poland and concerts in the USSR. ‘She was above all this fuss’ – her friends
and fans said. She died young at 46yrs. old... (Anna German. The echo of love – CH1,
Russia). Akito has been the ears and voice of his mother, Reiko, who was born deaf,
Reiko dreams her son will become a professional pianist. One day, Akito meets Izumi, a
deaf girl in a street band. His mother disapproves, fearing Izumi will hinder his success
in ‘a world with sound’. This heart warming tale portrays a tight-knit love between
mother and son and their struggle to grow independent. (Threads of our hearts – NHK,
Japan). Three stories of women pertaining to different ages and social levels who all
meet in this documentary. The fils rouge that links them to one another is a desired or
unwanted “pregnancy”, that brings them to decide upon their own future. (Someone is
still waiting – SBC/RTS, Serbia).
A review of great films in which History has inspired unforgettable and memorable
stories and is presented by exceptional hosts who, from the "Centrale Montemartini in
Rome", where classic and industrial archaeology meet, accompany and uncover the
relationship between reality and cinematographic fiction for its audience. (1 film 1 story –
NBC, Italy). Turning 50yrs.old in a few weeks' time and getting dumped by a husband
who has found a 28-year-old. Capucine, refusing the advances of a fellow lecturer in
corduroy trousers again, signing up in a dating site, making love with total strangers
and at last finding a man you like who takes you to a swingers' club, fainting in the
metro, forgetting the date of your own birthday, having a nightmare about diving into an
empty pool, crying over François Truffaut's, The Soft Skin and running out of
tissues......are all the things that happen. (E-love – ARTE, France). On December 14th,
2010, a mother and a little girl went through the arrival gate at the Incheon
International Airport. With dark skin and curly hair, the mother looked 100 percent
foreigner, while the girl looked somewhat different from her. The child's name is Ji-hyun
and was born five years before from a relationship between a Liberian woman and a
15

Korean man. Ji-hyun had been missing her father whom she had never seen. After
having flown across the globe how will the encounter between father and child be like,
when they meet for the first time (The day of Ji-hyun’s first meeting with her father –
MBC, South Korea). Eight year old Sasha lives with his grandmother who doesn’t let her
daughter bring up her own son as she considers her daughter licentious. The tyrannical
grandmother and Sasha’s mother literally tear the boy apart. (Bury me behind the
baseboard – CH1, Russia)
Great social inquiries, drugs, organized crime, illegal business and generational
gaps, social problems and internet
Mario (50) and Valter (46) had been living openly as a couple for more than 25 years. The
wish to become parents, to have a family and a child to call their own, came naturally to
them. Both men have always possessed a strong paternal instinct.. Finally, they heard
about "Surrogate Alternatives" This documentary follows Mario and Valter from Italy to
California for a period of one year in their quest to become parents, as they share the
desires, dreams and fears of a gay couple yearning to have a child with us. (Two dads for
David – SRG/SSR, Switzerland). A young woman is found dead and the case is handed
over to detective Moritz Eisner Eisner’s investigations not only confront him with a
family tragedy and a religious façade. Then a second murder in the same pattern casts
the case in a new and disturbing light. The victim is a psychologist who worked at
deprogramming former sect members and who had a very personal reason for her
activities. (Faith, love, death – ORF, Austria).. A global report and a choral document
because it has involved journalists from worldwide. It is produced by TVE and special
correspondents in half the world.What have we examined Basically, that journalism is a
good tool in bad times and that journalism can undermine the power of the corrupt, the
warlords, the mafia ... precisely those who are obsessed with curtailing freedom of
expression.(Damned job – TVE, Spain). At the Saint-Jean Garrison, young recruits of the
Canadian Armed Forces undertake a rigorous forest training exercise. Without really
understanding what drives someone to want to be sent to the front, writer/composer
and singer Vincent Vallières accepts the challenge to reach beyond his prejudices,
meeting the men and women hidden behind weapons and uniforms. (Les Voix Humaines
- Vincent Vallières, the military world – ARTV, Canada). "Like a dolphin" is the story
about Alessandro (Raoul Bova), a champion swimmer who, at the peak of his success
had to stop competitive sport due to health problems. Thanks to his experience in sports
and to his kind human nature he is able to train a group of youngsters who, perhaps
would have all taken other roads without his help, to swim a freestyle relay that changes
their lives (Like a dolphin – RTI, Italy). In early 2011, a wave of anti-government protests
swept through the Middle East, toppling long-standing authoritarian regimes in Tunisia
and Egypt. A major force behind this “revolution” was the young activists who organized
demonstrations using social networking systems such as Facebook and Twitter.
The Internet tools were used to break through strict censorship and spread demands for
the end of the authoritarian regimes. NHK gained exclusive access to the activists during
the height of the protests. (Revolution.com: inside the Middle East uprising – NHK,
Japan). “Prime Time Investigates” exposes the sinister international crime networks that
supply Irish criminal gangs with millions of counterfeit cigarettes smuggled into the
country each year. Reporter Paul Maguire infiltrated the deadly underground network
which stretches from factories in the Far East to market stalls in small Irish towns. He
revealed how Irish smokers in their bid to buy cheap cigarettes are funding crime and
giving millions in profit to dissident terrorist gangs in Ireland. (Prime Time investigates -
Inside Ireland's illegal cigarette trade – RTE, Ireland). Gezim is a mountain boy, born and
raised in the Albanian Alps. Without letting his family know, he secretly leaves his home
and sets out towards Austria, where he settles down in a small town called, Villach, with
16

the hope of finding a better future for himself. His father, an elderly man who believes in
old fashioned and conservative moral principals, starts out in the search of his son. To
discover whether he reaches his goal, all you've got to do, is to watch the documentary..
(Lost traces –TVSH – Albania).
Denmark is among the European countries that has the highest rate of young people on
drugs like cocaine, amphetamine and ecstasy. 14% of Danes under the age of 35 have
taken drugs.
DR Documentary bring together four young people at a castle to unveil the reasons
behind their abuse.. (100 days without drugs – DR, Denmark). In less than a year
Wikileaks has grown from a rather obscure website to a global political player, shaping
world history and events, by revealing secret documents about war crimes, corporate
corruption and shady political backdoor dealings. Over several months a crew from the
Swedish Television has been following the secretive media network and its work behind
the scenes. The result is a one hour feature documentary that tells the story behind the
story. ).(Wikileaks – The documentary – SVT, Sweden)
History, conflicts, political and economic issues.
The biography of a "Securitate General", one of the most important superior officers of a
communist secret service who had ever deserted to a western country. Mihai Pacepa
entered the General Direction of the People’s Security in 1950. He had a vertiginous
career and in 1972 was the deputy commander of the Direction for External Information.
In July 1978 he ran away to the USA. Due to his confessions, Ceauescu's dictatorship
and the mechanisms of the Securitate became better known. (A General from the East –
RO/TVR, Rumania). This is a work of fiction, inspired from characters and actual facts.
On October 19th 1921, a group of sailors and republican guards led by Corporal Abel
Olímpio scouted the streets of Lisbon in a military truck that became known as the
“Ghost Truck” and killed the heroes of the 1910 Republic revolution: Machado Santos
and Carlos da Maia. Berta Maia, the widow of Carlos da Maia, refuses to accept the
passivity of the courts and against all odds decides to search the truth behind these
violent events.(Bloody night – RTP, Portugal). Post-apocalyptic science fiction. Europe is
in a state of world disruption and only a small part of the continent is inhabited. All
Europe is under incessant radiation bombardment from military satellites which pass all
human control. The only people capable of safely traversing the death zones are the
so-called runners. One of them is just trying to lead a group of people into a new and
safer home. (Runners – CTV, Czech Republic). Former SS-Officer Adolf Eichmann, is in
hiding in Argentina. Lothar Hermann, who has gone blind recognizes Eichmann and
alerts the German State Attorney General, Fritz Bauer, who informs his Israeli
colleagues. In 1960 the Mossad kidnap Eichmann and brings him to Israel, where he is
executed after a public trial. (Eichmann's end - Love, treachery, death – ARD,
Germany). Baghdad, 2004. "Major combat operations" have ended, but the real battle in
the Sunni triangle is just beginning. The situation is steadily deteriorating. During a
24-hour cease-fire, the two journalists Oliver and Ralf join humanitarian worker Kim
and medical doctor Alain Laroche on an expedition into the hot zone. A film about people
going to the limit under the most extreme circumstances to help others. (Cease
Fire-ZDF, Germany). As the financial crisis shakes the capitalism system, this story tells
of the tremendous power of shareholders on work and workers. Our story leads us from
the French-based firm Fenwick, which makes material handling equipment, to the
obscure world of Wall Street finance. (Work sentenced to death 'the dispossessed' – FR3,
France). In Jordan, in the heart of the Middle East, Iraqi, Palestinian and Lebanese
refugees are working on the filming of "Incendies", an adaptation of Wajdi Mouawad’s
play. Whether extras or onlookers, these exiles once experienced scenes very similar to
the ones depicted in Denis Villeneuve’s movie. "Se souvenir des cendres", explores their
17

views on the vicious war and cycle of violence being recreated before their eyes and by
their own efforts. (Remembering the ashes - Incendies through their eyes – ARTV,
Canada).
The documentary tells the story of the Northern Ireland Troubles through the
unflinching testimonies of two young men who were on opposite sides of that bloody
conflict, the IRA’s Brendan Hughes and the UVF’s David Ervine. Nearly ten years ago
they talked to researchers from the Boston College with the condition that the interviews
would be not be made public unless the interviewees either gave permission or died..
(Voices from the Grave – RTE, Ireland). When Adolf Hitler begins his campaign of
conquest in 1939, most Germans actually don't want war. But Hitler and his
propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels use every tool of propaganda to change their
minds. German pride is invoked to justify the invasion of Poland and France - among
other countries, dark messages of hatred are used to persuade Germans that minorities
should be stripped off of their rights, deported or sent to “detention” camps. (Love, hate
and propaganda - Selling the war – CBC/SRC, Canada). NRK got the unique possibility
to follow a Norwegian activist and family man before, during and after he was onboard
the flotilla to Gaza which was attacked by the Israeli navy in May 2010. Nine activists
were killed and more than 50 activists and soldiers injured in the operation. This
documentary captures the activists' optimism and enthusiasm as they plan the
aid-flotilla. In addition to unique footage from the attack and the ship, we meet wounded
activists and Israeli commandoes afterwards trying to explain the tragedy. (Operation sea
breeze – NRK, Norway). A comedy drama about ambitions and suppressed emotions,
about the hazy border between dreams and reality, about the dream of happiness versus
an organized life, where you can plan for everything, except chance. The series revolves
around the 25 year-old twins, Lykke and Thomas Leth and the Danish pharmaceutical
giant, SanaFortis. The company specializes in the production of psychopharmacological
drugs. Their antidepressant Forticil has ensured blockbuster sales, but the patent is on
the verge of expiring and a replacement is urgently needed. (Happy life – DR, Denmark).
The story of one of the most incredible fabrications in modern history. When an Iraqi
engineer arrives in Germany in 1999 and applies for political asylum, he immediately
starts to give the German Intelligence Service a detailed account of Saddam Hussein’s
weapons of mass destruction. Curveball's accounts became testimonies that helped
justify the war in Iraq. The story of Curveball offers a unique insight into the secret
world of international politics and secret services and reveals how one man’s lies killed
hundreds of thousands of his fellow countrymen. (The man who lied the world into war –
DR, Denmark). Journalist Martin Heylen has taken an in-depth look into the lives of 8
famous Belgians, following them around both during and after working hours. This was
done not in search of some scoop or shocking exposé, but to have a close up of how
these people dealt not only with important questions in life but also with life’s minutiae,
all the trivial things that we all have to deal with sooner or later. (God and everyman –
VRT, Belgium).
Music and Dance
A glowing creation dominated by a white silvery light, but also with powerful questions:
how to reach a human state of euforia without end How to face this quest and vision of
Utopia and yet so hideously eternal, still, deprived of empathy and constantly so bright
and lit up On the notes of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, "Hyhm to Joy" up to Bach's
"Toccata e Fugue in D minor", an enthralling vision of the Ballet that Classica shot at
the Torinodanza Festival. (You para | diso – Classica, Italy). Jordi Savall, one of the
most universal musicians of the world, while developing his great historical work, "The
Borgia Dinasty" and its subsequent premiere in January 2010 (500th anniversary of
Saint Francis Borgia). Jordi Savall has created a great musical piece from the music of
18

the glorious period of the Borgia family (15th and 16th century, during the Renaissance
period). A very personal investigation of the time, the characters, the musical traditions,
the musical instruments designed during this period and the pieces originally
performed. (Jordi Savall & the Borgia – RTVE, Spain). How can great figures of the
music world get closer to the young or downright to children Perhaps Lorenzo
Cherubini, known as Jovanotti, Italian songwriter loved by thousands of youngsters, has
actually been the right man to mix the soul of Pop music with that of more profound
thematics. At least, we can estimate it by the results of the contagious enthusiasm with
which he launched himself into the "operation Rossini"!!! A bubbly and sparkling "pill"
on the music of Bruno De Franceschi and on the text of Jovanotti. Children who sing,
play and act and have the know how to intrique and attract the public. (Rossini!!! –
Operinafor voices and orchestra – CLASSICA, Italy). A film broadcast live and worldwide,
concieved and produced by Andrea Andermann who, together with the Rai, transmitted
the atmosphere, the evocative power and awesomeness of Giuseppe Verdi's opera from
the exact places and hours of the libretto, respecting the rythm of the story as well as
authentic work of the authors. A film by Marco Bellocchio, with Placido Domingo who for
the first time took the part of Rigoletto. Film making by the Oscar Award Vittorio
Storaro. With the participation of Rai's National Symphony Orchestra conducted by
maestro Zubin Mehta. (Rigoletto in Mantua – RAI, Italy). Filmmaker Beate Thalberg has
crafted a docu-drama based on a little-known source of information about Gustav
Mahler, from the diaries of Natalie Bauer-Lechner, Mahler’s long-time confidante. The
film portraits Mahler’s private and professional life starting from his student years in
Vienna up to his marriage with Alma Schindler. The diaries evoke the man behind the
artist and not only testify Mahler’s erratic character and his disposition but also his
dramatic struggle for recognition as a composer (My time will come - Gustav Mahler as
remembered by Natalie Bauer-Lechner – ORF, Austria). A beautiful, emotive and
evocative piece illustrating the special bond between mother and son. A fully dressed
man is pushed into a swimming pool by his mother. He treats the gesture with
unimportance and starts dancing underwater, always aware that she's watching. After a
while she joins him, and they play out the story of their relationship through the
underwater dance. (Deep end dance – RTE , Ireland).
Sixty years ago young Daniel Barenboim held his first concert at the "Teatro Colón".
Today he returns as "Maestro of the Scala" to his birth city,Bueno Aires. With Giuseppe
Verdi's notes he sets the seal on the tournée that brought the Orchestra and the Choir
of "La Scala Theatre" in Argentina. Historical courses and recurrences that bring to life
the stories of the Italian migrations of half a century to this captivating land of which
the same Barenboim said: "Argentina is the sole Italian country where Spanish is
spoken". (La Scala Theatre at the Teatro Colón - Italians in Argentina – Classica, Italy).
The life of Luciano Pavarotti through archives footage, interviews and short fiction
movies especially filmed to describe the events linked to the childhood and early youth
of the Maestro. The scenes tell the story of a young Pavarotti and his relationship with
his father Fernando, with his mother who insisted that her son continue his singing
lessons and then his encounter with Beniamino Gigli and his singing teacher Maestro
Arrigo Pola. The documentary-film leads us into the Maestro’s cities, beginning in
Modena, where he was born, lived and where "Pavarotti & Friends" was staged to Reggio
Emilia, where he made his debut in "La Bohème" and all the way to the great
International stages where he performed. (Pavarotti, the voice of angels – RAI, Italy).
"Collegium Vocale Ghent" celebrate their 40th anniversary. Philippe Herreweghe’s choir,
which attained international fame with outstanding Bach performances, and it was
pivotal in the revival process of ancient music. Apart from archive material and
highlights of the past fourty years. We shall witness Collegium Vocale Ghent during
rehearsals in Ghent, as well as at the festivals of Saintes and Toscane. (Collegium Vocale
di Gand: 40years of passion - VRT, Belgium). Music when played by top violinist Janine
Jansen seems to come straight from heaven. A top career, however, needs a lot of hard
19

work. Even heavenly music is subject to the banalities of the market place. Janine
Jansen lives for her music. Still, there are limits. But where will she draw the line
(Janine - NPO, Netherlands). Antonio Pappano looks at six of Verdi's most famous
works - Nabucco, Rigoletto, Don Carlo, Otello, Falstaff and La Traviata and conducts
them at the Royal Opera House with the super-starry cast of Renée Fleming, Joseph
Calleja and Thomas Hampson. He conducts "Va Pensiero" from Nabucco at a vast
open-air concert in Naples, this chorus was to become a powerful symbol of political
unity for the Italian people. (Opera Italia - Viva Verdi – BBC, United Kingdom). Being
able to sing, standing on stage and being cheered by audiences like a famous star
–certainly a dream of many people! The profession of an opera singer can certainly be a
dream job, but singing opera is a high-performance sport. Such prominent artists as
Jonas Kaufmann and Anja Harteros, as well as the Viennese singers doctor Reinhard
Kürsten and music journalist Jürgen Kesting, who ranks as the “Vocal Pope” recount it
like it is. (High-performance sports: singing opera – ARD, Germany). Every night, a father
tells his son a bedtime story to help him fall asleep. As a challenge, the child always
choses the same book, "The Carnival of the Animals" by Camille Saint-Saens. This book
which initially seems a little austere is transformed by the complicity of the father and
his son and becomes animated. A story for the whole family in live caption and
animation. (The carnival of the animals – FR3, France). After the award-winning
productions «La Traviata at Central Station» (2008) und «La Bohème at the Tower Block»
(2009), the Swiss national TV network Schweizer Fernsehen staged an opera in
exceptional settings for the third time. Guiseppe Verdi’s «Aida» was performed on the
banks of the river Rhine around the Mittlere Brücke area in Basel. The ensemble of the
Basel Theater Company and the Basel Symphony Orchestra opened whole new
perspectives on the opera classic. (Aida on the Rhine – SRG SSR, Switzerland).
Acclaimed all over the globe, Cesaria Évora is at present one of the greatest voices in the
"music world". All began at the begining of the 90's in France when Cesaria found
success and became the legendary "barefooted star". But who is Cesaria Évora really
Through the testimonies of people who knew her since she was a young girl and
following Cesaria to Cap-Vert, to Paris, her "second home" and during her tounée in
Israel we gradually get to know her. (Cesária-nha sentimento –RTP, Portugal). In the
summer of 2010 the music world was hit by the sad news of the death of Sir Charles
Mackerras , one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century. He helped the world
discover the greatness of Janáèek’s music and had spread awareness of Czech music
abroad for half a century. It is his merit that Janáèek’s operas became an inseparable
part of the repertoires of all world stages. He had first encountered the music of this
great Czech musician in 1947 during his study sojourn in Prague under conductor
Václav Talich and it was a fateful encounter.. (Sir Charles, thank you, dìkujeme – CTV,
Czech Republic). Ferenc Liszt was nominated President of the Budapest Music Academy
in 1875. Within the ancient and historical walls of the famous building we recall the
music of one of the most famed composers of the 19th century. The accomplished
painist, Gergely Bogànyi accompanies us with his pieces. (Ricordanza – DUNA TV,
Hungary). This special live edition is an act of solidarity with the Japanese people.
Maestro Kent Nagano leads the musicians of Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
through their interpretation of Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony. One of our reporting
teams also travels to Japan to witness firsthand the Japanese mustering their strength,
and yet again to rebuild what lies in ruins along with their sense of hope.(One hour on
earth for Japan – CBC/SRC Canada). The film depicts the life of Django Reinhardt, one
of the best known and most effective Gypsy artists of all times. The genius of a guitarist
was born one hundred years ago in a Sinto Gypsy caravan. With a burnt hand Django
laid down the foundations of playing the modern jazz guitar in the 30s. The style of
music created by him has become a concept of its own all over the world. (Django –MTV,
Hungary). Ever since discovering Andre Mathieu and his work, pianist Alain Lefevre has
been constantly spreading the word about the man and his genius. In this documentary,
20

Lefevre performs music composed by Mathieu as he explores the dazzling career of this
pianist and composer born in 1929. Mathieu was a child prodigy who began composing
at age four. He died in Montreal in 1968 but his music continues to live on. (Alain
Lefevre signs André Mathieu – CBC/SRC, Canada). Meet Jussi Björling, one of the
greatest singers of our times, on his hundredth anniversary! His children and colleagues
tell the gripping story of a poor orphan boy who was both applauded by the world and
fought hard with his dark forces. Even today, 50 years after his death, he is considered
to be one of the best singers ever. (The Jussi Björling Saga – SVT, Sweden).
Literature, Theatre
In spring 2010 "The Norwegian National Touring Theatre" engaged International director
Stein Winge to stage Eugene O’Neills “Long day's journey into night”. Liv Ullmann, who
currently lives in the US, returned to Norway to play Mary Tyron. This documentary that
follows the trials of the rehearsal time will be her last on stage. At present she is 72
years old. (Rehearsals – Time of trial – NRK, Norway). Alan Bennett’s play "The Habit of
Art" is built around an imagined encounter between the poet W.H. Auden and the
composer Benjamin Britten in Oxford in 1972. In fact, the two men hardly spoke after
their collaboration ended in the 1940s, and Auden said that Britten was the only friend
he had ever lost. "Alan Bennett and The Habit of Art" looks at the extraordinary
relationship between one of England’s finest poet and one of the greatest composers of
the twentieth century. (Alan Bennett and the habit of art – CH4, United Kingdom). They
called her the Hungarian "Villon" after the famous French poet,thief and general
vagabond. She came from the very deep bottom of life and tried to reveal how sad hers
was, but nevertheless life in itself was beautiful. Her name was Éva Tandari, a writer
and a homeless. (Éva Tandari – DUNA TV, Hungary). A monologue by Marco Paolini on
Nazi eugenics. Between 1939 and 1941 in Nazi Germany, before many other brutal
killings, thousands of both physically disabled and mentally disturbed children and
adults were killed, lives deemed "unworthy of being lived." Aktion T4 is the dramatically
effective realization of a proposed elimination of the "different" and "useless". This is a
secret project, achieved by a few people, but in fact carried out under the eyes of
everyone.
(Ausmerzen - Lives unworthy to being lived – LA7, Italy).
Art, cinema and photography
Inside the Vatican there is the whole of Italy, region by region. Required by Pope Gregory
XIII, under the form of fresco, the gallery is made up of 40 maps, painted around 1580
by a team of landscape painters co-ordinated by the geographer Ignazio Danti. Antonio
Paolucci, director of the Vatican Museums, guides us on a real journey into XVIth
Century’s Italy, whose unity had been constituted a long time before Cavour and
Garibaldi played their game and where our country, although politically divided, looks
united by its history, language, religion, and culture. (A journey into 16th century's Italy.
The gallery of maps in the Vatican – TV2000, Italy). The idea for a documentary on Ugo
Tognazzi sprang from the desire to relate to life, loves, passions, successes and
disappointments of a great actor, but also to reveal his hidden, secret aspects and lesser
known works for the first time. Never before has the Tognazzi family permitted the use
of personal photos and behind-the-scenes footage from Ugo’s films to be publicized,
together with material that shows the actor’s private side and his time spent with
friends. The soundtrack is by Sergio Cammariere, and the end credits feature an
21

unpublished song – dedicated to Ugo - with lyrics by Gianmarco Tognazzi. (Portrait of my
father – La7, Italy). A multicultural magician, an aesthetic perfectionist, sculptor Anish
Kapoor thrives on new artistic and technical challenges, such as his enormous inflatable
structure with which he took over the Grand Palais in Paris at the Monumenta 2011
exhibition.This documentary recounts the world according to Kapoor, via a journey, from
his London studios to the permanent installations of Chicago and Naples, to exhibitions
in Bilbao, Mumbai and Delhi. The artist is given the opportunity to talk personally about
his perpetual quest for new forms, which are always deeply moving. (The world
according to Kapoor – ARTE, France). At age 40, Marc Séguin is considered one of the
most talented painters of his generation. His works have been shown around the world
and collectors impatiently await each new exhibition. A student of Molinari and an
admirer of Riopelle, Séguin paints complex, genre-crossing pieces that never cease to
amaze..(Bull's Eye: a painter on the watch – ARTV, Canada). There was exciting
abundance of cultural diversities in Zagreb during the period between 1961 and 1973.
In this decade Zagreb became an international centre where relevant exhibitions were
held and this particular style in art flourished. The international art movement "New
Tendencies" was founded in Zagreb in 1961 and those who visited and took part at
exhibitions then, are now renowned artists and art theoreticians. Half a century later,
the New Tendencies retrospective was held at one of the largest world centres for art and
media at the ZKM in Karlsruhe. (New tendencies – HRT, Croatia). A documentary film
on Aki Kaurismäki’s, the Finnish prematurely deceased star actor Matti Pellonpää. It
depicts his person, his life and work Persons tell stories about Pellonpää in milieus that
comment and enrich them. The actor himself will be seen in the pictures of the
interviews as a figure following his friends conversations as if from a cloud. One of the
central characteristics of the film is Pellonpää’s warm canine gaze which developed into
the actor’s legendary emblem. (Bohemian eyes – Matti Pellonpää –YLE, Finland). This is
a documentary film on Omer Kaleshi, the Albanian well-known painter. We can discover
a true, sensitive and very talented artist through the wonderful verses that screen-writer
brings forth to us. Our journey starts off from Macedonia, the country where he was
born and raised in, to Istanbul and all the way to Paris, the cities where the famous
painter is infact creating his art. (The root – TVSH, Albania). Ognjan Kozhuharov is a
Bulgarian artist who has been living in Budapest for forty years. His statues ornament
several places in Hungarian cities. In addition to art Ognjan Kozhuharov has also been
outstanding in the field of sport. He has been a trainer and section Head at the Aikido
Association of the Capital and its vicinity. As he says, this sport has similar traits with
art.Together with his wife, Eszter Kneisz, a tapestry artist, they have had several joint
exhibitions. They believe that each others opinion is important and cannot imagine
their daily life without Art. (Cross-Section – MTV, Hungary).
Traditions, folklore, religion
A documentary's depiction of twenty of the most meaningful historical reconstructions of
our country. A television series of TV2000 signed by Pupi Avati to tell its most important
moments, , and to witness its historical value and how it culturally took root into the
country. A pretext to verify to what extent the present is related to the past in handing
down the representation of an event that still identifies a country and its people from
generation to generation. The episode tells how a whole little town of the Venetian
mountains, during the Belle Epoque, destination of kings and queens but now fallen
into oblivion, every two years re-discovers its own identity in the process of remembering
its past by means of a big feast which is closed by a magnificent pageant.(Recoaro Terme,
the call of March – TV2000, Italy). Entering the world of 21st-century Gypsy and
Traveller weddings, where ancient traditions meet modern fashions in an ostentatious
culture clash, "My Big Fat Gypsy" follows four Gypsy and Traveller families on their
22

wedding days. Brides compete to have the largest dress, but sex before marriage is still a
scandal and divorce is unheard of. The weddings are visual spectacles: girls parade into
church in enormous dresses that sometimes weigh more than the bride herself. (Big fat
gypsy weddings – CH4, United Kingdom) Pastor Lee was both a priest and a doctor by
profession. He sought areas that had been bombed to offer comfort and heal the
wounded. He built a school to rescue children who were being hauled off to war. He
helped them dream of a future and brought music into their lives by creating a brass
band which gave them hope and confidence. When he passed away, the Sudanese felt
great grief for the man who had been like a father to them. (Don't cry for me Sudan –
KBS, North Korea). An archive based docu-film about the most famous street in
Croatia, located in the city of Dubrovnik. This documentary is not only another beautiful
Tv exploration film footage: director and scriptwriter, Hrvoje Juvancic, use archive as a
starting point for investigating contemporary life in Dubrovnik and one of the greatest
problems that every small and ancient town in the world deals with: abandonment of its
inhabitants and becoming an empty tourist facade. (On Stradun – HRT, Croatia). A path
to re-discover the Word through the reflection of Benedict XVI in the time leading to
Easter. “The Holy Week with the Pope. The programme was shot on the background of
the suggestive church of St. Stefano Rotondo in Rome. The actors read selected pages
from “Jesus of Nazareth”, the book by Benedict XVI published by the Vatican Publishing
House. “From the entrance into Jerusalem until the resurrection”, a publishing success
and on the top of the best-sellers list. Directed by Giuseppe Bartolomei and Dario
Giacani. The musical score is taken from Johann Sebastian Bach.(The Holy Week with
the Pope. Selected pages from 'Jesus of Nazareth – TV2000, Italy).
Science, environment
The Arctic is the harshest environment on Earth: little food grows, it’s dark for months
on end, and temperatures stay well below freezing for much of the year. Yet four million
people manage to survive here. Human Planet tells remarkable stories of extraordinary
people who make their homes in nature's deep freeze. Amos and Karl-Frederik are two
protagonists of this episode who set out across the sea ice with their dogs to catch a
real-life sea monster: a Greenland shark! (Human Planet - Arctic: Life in the deep freeze –
BBC, United Kingdom). It was 400 years ago when Galileo Galilei opened the window to
the skies with a telescope. In 1609 Johannes Kepler published his "Astronomia Nova"
and in the process provided us with a new understanding of our solar system. To
commemorate these scientific milestones, the UN declared 2009 the "International Year
of Astronomy". The documentary tells the little known story of the curious relationship
between the two world famous scientists: a parallel tale of admiration and rivalry from a
time when the disciplines of religion, art and science had yet to be separated (When the
sun stands still - Kepler, Galileo and the heavens – ORF, Austria). The memorable
catastrophe in the Chernobyl power plant took place on 26th April 1986 at 1:27 am,
affecting the lives of over 300,000 people in a direct and immediate manner who lived in
the surrounding areas of the then USSR territory. The docu-drama reconstructs the four
days following the disaster from the point of view of the Polish communist political and
military circles, alarmed by the medical scientific center in Warsaw, as well as the
reactions of foreign journalists based in Moscow. (Chernobyl – Four days in April – TVP,
Poland) Stories of war that left deep wounds in the protagonists psyche, obsessive
nightmares, anguish, suicide attempts… during four long years and changing their
lives forever. Men, women, soldiers, reporters, NGO workers, war professionals: nobody
is spared by what the doctors call « post traumatic stress disorder ». A mysterious
sickness, so widespread… and such a taboo.(No visible sign – FR2, France). The Jialasa
village, which lies deep in Tibet's Yarlung Tsangpo canyon, is still in an unexplored
region in China. During the two months of summer when the snows melt, its villagers
23

put together a transport team of men and horses to get daily necessities for the long
winter. For several days, they risk their lives crossing dizzying cliffs. They must travel
500 kilometers, going up and down cliffs more than 4,000 meters high and along narrow
paths about three feet wide. (Lonely path for survival – NHK, Japan). On October 4th,
2010, the retaining wall of a toxic sludge reservoir at the aluminium factory in Ajka,
Hungary, gave way. Bursting through the 22 meter-high walls, the red mud enveloped
the nearby villages with terrifying speed. The toxic river, at times two meters high,
moved cars, buildings, fences and wherever it flowed across more than 2,400 acres, it
left behind what looked like a Marsian landscape. This was just one of the
environmental time bombs ticking away in Eastern Europe, where the legacy of
post-communism includes hundreds of defunct yet dangerous mines as well as
still-functioning, but outdated industrial sites. (The red sludge and other ticking bombs –
DUNA TV, Hungary). It costs just $2.50 to dump a ton of toxic waste off the coast of
Somalia. It’s the world’s cheapest rubbish dump and a nice little earner for certain
westerners, who would have to pay $1,000 to dump their trash back home. But
hundreds of Somalis are falling ill and poisoned by other peoples’ waste. Who is
dumping this waste in Somali waters Who in Somalia is making money from it Two
Italian journalists have already lost their lives for asking such questions. We re-open the
inquiry. It’s an investigation that leads us into the shady underworlds of the Italian
mafia, Somali pirates and the lethal nuclear waste industry.(Toxic Somalia – ARTE,
France).
Everyday stories and crime news
On August 5th, 2010 in the copper mine of San Josè situated in North Chile, a wall of
the main passage collapses, 33 men remain trapped in the bowels of the earth. On the
22nd of August a sonda reaches the security room.....the men are alive! Two points of
view intertwine: the first, on the surface, that of their families, technicians and the
televisions troupes that shoot the happening, the second, under-ground, and that of the
miners who resist. Two worlds wait and live above and under the mine in San Josè.
(Nothing else – RAI, Italy). Walter Duts, a strange but very nice man, has been living
alone in their family home. Afraid of the outside world he lives in a bubble of peace
allowing only a very limited number of people in. He is friendly and fond of his
neighbours Annie and Mieke. Annie’s daughter, Connie, is also friends with Walter but
her husband Danny, a cop, doesn’t trust the strange man. (Duts: Bulgarian wines – VRT,
Belgium). In "Amsterdam en vele anderen" dozens of other narratives intertwine with
that of Adam and Eva. These stories, with their various characters, describe the tension
between anonymity and intimacy that characterizes life in the city. (A’dam & E.v.a –
NPO, Netherlands). This programme, telling the story of the five young women who were
murdered in Ipswich in the winter of 2006. Directed and shot in a naturalistic style it
blended scenes of the victims’ lives in the weeks leading up to their deaths with news
archive of the actual events as they unfolded. The greatest task facing the programme
makers was to tell the story with truth and compassion whilst always respecting the
victims’ still grieving relatives.(Five Daughters – BBC, United Kingdom). Naked Finnish
men in saunas speak straight from their hearts. In the warmth of rusty stoves they
cleanse themselves both physically and mentally towards the film's deeply emotional
and unforgettable finale. The film travels through Finland joining men of all walks of life
in many different saunas to let us hear their touching stories on love, death, birth and
friendship and about life. (Steam of life –YLE, Finland). The 9A Form was a model class
until its master, the ‘Teacher of the Year’, Anatoly Nosov fell ill. Without his strong hand
the myth of ‘model class’ myth tumbles down, his granddaughter turns out to be almost
the worst pupil of the school, and the new pupil Epifanov makes his classmates behave
insolently. The fixed vision of the class falls in, and no teacher wants to teach in the
24

class that in a flash has become the school’s problem. (School – CH1, Russia). Two farms
with marvellous thoroughbreds - and two families, competing with each other. Only one
can win .... They and other people around them are grappling with small and great
problems, united by the bond of love for horses. (Sign of the horse - part 6 – The Auction
– CTV, Czech Republic). Gorsky and Lottner are observing the Baltic Sea café following
a tip-off by the arrested Max Weber and promptly land in the raid of the Berlin Federal
State Police Authority, the LKA. Gorsky and Lottner see a man running away. They take
up the chase, capture the man and hand him over to their LKA colleagues. (Face to face
with crime - Part 2: Always one step ahead – ARD, Germany). One heart is the TV
programme to commemorate the victims of the disastrous plane crash in Smolensk,
Russia on April 10, 2010 that killed 95 major Polish political and parliamentary figures,
including the President of Poland – Lech Kaczynski with his wife Maria Kaczyñska. (One
heart – TVP, Poland). It all begins in 2010 with the escape of Tony Roucas alias Crazy
Tony, a big shot hoodlum doing a long stretch, and Kenz, a 20-year-old punk from the
projects. They have to travel together, their getaway mixing two generations, two
methods and it will also make Tony understand how he had lost the woman of his life.
(Tony's revenge – FR2, France). Yanghui, decides to rent out the room on the 2nd floor
in the hopes of earning some extra cash. But she’s on the verge of a nervous breakdown
due to the elderly man suffering from dementia that constantly hassles the new tenants.
On top of that, her husband addicted to internet Korean checkers has no concern for
what’s going on; her son who’s just finished his military service does nothing but play
the guitar all day in the hopes of becoming a rock star and though her eldest has a
steady job and is reliable, concerns are that she may never get married at this rate, all
add to Yanghui’s nerves. (A family's secret – KBS, North Korea).Random, is Debbie
Tucker Green's directorial debut, adapted from her critically acclaimed play at the Royal
Court Theatre. Set over one day, this touching and profound story follows an ordinary
family's daily routine which is shattered by one random act which changes everything.
(Random – CH4, United Kingdom). "Weekend in Brighton" is a character play; it is as
funny as it is tragic and melancholic. Jan leaves Slovenia for London where he earns a
modest living as a greengrocer. His letters to his parents are full of lies about his
success. However, when Jan’s family finally arrives on a visit, the moment of truth
seems inevitable.... Will Jan’s wife Helena be able to forgive him the lies and give him
enough support to reconcile himself with the truth and the pain of failure in front of his
parents (A weekend in Brighton – RTVSLO, Slovenia).This romantic comedy is about
Janne and Pontus, who meet for the first time at a New Year’s party. Accompanied by
fireworks and sizzling champagne, their eyes meet and time stops. It literally says
“schmokk”! love at first sight. Four years later, Janne and Pontus share a flat, but the
initial crush of love is long gone. Now they are more concerned about vacuum cleaning
than about having sex. Is it too late to return like it was before between them (Schmokk
– NRK, Norway). The objective is the need for solace, the search for a smile and the
desire to experience happiness. The atmosphere of the countryside, the farmhouse, the
piety of simplicity embraces the whole film. The vibration, beat and dynamism of the city
distract the mind from obtaining the true road. Only beauty and art can guide you back
on the real track. (Guards of spirits – MTV, Hungary). Since 2001, the TVE family saga
“Remember When”. The series revives the domestic history of Spanish families during
the years of transition towards Democracy and all the enormous social, economic and
political changes they had to face.In this episode we are in 1978. The Alcantara’s,
thanks to a social improvement, leave their old home to start a new life in a wealthier
neighborhood. The first communion of Maria will be the excuse to bring together the
whole family and to strengthen ties with the new neighbors. Confirmation that
Government’s President Suarez will attend the ceremony forces Antonio to suddenly
change plans for the celebration … (Maria's two communions – TVE, Spain). Pontus,
Mats, Olle and David. Four friends through thick and thin, who have known one another
forever. Four friends in their thirties who in different ways start all over with their lives –
25

just when they thought all choices were made... (Walk the talk – SVT, Sweden)
26

THEMATIC GUIDELINES OF WEB PROGRAMMES IN COMPETITION
Category: “Interactive site linked to a radio or television programme”.
“Second screen applications for the programme”
Technical Innovation: multichannel, website in HTML5 works on PC, labtop, tablet and
mobile browsers hosted on a cloud platform (Google Appengine), HTML5 for realtime TV
graphics via node.js. Programme innovation: second screen applications to increase the
live experience of the programme, usage of tablets during broadcast by the live audience,
incorporation of the realtime results via the videowall. VRT – Belgium. “Exile Without
End” Exile Without End, is a Web-documentary in three languages, English, French and
Arab, presenting the life of refugees in Chatila. An interactive map has been developed to
present Chatila. Nine specific places are identified and each of them is developed as a
specific theme. Each place provides videos, portraits and information about the place
itself and its inhabitants. Our site proposes a completely immersive experience by
sound, image and video of fantastic quality. The coverage is not only wide, it is deep. The
viewer is really witnessing life in the camp, as if he were actually walking in the streets.
A blog by each one of the journalists has been on-line while they were in Liban. Pictures,
videos and short text witness their visit and experience there. Viewers have participated
by sending their own comments and testimonies. CBC/SRC - Canada. “Dybbol 1864” In
a spirit of Nationalist arrogance, Denmark in 1864 challenges the union of German
countries. This year "Danish Radio" has decided to re-enact the central battle of Dybbol
by broadcasting live radio coverage as it would have sounded in 1864. The broadcast
was supported by a website with background material on the battle, live blogging,
interactive "news" graphics illustrating the movements of the armies and an interactive
map where users can upload stories of soldiers destinies. This is a very popular feature
illustrating the ongoing interest in the battle and turns the website into important
historical evidence. DR – Denmark. “Aitio” - YLE Areena is the biggest net-tv channel in
Finland. It offers on demand content as well as live broadcasting on web. In YLE we
have developed a concept to support live web broadcasting: this concept is called "Aitio"
(Box seat in English) Aitio creates a unique user experience. It offers live videostream
with chat, facebook and twitter commenting and related content in the same browser
window. The user can watch the show with other users and chat together. YLE's
professionals and journalists can also participate in the discussion.. Opportunities are
countless and our users love the concept. YLE – Finland. “Addicts” Addicts, is a
web-fiction and fictional drama which is thought and written specifically for the Internet.
The story has four main characters and the action of each character is driven by the
addiction in which he is trapped. They all try to rebuild their lives. When someone
proposes the burglary, they are all tempted by the easy money. But what will they
decide Who is really manipulating them Between November 15th and December 16th
2010, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, a new episode is posted on the website.
One episode is composed by 5 sequences (modules). One for each character and one
Custody. The custodies are reflecting the police inquiry of the crime. ARTE – France.
“Alpha 07” The story of “Alpha 0.7” is set in the year 2017: Johanna Berger, 35 years
old, mother of a teenage daughter, fears she is going insane. What she doesn’t know:
There’s a chip planted into her brain. Johanna has become part of a malicious
experiment. She is subject Alpha 0.7.Her new employer, Protecta Society, and the
state-run Pre-Crime-Center NPC are testing novel techniques of brain-manipulation.
Implement brains-canners all over Europe – that’s their plan. And they assure being able
to identify and control the brains of criminals – in order to stop them before they can do
any harm. “Alpha 0.7” is the first multi-platform 360-degrees-project put into practice in
German media. It works through the combination of websites, followed by a tv-series
and radio drama (6 sequels each) - a concept that found remarkable response and has
27

een received with enthusiasm by users viewers and the press ARD – Germany.
“Universe of the oceans”, based on bestselling author Frank Schätzing's book, "News
from an unknown universe", the TV documentary shows the "History of the Oceans" in
three parts. Spectacular, never-seen-before underwater footage and cutting edge CGI
technology take the viewer to a journey to past, present and future of where life once
may had its origin depicting the latest results of scientific ocean research. Key
application of the cross-media content is the 3-D interactive world depicting five ocean
habitats. on the information, simply use our glossary in alphabetical order. Our goal is
to open people’s minds towards the life in the world’s biggest eco-system, creating
awareness on the human impact and in the best case leading to a change of habits.
ZDF - Germany. “Operation Transformation” Operation Transformation is a unique
cross-media event. Operation Transformation searches to find people who want to lose
weight, get fit and transform themselves. Operation Transformation put out a nationwide
call to find the five new leaders for the 2011 series. They need to be willing to radically
change their eating and exercise habits, and be prepared to inspire listeners and viewers
to follow them on their journey. Over the 8 weeks that the show is aired on TV, covered
on Radio and RTE.ie. The five leaders also inspired thousands of people across the
country to overhaul their own diets and fitness regimes, as the levels of activity on the
online resources certainly proved. The Operation Transformation website has a
dedicated Facebook page that proved to be a valuable resource giving followers the
opportunity of offering advice and support to each other, constant updates from the
leaders, along with tips, and discussions. RTE – Ireland. “Italia 150”, is a multimedia
platform “produced in .net” accessing contents through the Internet website, with
dedicated mobile applications, digital TV and social-networks. Its objective is to retrace
the history of Italy during the last 150 years through: videos produced especially for the
event, textual documents, multimedia in-depth reports, detailed information, special
applications and biographies. The system is addressed to the general public, experts,
secondary school teachers and students. Some particularly innovative elements are: the
Risorgimento time-map, interactive games, applications for mobile telephones and
tablets, “live” online connections with integrated chat-lines on Facebook and a format
dedicated to outstanding figures. RAI – Italy. “Life force: evolution never ends”, Life
Force online offers virtual guides through 34 environmental hotspots that are home to
wildlife that makes up 70% of all species facing extinction. These include the six
hotspots covered in the related TV documentaries. The content makes generous use of
NHK’s visual resources, including photographs and videos to describe each location in
clear detail. In-depth content that helps deepen understanding of biodiversity hotspots
is offered on the website in Japanese, English, and French so that more people around
the world can share information about our planet’s environment. Game-like features and
an iPhone application (in Japanese and English) make the various species familiar and
more accessible to a wider audience. NHK – Japan. “Beagle – on the future of species”
Join a unique scientific sailing voyage around the world in the wake of Charles Darwin,
investigating the future of species. Almost 200 years ago, Charles Darwin sailed around
the world on the HMS Beagle, gathering information and inspiration for his
groundbreaking theory of evolution, published in his book, "On the Origin of Species".
What would it be like to take this journey again What would we see if this time we
wouldn't look for the origin, but for the future of species VPRO, NTR and Canvas sailed
around the world on a modern-day Beagle. The magnificent sailing vessel the clipper
Stad Amsterdam was rigged with high-tech media equipment including a tv studio,
satellite dishes and HD-webcams. Our goal with the Beagle crossmedia project: Take
everybody with us on a unique scientific journey. NPO – Netherlands. “Trekant” what
happens when you put three sexually unexperienced young people in an apartment and
give them the task: to expand your sexual horizon. This resulted in a hugely successful
television series and web experience. The series were immensely popular among
Norwegian teenagers and spawned a colossal national debate over sexual education in
Norway. The eight episodes premiered weekly on the website, and during the 28 live

oadcast on TV, the users could chat and interact with the three participants from the
show. All the episodes and content are still available for watching on the website.
Trekant is a enormous success thus “Trekant 2” is now in production. NRK – Norway.
“Mobile website for smartphones - morning show”, we have seen a decline in listening
habits for traditional radio among young people. This is our way of re-inventing radio for
the young audience. So we decided to make the best mobile site for smartphones. To
give the audience the full experience and all the content from the computer website of
the Swedish Radio - in a site specially made for smartphones. With the sound, live
channels, shows and clips, in focus, to go after the young audience.The smartphone
mobile website gives the visitor all the great content from the full version website, in an
easy to use version for smartphones. Visit each and everyone of all the over 500 show
sites, listen to full length shows, clips and read articles, watch pictures, share and
comment. All of the over 40 live channels are available. You get updated and high
quality news, sports and local content. You can also add favourites for easy access to
your preferred channel, show, site or service (traffic, weather, live scores). SR –
Sweden.“ Being Human - Becoming Human” is a cross-platform experience, produced by
Zodiak Active for BBC featuring the successful spin off series, “Becoming Human”. The
Annie Broadcasts, a fictional experience showing what happened to Annie between
series 2 and 3 was released daily over a week . Around Episode 2 of the main TV series
the online drama, “Becoming Human”, was launched. This involved working closely with
script writers to include the character Adam in the main Being Human series and then
pick up his story for Becoming Human. As well as the eight episodes of Becoming
Human, the digital team created a range of daily content so users could play along with
the story and solve the interactive murder mystery. Images, exclusive video, handwritten
notes and a range of other "evidence" was painstakingly created by the team and posted
online. Fans joined in and tried to solve the mystery of who killed Matt with some posts
receiving more than 10000 comments. The online drama was so successful that it was
shown as a 50 minute TV episode on BBC Three and the killer was revealed
simultaneously on TV and online. BBC – United Kingdom.
Category: “Users generated content”
“ABC Pool” , is a social media site where you can share and engage with creative work
and collaborate with the people who make it. Pool breaks down boundaries between
producers and consumers of media, between media professionals and "the former
audience". Pool is run by the Australian public broadcaster - the ABC. Anyone, any age,
anywhere can contribute in all media forms; images, text, audio and video. Two of Pool’s
core principles are: participation and co-creation. ABC Pool is the first UGC site within
the corporation to give life to an authentic community of people who share their own
opinions, work and knowledge through the use of audio, video, images, text and
podcasts. ABC – Australia.“Live Right Now”Canada is facing a health crisis. About a
quarter of the population is obese, half the population is overweight and diabetes rates
are skyrocketing. The core mission of the "Live Right Now" website is to turn the tide on
this crisis by inspiring Canadians to make changes in their own lives. It all started with
a small town in Northern Canada called Taylor, B.C. When local residents pledged to
lead healthier lives on the television show ‘Village on Diet’ in 2011, they helped inspire a
nation. How did this happen The television show was the spark behind an innovative
user-generated community called Live Right Now. The Live Right Now web site is an
extensive social and trans-media experiment powered users. It allows people to directly
participate in what they were seeing on the television show.. CBC/SRC –
Canada.“Fashion in the city” Interactive platform inviting users to upload photos with
their personal creative look. Competition with professional shooting for the winners,
book edition and exhibition. The interactive platform "Fashion and the city" was created
to accompany a special programming week on ARTE with documentaries on famous
29

creators, like Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gauthier. The aim was to create the possibility
for the public to participate by sending their photos to show their personal fashion style,
their own street look which is influencing all these famous and known creators. By
making a competition out of it, with a public jury (all the users) and a special ARTE
Fashion Jury, we made this a game and rewarded the best contributions. At the same
time we used the platform to promote and inform about the TV program in a non
institutional, playful way. ARTE – France. “Social King”
Social King is a game show based on the Internet and on new talents emerging on the
web. It is the first authentic Italian live Social TV format. A key feature in the programme
is the interaction with the audience on the official website and the principal social
network pages: starting with the casting of the contestants, continuing with the quizzes
(the spectators can prompt the answers via chat), and ending with the weekly election of
the "Social King", who can be chosen in real time from home by clicking the "I like"
button on the profiles of the competing web stars. There is ongoing interaction with the
audience, on a 7/7 basis, thanks to a dedicated staff, before during and after each
episode; without ever closing down, as in the nature of the Internet. This has made it
possible to build up, in next to no time, a large community of Internet-TV users who are
fans and enthusiasts of the programme. RAI – Italy. “Film It Yourself” Film It Yourself is
the only crowd sourced event video platform that doesn't demand new behaviour or
skills from the public. It only asks to share videos from an event in order to produce a
complete edit of that event instantly. The power of "FIY" lies in the ability to produce
multiple camera registrations from any event where the crowd is prepared to film with a
mobile phone. FIY can sync videos from one event automatically with an accuracy up to
1 fps via a very precise sync technique within its app. Only during start up of the app a
network connection is necessary. During filming the app doesn't need any internet
connection at all. Instead of cutting all the videos into one edit that throws away most of
the content, FIY developed a player that combines up to twelve angles in a multi grid,
where the viewer can choose its own point of view. NPO – Netherlands.“P3 Untouched” is
a website from NRK P3 where Norwegian artists can upload and promote their music for
free. "Urørt" is this and even more...We have re-organized the structure of the site,
making it easier for users to browse and explore new music. The brand new applications
for iPad, iPhone and Android revitalizes the concepts of Urørt. They give the bands and
artists new platforms which move the boundaries for band promoting and user
experience on mobile platforms. The service fits the format in a good way and combines
the best features from competing applications such as Spotify and Wimp.The interface is
well worked out with simple and easy-to-use features, and makes the bands look like
international superstars! NRK – Norway. “BBC Live Page” "The BBC News Live Page" is
an innovative marriage of live television and the latest web technology, offering top-level
journalism, comment and conversation in an original, compelling format. We offer
auto-refreshing text working alongside streaming video as the minute-by-minute twists
and turns of breaking news are consumed. Audience experience of the event, plus mood
and comment is reflected via the best contributions to the BBC’s User Generated
Content hub, plus those on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. A "Get in
touch" call to action invites contributions via video, text and picture messages - which
can be fed into the page and paths are offered to the BBC News page on Facebook and
Twitter. BBC – United Kingdom.
30

THEMATIC GUIDELINES OF THE SPECIAL PRIZE PROGRAMMES
“Programmes that effect social change”
Globalization: development, poverty and immigration
The financial and food crises that has been rocking the world since 2008 has had a little
known side effect: it sparked a mad race for control of farmlands all around the planet.
The head of the FAO, Jacques Diouf, recently warned against the "risk of land
neo-colonialism. An inquiry on three continents to tell one and the same story: the story
of this gigantic game of Monopoly, and the terrible consequences it could have if nothing
is done to protect the interests of small farmers and developing countries. (Planet for sale
- ARTE France). For decades, "Microcredit" has been hailed as the number one solution
to eradicate poverty. But is it actually so! A string of interviews with poor people in
Bangladesh, India and Mexico all repeatedly bothered by loan-takers told the same
story: Most of them had numerous loans in NGOs and Micro Finance Institutions, and
many had to sell their own property or take new loans to pay back the old ones. Loans
with interest rates ranging from 30-200%. (The micro debt - DR Denmark).India has
become one of the world’s hot new destinations for the outsourcing of clinical trials
research. The industry there is predicted to be worth billions of euros. "Body hunters"
investigates the ethics and science of this powerful industry by taking India as a case
example and examines whether the pharmaceutical industry is taking chances not only
with the safety of those in India participating in the trials, but also ultimately our safety
back in the West. (Body hunters - ARTE France).The Ministry of Health of
Guinea-Bissau, in partnership with FNUAP implemented a project with the aim to
re-enforce emergency obstetric care in Guinea-Bissau. Maternal mortality, child
mortality, lack of health professionals in the field of obstetrics, degraded infrastructures,
and the lack of equipment and medical supplies, are some of the subjects to be tackled
by the health care workers. (To Give Life without Dying - RTP Portugal). "Mirage" is a
documentary shot in June, 2010 and tells the story of people who are given the chance
to speak out about their feelings, emotions, hardships and the causes which led them to
escape their homes and to leave their loved ones behind. (Mirage – MTV Hungary). Mano
and Sharan, both grown up in Iraq, dream of a new life in Norway and arrive to Oslo
with the help of people smugglers. Sharan gets a residence permit, while Mano is told to
return to Iraq, but chooses to stay as an illegal immigrant. When they are drawn deeper
and deeper into a world of crime in the everyday life of the Norwegians their dreams
disappear in thin air... (Brothers – NRK Norway).
Violence, abuse, crime
A landmark film exploring teenage violence and killings. Harrowing actualities filmed in
the immediate aftermath combines with moving testimony from the spectrum of people
affected in the wake of violent death. An emotional journey that chronicles every
teenager who died as a result of violence in the UK in 2009. (Scenes from a teenage
killing - BBC United Kingdom).This documentary traces the slow development of
Vatican awareness on the gravity regarding the issue on child abuse and tells the story
of Cardinal Ratzinger’s own mistakes in this area when "Prefect of the Congregation of
the Faith" and his struggle to change the opinion within the Vatican to finally make a
policy which addresses the rights of the victim. (Unspeakable crimes – RTE Ireland). An
unflinching look at the revived practice of buying young boys to keep as private dancers
in northern Afghanistan who later become victims of abuse, known as Bacha Bazi
literally "boy play", exploiting the desperation of many poverty stricken children with the
promise of a new life as singers and dancers for former warlords and businessman. They
are traded for sexual favours and subjected to abuse, rape and sometimes even
31

murder.(The dancing boys of Afghanistan – CH4 United Kingdom). Though
geographically distant, these two realities have a common denominator: "Children", all
victims destined and doomed by a wicked logic that denies and systematically tramples
on their rights. On one hand, the "Democratic Republic of Congo" with its "army" of
child-soldiers, exploited child-workers, victims of hunger and illnesses. On the other
hand, an area of Naples where a similar "army" exists, the young generation of the
“camorra” , criminal clans who dictate law in the entire zone. (Voices from the dark - RAI
Italy). "Scena del crimine", is a film about the influence of the Camorra in the city of
Naples and on its residents. Juvenile prisoners from the "Nisida Prison" show how
difficult it is to escape the control and the attraction of the Camorra. (Scena del crimine -
NPO Netherlands).
Enviromental emergencies
A report on the breakdown and destruction of the Medical Care in the disaster zone,
three weeks after the "Great Eastern Japan Earthquake". The programme examines
what life-giving and vital necessities are required to ease many people's ordeals who
survived the earthquake The massive Tsunami destroyed the foundations of hospitals
and clinics in the area. Surviving doctors and nurses desperately continued to provide
assistance and care in shelters that lacked water and electricity. (After the Tsunami:
medical care amid the ruins – NHK Japan).On October 4th, 2010, the retaining wall of a
toxic sludge reservoir at the aluminum factory in Ajka, Hungary, gave way. Bursting
through the 22 meter-high walls, the red mud enveloped the nearby villages with
terrifying speed. Ten people lost their lives in the disaster, and the highly caustic sludge
caused severe burns on over 120 people. In Eastern Europe, the legacy of
post-communism left hundreds of defunct yet dangerous mines as well as
still-functioning, but outdated industrial sites. Where will the next one explode(The red
sludge and other ticking bombs - Duna TV Hungary). There might be important reserves
of natural gas in the Saint-Lawrence Lowlands of Quebec, as well as in many provinces
and states in North America. But to extract this gas, one must break through and
penetrate the rock underground. The race is on. Shale gas…at what price for the
environment (The shale gas rush- CBC/SRC Canada). A gigantic hole in the ground,
that stretches from horizon to horizon. Gigantic striding excavators devouring the last
remains of the landscape. A documentary portrait of two women playing their personal
game on the chessboard... this is the fate of Horní Jiøetín, the small town endangered by
the extraction of lignite (Coal in the Soul - CTV Czech Republic).
In health and in illness. Medicine and ethnic themes
Since 1998 Switzerland has been the only country in the world that allows foreigners to
commit suicide or undergo mercy killing. "Dignitas" openly defends the right to commit
suicide. This extraordinary film takes us to Germany, Belgium and France where we try
to understand Switzerland’s controversial "death trade". (Dignitas, death on prescription–
SRG SSR Switzerland). “When you think of me, do not be sad” are the lines written by
André Rieder for his own death notice. The 56-year-old has been mentally ill for many
years, and wants to end his life with the help of an assisted suicide organization. A
moving documentary about a man who would rather die than live with mental illness
and the perplexities arisen regarding “mercy killing” in our modern society.. (Death
according to plan – SRG SSR Switzerland.)
Filmed over six months in the country's leading brain injury unit at Addenbrooke's
Hospital, Cambridge this powerful, provocative documentary follows the doctors who
can now interrupt and even reverse the process of death, patients and the families who
are also plunged into the most ethically difficult decision making in modern
medicine.(Between life and death - BBC United Kingdom).A historical exploration on the
32

scientific ideas of mankind's genetic improvement and evolution. The "projects" that,
were conceived and originated in the USA a century ago and then later continued in Nazi
Germany, are still being carefully studied by scientists today. The story recollects the
shamefully forgotten past, this documentary assembles significant contemporary
controversies: the “in vitro” procedure and its eugenic aspects. (Eugenics – In the name of
progress - TVP Poland).This documentary by Barbara Weissenbeck shows three South
African singers with impressive voices who originate from the townships around Cape
Town. They grew up surrounded by poverty, criminality and hopelessness, but thanks to
their voices, they have carved out a new future for themselves and thus found a means
of escaping their destitution. The film observes the singers not only at rehearsals,
auditions and performances but also provides an intimate glimpse of their everyday
lives. (Singing for life – Voices from the townships – ORF Austria).Twelve hours a day,
every day for at least two years: 6000 verses of the Koran to memorize. This is the
monumental task facing small children at the Hifz-Khana. Many parents are happy to
send their children to this special program of "Madrasa", the Islamic Orthodox School.
The result is a finely-observed, sensitive film about a unique religious practice which
strongly contradicts all notions of a carefree childhood. (Korankinder – the children of the
Koran– ZDF Germany). Ottavia Piccolo interprets Anna Politkovskaja embraces and
takes to heart the message of deep courage of the Russian journalist who, even at the
costs of her life, continues on her road of "truth". Director, Felice Cappa reveals, with
the words of Anna Politkovskaja and the brilliant interpretation of Ottavia Piccolo, the
right of not denying the "Freedom of Speech".. (Blood and snow– RAI Italy).Ilya
Muromets, a major epic hero and an Orthodox saint, was the first to bring glory to the
city of Murom. One thousand years later another hero was born in Murom. As for the
teleportation he would supply it to the whole mankind. His name was Vladimir
Zworykin. He was the founder of the modern television. (Zvorykin. Muromets – CH1
Russia). Frank, "a man who saunters through life" takes an interest in the promises of
Scientology. When he starts taking his wife Gine along with him to his classes, she
starts to invest all her money and time in the Sect. When her dedication starts to "rock
the boat" in her family, especially in her relationship with her daughter Sarah, Frank
decides that he’s had enough! But, he can only watch helplessly as Gine drifts away.
(Till faith do us part - ARD Germany).
Memories of War
A powerful documentary depicting the annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915
to 1923 and the effects of the Turkish Government's International campaign of genocide
denial on International policy. Award-winning director, Eric Friedler assembles an
impeccable cast, who bring to life the original texts of German and U.S. diplomatic
dispatches and eye-witness accounts, interspersed with never-before-seen footage of the
"Genocide" and its political aftermath. (Aghet – A genocide - ARD Germany).The
documentary focuses on the so-called wild displacement of Germans from former
Czechoslovakia during the period between the end of World War II, in May and the
"Postupimi Conference" in August 1945 with cases which turned into inhuman
massacres This is what also happened in North-Bohemian Postoloprty, where 763
German civilians were shot by soldiers of the Czechoslovak army and the Revolutionary
Guards.
Now for the first time German and Czech witnesses speak in front of a camera about the
massacre that was to have remained a tightly locked and bitter secret for ever.... (Killing
the Czech way - CTV Czech Republic). The Hungarian investigative journalist, Hesna Al
Ghaoui, explores one of the most horrible crimes against humanity in the history of
mankind when Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator launched the first chemical weapon
attack against the innocent people of Halabja and other smaller villages along the
33

Iranian boarder. this "sweet apple" fragrance managed to deceive the senses of
thousands of Kurdish people. This "sweet apple" fragrance managed to deceive the
senses of thousands of Kurdish people … (Smell of Death - MTV Hungary).Three Poles
serving in the armies of three aggressor countries in Poland: Prussia, Austria, and
Russia, are now fighting each other in the last days of the WWI escape from the
frontline. On their long way to a freed nation, they not only encounter hostile ambushes
and political upheavals, but also the loves of their lives. The series follows one of the
most important periods in the history of Central Europe of the early 20th century, the
struggle for Poland's independence and its aftermath, up to jeopardizing a "march of the
communist revolution" toward the West in 1920. (1920: War & Love – TVP Poland). In
"Songs of War", we explore the extraordinary harmony between music and violence, the
brutal power of African war dances, the ferocity of Maori Hakas, the earth-shattering
roar of US sound guns blasting Metallica at Taliban hideouts. The principle is always the
same: aggressive sounds demoralize the enemy and whip the allies into a frenzy (Songs
of war: music as a weapon - ZDF Germany).
34