IAWRT International Awards

Invitations are now open for the 2011 IAWRT International Awards for Excellence in Documentary Making.

The IAWRT Awards celebrate outstanding documentaries made by women and are open to all female producers, directors and journalists working with radio, television and film documentaries anywhere in the world.

Documentaries must be about women who are making a difference to their own lives or to the lives of other women. Entries must be between 20 - 90 minutes long for Film and 15 – 60 minutes for Radio and have been broadcast, or shown at a competitive festival from October 2009 – September 2011.

An international jury of professionals will assess entries and the winners will be announced at the Gala Dinner during the IAWRT 34th Biennial Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 21-24 November 2011.

The Award for the most outstanding documentary in each medium is US $1,000.

Entry forms and full details of the entry Rules and Regulations are  attached below.

Program makers have until Saturday, 15 October 2011 to submit an entry.

For more inquiries and information, please e-mail the Awards Coordinator, Gerd Inger Polden, at gerd.inger.polden@nrk.no.

The IAWRT award is a competition that takes place at the IAWRT biennial International conference every two years. One award of excellence is presented for television /independent documentary programming and one for radio. An international jury composed of IAWRT members determines the theme for the Awards, which changes every two years. This is a competition for women journalists/directors and the documentary must be made by woman with content about women. The competition provides a unique opportunity to share the accomplishments of women communicators from around the world. Awarded entries will be shared with members and clips from awards will be posted on the site. The competition is open for all women, both members and non-members, and entries can be made by production companies, as well as by independent directors.

Contact/ Coordinator for Awards: Gerd Inger Polden gerd.inger.polden@nrk.no

The IAWRT AWARDS have been an integral part of the IAWRT International Biannial Conferences since 1994. Mette Janson coordinated the first Awards and it is now passed on to Gerd Inger Polden, both from the Norway Chapter.

In the first year, the competition was limited to TV documentaries, but after 1997, awards of Excellence have been granted, one for radio and one for TV programs. Honorable mentions are also awarded in each category. To secure a broad representation within the two respective juries, IAWRT members are chosen from all continents. A representative from the hosting country of the conference acts as the chair for the competition.

Each year, a theme is chosen for the AWARDS usually the same as the theme for the IAWRT international conference. The AWARDS have a capacity building element as it is a unique opportunity to develop dialogue and critical viewing opportunities for the jury members involved. Entries are also a unique opportunity to share ongoing advancements with the participants at the conferences. With this, the IAWRT AWARDS became an important part of the professional input at the conferences. Each conference concludes with an AWARDS ceremony and banquet, which is one of the highlight of the conferences.

The AWARDS work is facilitated and sponsored by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and the Forum for Women and Development or FOKUS.

Awards Night

Press Release: International Documentary Awards Announced
IAWRT Awards of Excellence was announced at the 34th Biennial Conference of the International  Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) hosted by IPPTAR, ABU and FOKUS in Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 23rd November  2011

The Tun Abdul Razak Institute of Broadcasting and Information (IPPTAR), Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) and the Forum for Women and Development (FOKUS) are hosting the 34th IAWRT Biennial Conference, which has brought 55 IAWRT members from 28 countries around the world. The IAWRT Awards of Excellence is an integral part of the Conference.  Two international juries reviewed programs directed by women about women - from all continents of the world.

The IAWRT Awards of Excellence for the best radio and television documentary 2011 has been announced. The cash awards of US$ 1000 each will go to radio producer Louise Williams from Ireland, and to television director Limor Pashov from Israel.

Louise WilliamsThe Award winning radio documentary “I Can Tell by Looking at You” by Louise Williams
is a personal story, told by herself, of how little looks count when your identity is suspected to be mixed up in a fraud. Louise was traveling back home to Ireland from Netherlands where she had just completed conducting a training workshop. At Schiphol Airport, she was stopped at the passport control as the police needed to check something that had come up on the computer. What followed is a nightmare! This is a story that touches all World Travelers.

The jury felt that this is a global issue. It highlights mistakes that can result in very traumatizing experiences.  The story creates suspense all the way and raises questions that the listener would like answered by those responsible.

Honorable Mentions were given to three radio documentaries.

Kellia RamaresThe first honorable mention goes to Kellia Ramares for her documentary ‘Do Tell: Queer Women Vets Sound Off on “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”.

Leeanne O’DonnelThe second honorable mention goes to Leenne O’Donnel for her production "An Extra Ordinary Affair".

Tasneem AhmarAnd the third honorable mention goes to Tasneem Amar for her programme "Our Rights, Our Responsibilities".

Limor PashovThe Award winning television documentary “Melissa, Mom and Me" by Limor Pashov, addresses the theme of sex work in an intimate and original way. The director weaves home video footage taken by Yael, one of the main protagonists, along with an intimate observational documentary approach. The result is an original and compassionate look at two women who became intimate while working as strippers seven years earlier. The film explores these women's relationships to their families and the psychological factors that contributed to their entry into the sex industry. Rather than feeling like voyeurs, the audience is drawn into a process where the protagonists use the documentary to reflect on and to make sense of their past.

Honorable Mentions were given to three TV documentaries.

Amanda PopeThe first Honorable Mention goes to Amanda Pope, USA, for The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club.  

Kinga Woloszyn SwierkThe Second Honorable Mention goes to Kinga Woloszyn Swierk from Poland, director of Girls at Auschwitz – Poland.

Nefise Özkal Lorentzen

The Third Honorable Mention goes to Nefise Ozkal Lorentzen, director of
A Balloon for Allah – Norway

www.iawrt.org
Contact : gerdinger@gmail.com

Press Release: International Documentary Awards Announced
IAWRT Awards of Excellence announced at the biennial conference of the International  Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) hosted by the Cambodian Women’s Media Center, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia   November 19th, 2009

The Cambodian Women’s Media Center is hosting the IAWRT biennial conference which has brought 60 IAWRT members from 20 countries around the world. The IAWRT Award of Excellence for the best radio and television documentary 2009 has been announced. The cash awards go to Ruth Evans, independent radio documentary maker of the United Kingdom, and to independent television documentary maker, Diana Saqeb of Afghanistan. The two international juries (see image below) reviewed programs directed by women about women - from all continents of the world.

The award winning radio documentary, “The 66 Club” tells the story of Wendy Kramer who founded the website, “Donor Sibling Registry” to connect thousands of children, conceived by anonymous donors, with their half siblings and their once anonymous biological fathers. The documentary follows one group of women, “The 66 Club” who used the sperm of the same anonymous donor, number 66. The documentary brings into focus the wide range of ethical issues that have arisen from the multi-million dollar donor industry. “The documentary has the ability to draw audience attention to the medical, social, moral, and ethical issues connected to this profitable industry.” (jury).

The award winning television documentary, “Twenty five percent” follows six female parliament members in Afghanistan fighting for women’s rights in the male dominated parliament. While the new constitution demands that 25% of the parliamentarians are women, these women must fight to make their voices heard. The film depicts these courageous women in both their domestic lives and their political lives as mothers, daughters and political leaders. “In contrast to the onslaught of images of war and veiled women, “Twenty five percent” represents these powerful women fighting for a society where their rights are respected.”

The honourable mention in radio documentary is awarded to “The Search for Edna Lavilla” produced by Sharon Davis and Eurydice Aroney of ABC Radio National from Australia. The program uncovers the story of Edna Lavilla Heynes who died in 1942 from a back alley abortion. Sixty years later, her tenacious granddaughter tracks down hidden police reports and government files to tell Edna’s story, a story common to one in four women in Australia at that time.

The honourable mention in television is shared by three women; “Living in the Minefield” by Marit Gjertsen from Norway; “Shahida: Bride of Allah” by Natalie Assouline of Israel and “Tales from the Margin” by Kavita Joshi of India.

The first honourable mention, “Living in the Minefield,” follows the daily life of An Vy, a Cambodian widow with eight daughters. After her husband was killed by a landmine, An Vy continues to work in the soil where landmines are a daily threat. She explains “If you are just afraid and stay home, you will have no food for your children.”

The second honourable mention “Shahida: Bride of Allah” follows Palestinian women who are jailed for their involvement in bombings in Israel. The film presents the daily lives of these women in prison. The women candidly express their religious and political convictions, their challenges as mothers living in prisons, and their involvement in the daily rituals of imprisoned life.

The third honourable mention goes to Kavita Joshi from India for her documentary  “Tales from the margins.” This documentary presents a struggle from Manipure, a state in the North-East of India. For decades activists have been fighting against a drastic law that allows anyone in the security forces to shoot, arrest or kill- on suspicion alone. The film documents the extraordinary protests of Manipuri women as they fight against the abuse, rape and kill of their daughters and their people.

The television jury members are:

Kallianey Kim, Cambodia
Olivia Tumanjong, Cameroon
Gerd Inger Polden, Norway

The radio jury members are:

Soviry Voun, Cambodia
Maria Teresita Borja-Osalla, Philippine
Maia Metaxa, Moldova