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Awards

Banff’s 2023 Rockie Awards International Program Competition nominees announced

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From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is pleased to announce the 2023 Rockie Awards International Program Competition Nominees, recognizing excellence in television and digital media from around the globe. The Rockie Awards ceremony will be held in-person as well as live-streamed during this year’s Festival on Monday, June 12th at 5:00pm MT (7pm ET, 4pm PT).

The Rockie Awards International Program Competition is one of the most prestigious awards programs in the world, juried by an esteemed panel of 150 senior international industry professionals and covering all major genres.

The Rockie Awards Grand Jury chooses the coveted Grand Jury Prize, selected from the top-scoring programs across the entire field of nominees. This year’s esteemed Grand Jury includes:

In addition to the Grand Jury Prize, the $25,000 Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content, awarded to the top Canadian production and the Prix Francophone for the top French language production will also be awarded as well as other special awards. In total, 27 awards will be bestowed in the category streams of Documentary & Factual, Arts & Entertainment, Children & Youth, Scripted, and Podcast, in addition to the presentation of several Rockies Gala Awards to be announced soon.

Leading nominations by company are:
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) – 21 nominations
• FX Networks – 5 nominations
• National Geographic / Disney Branded Television – 5 nominations
• Warner Bros. Discovery – 5 nominations

Leading nominations by country are:
• USA – 52 nominations
• UK – 41 nominations
• Canada – 37 nominations
• Germany – 8 nominations
• Australia – 6 nominations
• France – 6 nominations

FOR THE FULL LIST OF NOMINEES, PLEASE VISIT: https://rockies.playbackonline.ca/nominees

About the Rockie Awards:
With a 44-year legacy, the Rockie Awards International Program Competition is open to genres and platforms including drama, non-fiction, digital, kids, youth and podcasts. Timed in the heart of awards voting season, the prestigious Banff World Media Festival competition recognizes excellence in global television and digital content. Entries from more than 45 countries compete each year, and winners are selected by an international industry jury of 150+ senior entertainment and media professionals.

About the Banff World Media Festival
Now in its 44th year, and with 45+ countries participating, the Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) and the Rockie Awards host one of the most important global conferences and content development marketplaces – gathering top creators, producers, showrunners, talent, networks, studios, streamers, press and media companies. BANFF’s intimate, retreat-style event serves as a leading destination for development, co-production and co-venture partners and offers an unparalleled opportunity for international decision-makers to connect, map the future of the industry, and execute new business deals. Summit Series keynotes, Master Classes and renowned Showrunner Superpanels feature the industry’s most inspiring creative and business leaders and give global profile to the most talked-about shows. The Rockie Awards International Program Competition and Rockies Gala recognize the best content and most influential entertainment industry executives, talent and creators in the world. BANFF continues to deliver important fellowships and initiatives including: the BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media, the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative, and the Indigenous Screen Summit and Pitch Forum. Together these programs have provided more than 700 opportunities for under-represented professionals in the Canadian media industry.

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Industry News

George Cheeks to keynote the 2023 Banff World Media Festival

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From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is proud to announce President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS and Chief Content Officer, News and Sports for Paramount+ George Cheeks is confirmed to participate in the Festival’s Summit Series, a premium keynote speaker lineup featuring the boldest voices and the world’s most influential media leaders. Cheeks will speak on Monday, June 12th, in an exclusive fireside conversation. The 44th edition of the Festival will take place in-person June 11 – 14 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

“George Cheeks has been an innovative business and creative force in the television industry for over thirty years,” commented Kevin Beggs, Chair of the Board of Directors for BANFF and Chair & Chief Creative Officer of the Lionsgate Television Group. “We at the Banff World Media Festival are honored to have George give our keynote and share his views on the evolving industry.”

“In this liminal era of the entertainment industry, George Cheeks is paving an innovative path,” said BANFF Executive Director, Jenn Kuzmyk. “We’re honoured to welcome him to the festival and look forward to hearing his vision for the future of the business as well as insights on some of the industry’s big questions.”

The BANFF Summit Series is a curated, future-focused lineup of keynote sessions that was launched in 2019 in honour of the festival’s four-decade legacy. This powerful speaker roster features the global players who are shaping the future of the media industry. Past Summit Series speakers have included Bela Bajaria, Pearlena Igbokwe, Greg Berlanti, Ted Sarandos, Channing Dungey, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Paula Kerger, Sarah Barnett, Paul Feig, Kenan Thompson, Maverick Carter, David Linde and Seth Meyers.

Cheeks oversees CBS-branded assets within Paramount Global, including the CBS Television Network, which encompasses CBS Entertainment, CBS News and CBS Sports, as well as CBS Studios, CBS Stations, CBS Media Ventures, its first-run syndication business, and CBS-branded digital assets. He is also the Chief Content Officer, News and Sports, for Paramount+, extending the world-class content from CBS News and CBS Sports to the streaming super service. In addition, his leadership portfolio across Paramount Global includes responsibility for BET, Paramount Television Studios and the company’s free-to-air networks in the United Kingdom, Australia, Argentina and Chile.

Prior to joining CBS, Cheeks served more than seven years at NBCUniversal in senior executive positions that spanned creative, business and operational roles. Most recently, he was Vice Chairman, NBCUniversal Content Studios and was also in charge of late night programming for NBC Entertainment. Previously, Cheeks was Co-Chairman of NBC Entertainment and was jointly responsible for overseeing primetime, late night and scripted daytime programming for the network, including business affairs, marketing, communications, scheduling, West Coast research and digital operations, as well as first-run syndication.

Prior to being named Co-Chairman, Cheeks served as Co-President, Universal Cable Productions and Wilshire Studios as well as President, Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment, where he oversaw the network’s lucrative and successful late night slate. Prior to that role, Cheeks was President of Business Operations and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment.

Cheeks joined NBC in 2012 after serving as Executive Vice President, Business Affairs and General Counsel, Viacom Music and Entertainment Groups, Content Distribution and Marketing, as well as Head of Standards and Practices for Viacom Media Networks, in New York. In his first stint with Viacom starting in 1998, he began working as Senior Counsel for MTV Networks in the Business and Legal Affairs Department for the Nickelodeon Group. While there, he ascended to positions of increasing responsibility, and in 2005 he was elevated to Executive Vice President and General Counsel for MTV, MTV2, MTVu, MTV Films, VH1, CMT and LOGO.

In addition to Summit Series keynotes, BANFF will return with an array of provocative panel discussions, celebrity master classes and networking opportunities to connect the global media industry to ignite new projects and support business development. Also returning: the prestigious Rockies Gala honouring the most inspiring executives and talent in the industry; and the Rockie Awards International Program Competition, one of the world’s most prestigious screen industry competitions, with participation from more than 45+ countries annually including an international jury of 150 industry professionals. Category winners, including the Grand Jury Prize, the Rogers Prize for Canadian Content, the Francophone Prize, and other special prizes, will be announced during the Festival on June 12th.

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Industry News

Link: Canadian broadcasters, who are up Schitt’s Creek without streaming regulation, fight back at tense Banff

From Manori Ravindran of Variety:

Link: Canadian broadcasters, who are up Schitt’s Creek without streaming regulation, fight back at tense Banff
The moody mountainscape surrounding the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel may have been tailor-made for the British Columbia-shot thriller “Yellowjackets,” which was honored at this week’s Banff World Media Festival, but the real survival drama was raging between Canadian broadcasters and the streaming giants. Continue reading.

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Awards, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

2022 Rockie Awards International Program Competition Winners announced

From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Rockie Awards International Program Competition, hosted by actress and comedian Rakhee Morzaria (Run the Burbs).

One of the largest awards programs of its kind and juried by an esteemed panel of 150 international industry professionals, the Rockie Awards International Program Competition presented awards in twenty-eight (28) categories spanning Documentary & Factual, Arts & Entertainment, Children & Youth, Scripted, and Podcast. In addition, the $25,000 Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content was awarded to the top Canadian production and The Francophone Prize for the top French-language production.

The competition featured 148 nominations from 45 countries including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, France, China, Germany, Italy and Norway.

International Program Competition winners include:

Best Comedy & Variety Program
Friends: The Reunion
HBO Max, Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, Warner Horizon, Fulwell 73 Productions, Bright, Kauffman, Crane Productions (USA)

Best in Competition Series & Game Shows
RuPaul’s Drag Race
World of Wonder, VH1 (USA)

Best Docuseries
The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet
Studio Silverback, BBC, Discovery Channel (USA, UK)

Best Lifestyle Program
Employable Me
Thomas Howe Associations (CANADA)

Best Reality Series
Running Wild with Bear Grylls
Electus LLC, National Geographic (USA)

Best in Animation: Children
Karma’s World
Netflix, 9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films, Karma’s World Entertainment (USA, CANADA, IRELAND)

Best in Animation: Preschool
ODO
Sixteen South, Letko (UK, POLAND)

Best in Animation: Youth
The Case (La custodia)
Graphilm Entertainment, Rai Ragazzi (ITALY)

Best in Interactive Content: Children
CBC Kids Tokyo 2020 Olympic Website
CBC Kids, Hypersurge (CANADA)

Best in Live Action: Children
Jamie Johnson
Short Form, BBC (UK)

Best in Live Action: Youth
Six Degrees (Six Degrés)
Encore Télévision (CANADA)

Best Arts & Culture Program
Introducing, Selma Blair
Discovery+, LD Entertainment, Liddell Entertainment (USA)

Best Crime & Investigative Program
Miracle Fishing: Kidnapped Abroad
Three-three-four, XTR, Kilometric Productions, Discovery+ (USA)

Best Environmental & Wildlife Program
Tiny World
Plimsoll Productions (UK)

Best History & Biography
Surviving 9/11
Top Hat, BBC, Keshet (UK)

Best Non-Fiction Podcast
Have You Heard George’s Podcast?
BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Live, George the Poet (UK)

Best Science & Technology Program
Own The Room
National Geographic Documentary Film, Saville Productions (USA)

Best Short Non-Fiction Program
A Nation and Her Mother
Animiki See Digital Production Inc, Media RendezVous, Wookey Films Inc, APTN (CANADA)

Best Social Issues & Current Affairs Program
Dying to Divorce
Dying to Divorce Ltd, Aldeles, Tigerlily Productions, Freak Productions (UK, NORWAY)

Best Sports Documentary
Torn
National Geographic Documentary Films, Lightbox, Wilderpeople Productions (USA)

Best Comedy Series: English Language
We Are Lady Parts
Working Title Television, Universal International Studios, Universal Studio Group (UK)

Best Comedy Series: Non-English Language
Countrymen (Jordbrukerne)
Rubicon TV AS (NORWAY, FRANCE)

Best Drama Series: English Language
Vigil
World Productions (UK)

Best Drama Series: Non-English Language
Kamikaze
Profile Pictures, HBO Max (DENMARK, CANARY ISLANDS, SOUTH KOREA, UK)

Best Feature-Length Film
Help
The Forge, Channel 4, All3Media International (UK)

Best Limited Series
Landscapers
HBO, SISTER, South of the River Pictures, Sky Studios (USA, UK)

Best Fiction Podcast
The Orchard
Princess Pictures, Audible (AUSTRALIA)

Best Short Fiction Program
@IAmSophieScholl (@IchbinSophieScholl)
Sommerhaus Serien GmbH, VICE Media GmbH, Unframed Productions GmbH, SWR, BR (GERMANY)

Rogers Prize for Excellence in Canadian Content
Captive
Antica Productions (CANADA)

Prix Francophone (Francophone Prize)
Audrey est revenue (Audrey’s Back)
Pixcom, Quebecor Content (CANADA)

Emerging Talent Prize
Rebekah Miskin (Night Owl)

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Awards

Banff World Media Festival unveils 2022 Rockie Ward Gala recipients

From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is proud to reveal this year’s exciting lineup of the Rockie Award Gala recipients. The in-person ceremony will take place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada on Tuesday, June 14th at 6:30pm MT.

Hosting the Festival’s flagship awards program is Jully Black, Canada’s Queen of R&B/Soul and a true Canadian icon. She has been named as one of ‘The 25 Greatest Canadian Singers Ever’ (CBC Music) and she is a platinum selling artist and performer; a Juno, Gemini, Toronto Theatre Critics Association and Dora Mavor Moore Award recipient, a celebrated morning television host, a Canada’s Walk of Fame inductee and a television and musical stage actress of resolute faith and conviction.

Rockies Gala Awards to be bestowed include:

SIR PETER USTINOV COMEDY AWARD: Ana Gasteyer (American Auto, Saturday Night Live)
The award recognizes a creative talent who has made an outstanding comedic contribution to the media industry. Past honorees include: Kenan Thompson, Sean Hayes, John Cleese, Tracey Ullman, Bob Newhart, Tantoo Cardinal, John Candy and Bill Hader.

INCLUSION AWARD: Vivica A. Fox (Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2, Empire)
Presented by A+E, the Inclusion Award recognizes an individual whose efforts and vision in media champion and reflect the diversity of the world in which we live. Past Honorees include: Danielle Brooks, LeVar Burton, Jonathan Murray and Elizabeth Vargas.

Jean-Marc Vallée will be posthumously awarded the CANADIAN AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Presented by the Canada Media Fund (CMF/FMC) and MadeNous, the award is given to a Canadian whose body of work exemplifies outstanding achievement in the entertainment industry. Past Honorees include: Simu Liu, Eric McCormack, Kim Cattrall and Sheila Hockin.

INNOVATIVE PRODUCER AWARD: Eagle Vision
Presented by Lionsgate, the Innovative Producer Award recognizes the entrepreneurial excellence and achievements of an independent producer in TV/digital media. Past honorees include: Sinking Ship Entertainment, Wattpad Studios, Scott Brothers Entertainment, New Metric Media, Wolf + Rabbit, Don Carmody and marblemedia.

CREATIVE VOICE AWARD: Rose Matafeo (Starstruck, Funny Girls)
The creative voice award is bestowed on an executive or creative talent that has created outstanding work that breaks through, inspiring and connecting global audiences.

SHOWRUNNER OF THE YEAR: Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson and Jonathan Lisco (Yellowjackets)
Presented by Variety, Showrunner of the Year recognizes exceptional achievement of a showrunner or writer/producer for their creative vision, overseeing from development, through pre- to post-production, and as the driving force of a series. Past honorees include: Jed Mercurio, Moira Walley-Beckett, John Ridley, Damon Lindelof, Joey Soloway and Clyde Phillips.

“We are delighted to shine a spotlight on these incredibly deserving Rockies Gala honourees who have made such a strong impact and meaningful contributions to the entertainment industry,” said Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director of the Banff World Media Festival. “We can’t wait to welcome these great talents to the Festival in-person to celebrate together.”

Additional awards to be presented at the ceremony include:

IMPACT AWARD: Presented by The Hollywood Reporter, this award is bestowed annually to an individual or group that has made a significant and impactful contribution to screen-based entertainment. Past honorees include: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Shore, accepting on behalf of The Good Doctor; Anthony Anderson, accepting on behalf of black-ish; and Justin Simien accepting on behalf of Dear White People.

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR: The Program of the Year award is presented to an outstanding, critically acclaimed, ground-breaking, and/or highly rated program from within the last calendar year. Past recipients include: It’s a Sin, This is Us, Handmaid’s Tale, Making a Murderer and Surviving R. Kelly.

THE GRAND JURY PRIZE: The Grand Jury Prize is awarded to the highest scoring project in the Rockies Program Competition by the festival’s specially appointed Grand Jury of industry executives. Past recipients include: I May Destroy You, Fleabag, Big Little Lies, Planet Earth II and Sharp Objects.

The Banff World Media Festival is the international conference and marketplace where new business partnerships are forged and new TV, film and digital media projects are ignited. With delegates from 50+ countries, the Festival attracts the world’s top creators, producers, showrunners, talent, networks, studios, streamers, press and media companies. In addition, BANFF continues to deliver important fellowships and initiatives including The BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media, supported by the Government of Canada which empowers and trains Canadian women entrepreneurs to launch and grow their own sustainable businesses within the screen-based industries as well as the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative, a program that jumpstarts and accelerates the careers of up to 100 Black, Indigenous and People of Colour producers and creators.

About the Rockie Awards
With a 43-year legacy, the Rockie Awards consist of the International Program Competition and Gala Awards. The International Program Competition is open to all genres and platforms including drama, non-fiction, digital, kids, youth and podcasts. Timed in the heart of awards voting season, the prestigious Banff World Media Festival competition recognizes excellence in global television and digital content. Entries from more than 40 countries compete each year, and winners are selected by an international industry jury of 150+ senior entertainment and media professionals. The Rockie Awards Gala honours outstanding talent and executives from the industry. Over the years, the prestigious Gala event has attracted some of the industry’s biggest names including Sir Laurence Olivier, Gregory Peck, Dinah Shore, Ricky Gervais, Chuck Lorre, Martin Short, James Burrows, John Cleese, Dick Wolf, Will Arnett, Christine Baranski, Sir David Attenborough, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, to name a few.

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