Check out who took home the top honors at this year's 62nd Golden Prague International Television Festival. Congratulations!
GRAND PRIX
Film: LES SAISONS DE LA DANSE – directed by Tommy Pascal (n.3)
Producer: Le Grizzly / Martha Productions
Co-producer: Martha Productions, Héliox Films, ARTE France
Justification: The program “Les Saisons de la Danse” takes us on a journey to landscapes where four different couples move expressively dance in intimate choreographies to the music of Vivaldi's Four Seasons in the recomposed version by Max Richter. From spring to winter, we experience fascinating images, which director Tommy Pascal and his two cameramen, Charles Sautreuil and Raphael Pannier, stage in a truly ingenious way. A magnificent masterpiece for the eyes and ears.
Czech Television Prize
Film: A THEATER FOR A SYMPHONY – directed by Barbara Weissenbeck (n.8)
Producer: Filmwerkstatt Wien
Co-producer: ORF, WDR and Filmwerkstatt Wien
Justification: "Theatre for a Symphony" combines clarity, expertise, a hint of suspense, and a desire to rediscover things seemingly lost to time. It receives the Czech Television Award for the way it uses cutting-edge digital technology to virtually reconstruct the long-demolished Vienna Kärntnertortheater, where Beethoven’s 9th Symphony premiered in 1824. The film offers today’s audiences a captivating and authentic glimpse into what the very first performance of one of the most celebrated works in music history might have looked and sounded like.
Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97 Award
Film: JAMEL – LAUTER WIDERSTAND directed by Martin Groß (n.39)
Producer: ARD Kultur
Co-producent: Labo M on behalf of ARD Kultur, NDR, SWR, BR, RBB
Justification: A very compelling documentary that captures human determination to fight extremism through democratic means—mutual support, solidarity, culture, and art. It highlights the idea of resistance through peaceful means, embodied in a music festival that rejects violence. This is the very principle on which the Velvet Revolution was built and for which it is admired around the world. It is a principle championed by Václav Havel, whose legacy is still upheld by the VIZE 97 Foundation. That is why we see a powerful parallel here and a strong reason for awarding the Dagmar and Václav Havel VIZE 97 Foundation Prize.
Czech Crystal – Category documentary
Film: ANASTASIA KOBEKINA – NOW OR NEVER! – directed by Grete Liffers, Sophie-Caroline Danner (n.55)
Producer: WDR - Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln
Co-producer: Sounding Images GmbH (production company), BR - Bayerischer Rundfunk, SWR - Südwestrundfunk
Justification: Now or Never is the title of an exciting documentary about the up-and-coming cellist Annastasia Kobekina. From the marketing ideas of the recording company to her first recordings with Paavo Järvi, from cover shoots to social media activities, we experience Annastasia in a new and unusual style that suits this young, charismatic artist. Directors Grete Liffers and Sophie-Caroline Danner are close to the artist between glamour and doubt, everyday life and career.
Czech Crystal – Category recordings of concert performance
Film: RAVEL EN MILLE ÉCLATS – directed by Gordon & François-René Martin (n.28)
Producer: CAMERA LUCIDA
Justification: Directors Francois-Rene Martin and Gordon invested a great deal of time and effort in staging Ravel's works for his anniversary, combining them with some staged documentary elements to create a visually stunning spectacle for the camera. The result is an 80-minute Gesamtkunstwerk that impressively illustrates the life of Maurice Ravel without the need for additional explanations.
Czech Crystal – Recordings of stage work
Film: THE GAMBLER – directed by Peter Sellars (n.80)
Producer: Unitel
Co-producer: ORF III
Justification: Peter Sellars' version of Dostoevsky's classic “The Gambler” fascinates with its post-apocalyptic sci-fi aesthetic. In addition to the staging, the singers Asmik Grigorian and Sean Panikkar are also magnificent, presented in visually stunning scenes by Sellars, who also directed the TV production.
Special mention for extraordinary artistic achievement
Film: AFANADOR – directed by Isabelle Julien (n.43)
Producer: Elzévir Films
Justification: Affanador is a modern flamenco spectacle that—based on the wonderful photographs of Colombian Ruven Afanador—impressively brings the dynamism, fire, passion, and musical power of flamenco to our eyes and ears. The jury would like to honor this overall artistic achievement with a Special Mention.
EBU-IMZ Outstanding Achievement Award
Jan Mojto - a visionary producer, distributor, and cultural ambassador whose contributions to the performing arts on screen have had a lasting impact across Europe and beyond.
Justification: “Jan Mojto‘s lifelong dedication to exceptional content has reshaped how we experience music and performance on screen. His ability to merge artistic integrity with global reach has been essential in bringing new audiences to the performing arts,” says Laetitia Huberti, President of the IMZ International Music + Media Centre and the Head of La Première, Musiq3, Classic 21, La Trois at RTBF.
“Jan Mojto‘s influence on the audiovisual world is truly unique. His productions have set the gold standard for classical music on screen, and his advocacy for public broadcasting and cultural programming continues to resonate throughout the EBU community,” says Ieva Rozentale, Chairwoman of the EBU TV Music Expert Group and Head of Culture at Latvian Television.