Great Performance! Two International Emmys go from New York to Cologne

As a part of its World Television Festival, the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented the 41st International Emmys to the world’s best non-American TV programmes in New York last Monday evening. This year again saw over 700 TV experts from 50 different nations attending the festival and awards ceremony.

The German TV professionals had good reason to rejoice in no less than two of the most important categories: the ZDF-ORF production "Das Wunder von Kärnten" (prod co: Rowboat, Cologne) won an International Emmy at the ceremony for „Best TV Movie/Mini-Series“. The TV movie beat off competition from three other productions from Great Britain, Japan and Uruguay. Producer Sam Davis received his Emmy from the hands of Giancarlo Esposito ("Breaking Bad") and Jim Caviezel. Ken Duken, the lead actor in the medical drama based on a true story, was also present at the ceremony. Anke Schäferkordt, CEO of the RTL Deutschland Media Group, received the International Emmy for her services to the station and private television. The boxing world champion Vladimir Klitschko gave a speech in Schäferkordt’s honour.

"The International Emmys 2013 were a great success for NRW, and especially for the TV city of Cologne, because the two most important Emmys went to Cologne. Congratulations to Anke Schäferkordt and Sam Davis who were pleased about the recognition from their international colleagues," said Petra Müller, CEO of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW and responsible for the organisation of NRW’s presence in New York. „The international TV community meets every year at the International Emmys; producers and TV executives from all over the world come together to award prizes to the best programmes, discuss the quality of programmes and production experiences, and develop ideas for international collaboration – the perfect place to present NRW as the leading German TV hub.“

Consequently, NRW sends a delegation of TV professionals to the International Emmy Festival each year. Apart from Sam Davis (Rowboat), who was awarded the Emmy for „Das Wunder von Kärnten“, this year’s delegation included the following: producer and Emmy Ambassador Leopold Hoesch (Broadview TV), the producers Michael Souvignier (Zeitsprung), Michael Smeaton (FFP New Media), Daniel Hetzer and Kay Niesser (both from action concept), the actors Caroline Peters („Mord mit Aussicht“), Volker Bruch and Miriam Stein („Operation War“/“Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter“) as well as Ken Duken, who not only had the lead role in the ZDF production of „Das Wunder von Kärnten“, but could also be seen in the NRW-funded productions „The Adlon“/“Das Adlon“ and „Two Lives“/“Zwei Leben“. Also in New York: ZDF director-general Thomas Bellut, ZDF Director of Programmes Norbert Himmler, WDR Director of Television Verena Kulenkampff, Michael Loeb (WDR mediagroup), and Philip Borbély, Friedhelm Bixschlag and Sebastian Griese of MMC.

The German and international TV executives then came together last Tuesday after the festival and awards ceremony for the traditional „Annual NRW Rendez-vous“, the NRW Lunch, in the Hearst Tower. Those attending included Anke Schäferkordt and Thomas Bellut (ZDF), Andy Kaplan (Sony Pictures Television), Abbe Raven (A&E Networks), Bruce Tuchman (AMC/Sundance Channel Global Networks), Stephen Segaller (Thirteen/WNET New York) and Steve Swartz (Hearst Corporation).

The NRW presentation was organised by the Federal State of NRW – represented by Media Secretary of State Marc Jan Eumann – in collaboration with the media authority LfM and the Film- und Medienstiftung  NRW, represented by CEO Petra Müller. The media region of NRW and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences have been working together since 2009. Apart from the annual visit by a NRW delegation to the Emmy Festival, part of the Emmy judgings are held in Cologne.