The winners of the Golden Prague International Television Festival have been announced. The Grand Prix has been awarded to a Finnish documentary that presents the Aurora Orchestra's innovative rendition of the Rite of Spring. The winners of the Grand Prix, three Czech Crystals, and the Special Mention have been selected by a five-member international jury headed by Norwegian producer and IMZ Vice-President Arild Erikstad. The Award of the Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97 has been bestowed on the creators of G. F. Händel: Messiah, a film co-produced by Czech Television. The Czech Television Prize goes to the film John Neumeier – A Life for Dance. The 61st edition of Golden Prague is scheduled to take place at the Municipal House from 25 to 28 September 2024.
"I never ceased to be amazed by the high number of exceptional musical and dance programs created throughout the world every year," says Tomáš Motl, the Festival's director and the Executive Director of CT Art. "It's in no way an easy, simple task, considering the competition faced from other genres, commercial TV stations, and streaming services. The fact that nearly 90 extraordinary pictures from all over the world have been registered for this year's contest has made the jury's task to select only a handful of winners highly difficult. I consider this season a success, even though we're only halfway through, without knowing what is in store still and how many more visitors and spectators the festival will attract. In any case, the way things are underscores the high international prestige of the festival and Czech Television, which organizes it,"" concludes Motl.
The winning picture, Aurora Orchestra's Rite of Spring, directed by Ilmari Aho makes complex classical music accessible through an innovative concert format, offering a glimpse into what the future of classical music concerts might look like. Presented by the avant-garde Aurora Orchestra, the revolutionary musical work approaches Stravinsky's Rite of Spring in an original manner, where all of the musicians play the composition from memory.
The EBU and IMZ Outstanding Achievement Award has been bestowed on the Canadian documentary filmmaker Larry Weinstein. "It is an honor to be awarding such a visionary creator, who has on numerous occasions tackled topics relating to the art of performance, and has always enriched not only his audience, but also experts in the field. He is always able to find an unexpected viewpoint, an extraordinary aspect of the subject-matter, which only he is able to discern, as exemplified in his latest film Beethoven's Nine: Ode to Humanity,” remarked Laetitia Huberti, President at IMZ International Music and Media Center, and Head of the La Première, Musiq3, Classic 21, and La Trois RTBF Channels.
Like last year, the Award of the Dagmar and Václav Havel Foundation VIZE 97 will stay in the Czech Republic this season, having been awarded for a television rendition of a performance of G. F. Händel: Messiah, directed by Ondřej Havelka and delivered at the revolving auditorium in Český Krumlov. The Czech Television Prize goes to John Neumeier – A Life for Dance, a film that depicts the life and career of one of the world's most outstanding dancers, choreographers, and ballet artists using a sensitive approach that is not only accessible to the general public, but also provides an enchanting experience for experts in the field.
A Special Mention for Extraordinary Artistic Achievement has been awarded to the Royal Swedish Opera. Karlsson: Melancholia. The film delivers a bold rendition of the opera, which blends the complex music with a free form that breaks away from conventional standards in a way that mainly appeals to young and novice spectators.
The Czech Crystal Prize has been awarded in three categories: The winner of the Recordings of Stage Works category is Bovary – A Dance Play by Christian Spuck based on the Gustave Flaubert Novel, a production combining clear, strong storytelling and emotionally charged dancing.
The prize in the Recordings of Concert Performance category has been awarded to Orphee & Eurydice, a film that has captivated the jury with its fresh energy, presented young talents, and created the impression of a live broadcast among television audiences thanks to a creative use of space. The winner of the Documentary Programs Dedicated to Music, Dance and Theater is Call Me Dancer, a documentary depicting the inspiring journey of a young dance from his beginnings on the street all the way to professional stages.
List of Awards at the 61st Edition of the Golden Prague International Television Festival
• Grand Prix – Aurora Orchestra's Rite of Spring
82 minutes, Finland, Director: Ilmari Aho
• Czech Crystal – Recordings of Concert Performance – Orphee & Eurydice
106 minutes, France, Director: François-René Martin
• Czech Crystal – Documentary Programs Dedicated to Music, Dance, and Theater – Call Me Dancer
90 minutes, Switzerland, Director: Leslie Shampaine
• Czech Crystal – Recordings of Stage Works – Bovary – A Dance Play by Christian Spuck based on the Gustave Flaubert Novel
116 minutes, Germany, Director: Michael Beyer
• Czech Television Prize – John Neumeier – A Life for Dance
52 minutes, Germany, Director: Andreas Morell
• Dagmar and Vaclav Havel Foundation VIZE 97 Award – G. F. Händel: Messiah
116 minutes, Czech Republic, Director of stage production: Tomáš Ondřej Pilař, Director of TV production: Ondřej Havelka
• Special Mention for Extraordinary Artistic Achievement – Royal Swedish Opera. Karlsson: Melancholia
152 minutes, Sweden, Director: Andreas Morell
• EBU and IMZ Outstanding Achievement Award – Canadian documentary filmmaker Larry Weinstein