61. Golden Prague Festival Winners

GRAND PRIX
Movie: AURORA ORCHESTRA’S RITE OF SPRING (No 69)
Producer: Finnish Broadcasting Company
Coproducer: Aurora Orchestra
Justification: The winning film masterfully makes complex classical music accessible through an innovative concert format. Excellent actors present an engaging story about the work and the musicians takes an active part in the storytelling and playing the whole piece by heart. A perfect example of what a classical concert could look like in the near future.

Czech Crystal – Documentary Programmes Dedicated to Music, Dance and Theatre
Movie: CALL ME DANCER (No 19)
Producer: ZDF / ARTE
Justification: The winning documentary captures the inspiring journey of a young dancer, from the streets to professional dance, showcasing his charm and determination. Through a fascinating relationship with his charismatic teacher, the film beautifully highlights the transformative power of dance and the ability to make the impossible possible.

Czech Crystal – Recordings of Concert Performance
Movie: ORPHEE AND EURYDICE (No 51)
Producer: Camera Lucida
Justification: The winning concert film captivates with its young and fresh energy, showcasing incredible young talent through fantastic voices and acting. Its creative use of space and immersive format delivers an impressive live feeling to the TV audience, making the experience truly dynamic and engaging.

Czech Crystal – Recordings of Stage Works
Movie: BOVARY – A DANCE PLAY BY CHRISTIAN SPUCK, BASED ON THE NOVEL BY GUSTAVE FLAUBERT (No 41)
Producer: Accentus Music GmbH
Coproducer: ZDF, NHK
Justification: The winning ballet film features Christian Spuck’s masterful work, blending clear, strong storytelling with emotionally charged dance to portray a dramatic story ending with death on stage. The main character’s exceptional dance quality, combined with outstanding TV capturing, creates an unforgettable and powerful performance.

Special Mention for Extraordinary Artistic Achievement 
Movie: ROYAL SWEDISH OPERA. KARLSSON: MELANCHOLIA (No 46)
Producer: EuroArts Music International GmbH
Coproducer: Royal Opera House, in collaboration with Les Films Figures Libres and Mezzo
Justification: The opera film delivers a bold and accessible production, blending complex music with a free form that breaks traditional standards, appealing to a new and younger audience. With a demanding score brought to life by a strong cast and creative staging, the clever TV adaptation enhances the impact of this innovative performance.

Czech Television Prize
Movie: JOHN NEUMEIER – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A LIFE FOR DANCE (No 70)
Producer: Kinescope Film
Coproducer: NDR / ARTE
Justification: The movie JOHN NEUMEIER –⁠⁠⁠ A LIFE FOR DANCE ⁠⁠sensitively depicts the career and life of one of the world's most outstanding dancers, choreographers and ballet artists of the last 50 years in a way easy to understand for a common viewer and at the same time it brings emotional satisfaction to all who love and cherish ballet and dance. The extraordinary balance of information and emotion makes the portrait a timeless format capable of appealing to a wide range of audience globally.

Award of the Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97
Movie: G. F. HANDEL: MESSIAH – TV production directed by Ondřej Havelka (No 5) 
Producer: Czech Television
Co-producer: Unitel 
Justification: An excellent TV production of the performance held on the stage in front of the revolving auditorium in Český Krumlov. Thanks to the co-production of Czech Television and Unitel, the global production company, this inspiring venue with its unique atmosphere is brought to a wide audience from all over the world. The visual as well as musical experience, transformed into a TV programme, will enable those who have not as yet had the opportunity to visit this place in person, to move for a moment to the captivating setting with beautiful scenery and the well-crafted stage of the opera Messiah. 

EBU and IMZ Outstanding Achievement Award
Larry Weinstein (Canadian documentary filmmaker)
Justification: “It is my distinct pleasure to honour such a visionary who has explored themes around the performing arts numerous times and always enlightened not only his viewers but also the members of this industry. There is always an unexpected angle, a unique facet of his subject matter that only he can recognise, as his latest film Beethoven’s Ninth: An Ode to Humanity has once again shown,” Laetitia Huberti, President of the IMZ International Music + Media Centre and the Head of La Première, Musiq3, Classic 21, La Trois at RTBF, notes.

“Following Mr. Weinstein’s career over the years has been a uniquely rewarding experience. As a director he always finds a way to push the boundaries of storytelling and show the subjects of his films in a fresh and insightful way. Personally, I can’t wait to see what his future projects will bring, as I am certain they will continue to challenge conventions and captivate audiences with thought-provoking narratives,” says Ieva Rozentale, Chairwoman of the EBU TV Music Expert Group and Head of Culture at Latvian Television.