Canadian television programming took home five awards from the Banff World Television Festival, while at its sister nextMEDIA Interactive Awards event the Hottest Emerging Canadian Digital Brand award was presented to the bitchinlifetsyle website.
The Interactive Awards winners include.
Immersive Entertainment BITWORLD - Rescue Toya! | Japan
Original Online Program Gaza-Sderot: life in spite of everything | France
Best Interactive BITWORLD - Rescue Toya! | Japan
Hottest Emerging Canadian Digital Brand - www.bitchinlifestyle.tv
Meanwhile, Canadian TV shows nabbed five awards, in categories including best sports entertainment for CBC's "Hockey Day in Canada," while the United States and France each saw three shows win prizes.
In the first of two award ceremonies, TV shows from the U.K. were the big winners, receiving a total of nine prizes from 23 categories, including six for programs on Channel 4 and three for programs on the BBC.
The U.S. sci-fi series "Lost," was named best continuing series.
Grand prize winners will be announced Monday.
“Featuring the prestigious Banff World Television Awards program competition on the first night of BANFF is a great way to kick off the Festival. All of the nominees this year represent outstanding television production and I wish to extend heartfelt congratulations to the winners of this year’s ‘Rockies,’” said Peter Vamos, BANFF Executive Director.
The 2009 ‘Rockies’ were redesigned and restructured by Georges Leclere, Director of the Program Competition. "The exceptional quality of the 23 Categories winners, once again, shows the power of attraction of the Banff World TV Festival worldwide,” added Leclere. “We are honored to present winners with the ‘Rockie’ the trophy that truly inspires excellence in international television and represents a great generation of promising producers and directors."
Chosen from over 800 entries, the 130 category nominees represented 29 countries. Hosted by ‘E! News Weekend’s’ Arisa Cox handed out the awards.
The 2009 Banff World Television Festival Category Winners:
Animation Programs – In partnership with Starz Animation Toronto
I Met The Walrus
Entrant: Bravo!
Country: Canada
Arts & Performing Arts Documentaries - In partnership with The Banff Centre
The Curse of the Mona Lisa
Entrant: Channel 4
Country: UK
Children's Programs
Habib: The meaning of life/The ghost in the basement
Entrant: SVT- Sveriges Television
Country: Sweden
Comedy Programs – In partnership with William F. White International
Beautiful People
Entrant: BBC
Country: UK
Continuing Series & Serial Programs - In partnership with the Shaftesbury
Lost: The Constant
Entrant: ABC Studios
Country: USA
Environmental Programs – In partnership with NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp.)
Frontline: Heat
Entrant: PBS International
Country: USA
History & Biography Programs - In partnership with Rogers Communications Inc.
Paris 1919
Entrant: National Film Board of Canada
Country: Canada
Investigative & Current Affairs Programs – In partnership with Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Co.
Oil for Fraud
Entrant: Maha Productions
For: ARTE
Country: France
Lifestyle & Information Programs – In partnership with INSINC
Family Restaurant: The Quons (Be Bold)
Entrant: Anaid Productions Inc.
For: Food Network Canada
Country: Canada
Made for TV Movies - In partnership with Sony of Canada Ltd.
Skirt Day
Entrant: ARTE France
Country: France
Mini-Series - In partnership with Deluxe Vancouver | Toronto
John Adams
Entrant: Home Box Office (HBO)
Country: USA
Music or Variety Programs – In partnership with Shure Incorporated
Peter Kay’s Britain’s Got the Pop Factor
Entrant: Channel 4
Country: UK
Political Documentaries – In partnership with DGC - BC
Dispatches – Warlords Next Door?
Entrant: Channel 4
Country: UK
Popular Science & Technology Programs - In Partnership with SAIT Polytechnic
Inuit Odyssey
Entrant: Clearwater Media
For: CBC Television and Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
Country: Canada
Reality Format Programs - In partnership with CBC/Radio-Canada
Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts
Entrant: BBC
Country: UK
Social & Humanitarian Programs - In partnership with Searchlight Recruitment Inc.
The Qur’an
Entrant: Juniper Communications Ltd.
For: Channel 4
Country: UK
Sports Documentaries – In partnership with PBS International
Thriller in Manila
Entrant: Channel 4
Country: UK
Sports Entertainment Programs
CBC’s Hockey Day in Canada
Entrant: CBC Television
Country: Canada
Telenovela Programs – In partnership with Quebec Film & Television Council
The Wolf (Lobo)
Entrant: ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation
Country: Philippines
Wildlife & Natural History Programs - In partnership with PBS International
Titus: The Gorilla King
Entrant: Tigress Productions
For: BBC and WNET
Country: UK
Youth Programs
Battlefront
Entrant: Channel 4
Country: UK
Interactive Categories:
Immersive Entertainment - In partnership with TELUS
BITWORLD - Rescue Toya!
Entrant: NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp.)
Country: Japan
Original Online Programs - In partnership with Government of Alberta & Alberta Film
Gaza-Sderot: life in spite of everything
Entrant: Bo Travail in association with Alma Films, Trabelsi Productions, Ramattan Studio, Upian.com
Country: France
The Banff World Television Festival is a not-for-profit event produced by Achilles Media Ltd., an international events management company serving the television and digital media industries. Achilles Media Ltd. events include: History Makers: International Summit of History & Current Affairs Producers, nextMEDIA events and Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX).