International Emmy Awards 2006

Tuesday 20th November 2006 - New York Hilton, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, 10019

Hosted by Graham Norton

Please see below for winners highlighted in red

34th INTERNATIONAL EMMY AWARDS GALA CELEBRATES THE WORLD’S BEST TELEVISION PROGRAMMING

Maryam Hassouni from the Netherlands Wins Best Performance by an Actress
Ray Winstone from the UK Wins Best Performance by an Actor

UK Programming Rebounds at 2006 Emmy Season Winning Six Categories

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the winners of the 34th International Emmy Awards tonight at a star-studded Gala event held at the New York Hilton, hosted by award-winning comedian and talk-show host Graham Norton. A cast of international stars including Katie Couric, Susan Sarandon, Christiane Amanpour, Rosie Perez, Roger Bart, Julianne Nicholson and Lorenzo Lamas presented the International Emmy statue to the winners.

The Best Performance by an Actress was won by Maryam Hassouni from the Netherlands for her performance as Laila in Offers and the Best Performance by an Actor was won by Ray Winstone from the UK for his performance as Vincent in Vincent.  In addition to the Best Actor category, British programs won in the Children & Young People, Comedy, Documentary, Drama Series and Non-Scripted Entertainment categories.

“We congratulate this year’s winners for their outstanding achievement. The Academy is proud to be the international television community’s platform for recognizing excellence in television programming worldwide,” said Academy President & CEO Bruce Paisner, also President of Hearst Entertainment.

The International Emmy Founders Award was presented to Steven Spielberg, for his outstanding television career and The International Emmy Directorate Award was presented to Central European Media Enterprises (CME) and its Founder and Chairman, Ronald S. Lauder for pioneering the development of independent television broadcasting in Central and Eastern Europe.

Spielberg’s career began in episodic television. His first directing job was an episode of “Night Gallery” that starred Joan Crawford. He went on to direct a second episode of “Night Gallery,” as well as episodes of such series as “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “The Name of the Game,” and “Columbo.” His made-for-television “Duel” became a breakthrough for him when it was released theatrically in the international market. That led to his first feature films which took off after “Jaws.”  Along with his film career, Spielberg continued to be involved in television. In 1985, he created the weekly anthology series “Amazing Stories” with a new cast and new director each week. His later award-winning projects include: “ER,” now in its 13th year, and the long-form productions “Band of Brothers,” “Taken” and “Into the West.” He also presented the acclaimed animated series “Tiny Toon Adventures,” “Animaniacs,” and “Pinky & the Brain.” Future projects include a long-form production about World War II in the Pacific which will be from the "Band of Brothers" team, the sci-fi long-form production "Nine Lives" and "On the Lot," an unscripted series which will allow aspiring film-makers to vie for a studio development deal at DreamWorks. 

2006 INTERNATIONAL EMMY AWARD WINNERS

ARTS PROGRAMMING
Knowledge is the Beginning
A production of EuroArts Music International in co-production with ZDF/ARTE Germany
Producers: Paul Smaczny, Dieter Schneider
Director: Paul Smaczny
Writer: Paul Smaczny
Cast: Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra
Nominees: Anca-Monica Pandelea (Producer & Head of Music Department - ZDF)
Paul Smaczny (Producer, Director, EuroArts Music)
Knowledge is the Beginning is the story of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, where young Arabs and Jews perform side by side. The program illustrates how prejudices are overcome during rehearsals, concerts and the celebrations afterwards. It also demonstrates the problems that crop up occasionally and how music can help people from different points of view find common ground. For Daniel Barenboim, founder of the ensemble, the orchestra is a symbol for what could be achieved in the Middle East.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR
Ray Winstone as Vincent
Vincent
Granada Drama and Comedy
United Kingdom
Accepting: Jamie Winstone (his daughter)
Ray Winstone stars as private investigator, Vincent, who often forgets that he is running a business and not a crusade. His partner, Beth, is perpetually looking out for him and keeps his headstrong tendencies in check. In the series premiere, Vincent works on a case of suspected adultery, where he and his team follow the client’s wife to a club and straight into the arms of another man. Vincent realizes that this investigation will end brutally.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS
Maryam Hassouni as Laila
Offers
VARA Broadcasting Organisation
The Netherlands
Accepting: Maryam Hassouni
When his parents become victims of a suicide attack in Paris, Haron is approached by the Secret Service who claims that the Paris terrorist cell has ties with a sleeping cell in Holland. Without telling his unit, Haron begins to shadow Laila, a Palestinian suspected of planning an attack.  When she confronts him, he realizes that her brother was a victim of the Paris suicide attack.  They team up and together they work to turn fate to their side.

CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE
Sugar Rush
A Shine Production for Channel 4
United Kingdom
Executive Producer: Julian Murphy
Producer: Johnny Capps
Director: Amanda Blue
Writers: Katie Baxendale (based on the novel by Julie Burchill)
Cast: Olivia Hallinan, Lenora Crichlow, Sara Stewart
Nominees: Johnny Capps (Series Producer & Creator, Shine Limited)
Katie Baxendale (Lead Writer & Creator)
Being an un-cool, 15-year-old lesbian who’s infatuated with the most popular girl in school is tough. Based on the novel by Julie Burchill, Sugar Rush explores the world of Kim and her lust for sassy Maria Sweet, a.k.a. Sugar. Then there’s Kim’s family: a freak brother, an obsessive dad and a mum who thinks she’s 15. Each episode is a journey to Kim’s world as she takes us into the mind of a screwed-up adolescent.

COMEDY
Little Britain
BBC Comedy
United Kingdom
Executive Producer: Jon Plowman
Producer: Geoff Posner
Director: Declan Lowney
Writers: Matt Lucas, David Walliams
Cast: Matt Lucas, David Walliams
Nominees: Geoff Posner (Producer, BBC Comedy)
Jon Plowman (Exec Producer and Head of BBC Comedy)
Have you ever thought about visiting Britain? Well, let's hope this lot doesn't put you off! Series Three sees the welcome return of some favorite characters including Lou and Andy, Marjorie and the Fat Fighters Club, Michael and Sebastian, and teenage delinquent Vicky Pollard. Some new faces are also introduced, such as Dudley, who buys a mail order bride from Thailand. Meanwhile pampered, obese freeloader Bubbles meets her match in a new character called Desire.

DOCUMENTARY
Hiroshima
A BBC/TFI/ZDF/Discovery Channel co-production in association with the Tokyo Broadcasting
System Inc. with thanks to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
United Kingdom
Executive Producer: Matthew Barrett
Producer: Paul Wilmshurst
Director: Paul Wilmshurst
Writer: Paul Wilmshurst
Nominees: Matthew Barrett (Exec Producer)
Paul Wilmshurst (Producer/Director)
Hiroshima is a documentary about the first use of an atomic bomb. This film mixes drama, computer graphics and special effects with testimonies from survivors and witnesses. Set in the three weeks from the first successful bomb test, it explores both the Allied and Japanese perspectives and follows the scientists who built the weapon. It also examines the politicians who would decide to use it and follows the Japanese people as the bomb explodes.

DRAMA SERIES
Life on Mars
Kudos Film & TV Ltd. for BBC Wales
United Kingdom
Executive Producers: Jane Featherstone, Matthew Graham
Producer: Claire Parker
Co-Created by Matthew Graham, Ashley Pharoah, Tony Jordan
Director: Bharat Nalluri
Series Directed by: Bharat Nalluri, John McKay, SJ Clarkson, John Alexander
Writer: Matthew Graham
Series Written by: Matthew Graham, Tony Jordan, Ashley Pharoah, Chris Chibnall
Cast: John Simm, Philip Glenister
Nominees: Matthew Graham (Co-Creator, Writer, Exec Prod)
Ashley Pharoah (Co-Creator, Writer)
Detective Sam Tyler awakens realizing that he’s gone back to…1973. But he regroups and he and his new team – a technologically backward, risibly corrupt CID department – have crimes to solve. Crimes, which are some of the toughest investigations Sam’s encountered, primarily because they appear to be the key to the mystery of his existence in another era. Life on Mars is about one man’s frantic journey to get back home.

NON-SCRIPTED ENTERTAINMENT
Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares
An Optomen Television Production for Channel 4
United Kingdom
Executive Producer: Patricia Llewellyn
Producer: Christine Hall
Nominees: Patricia Llewellyn
The UK’s most inimitable chef, multi-Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay, is as well-known for his explosive personality as his spectacular food. In each episode of this four-part series, Ramsay visits a struggling restaurant, dispensing his own menu of tough talking as he embarks on a mission to transform each business into a successful restaurant in just two weeks.

TV MOVIE/MINI-SERIES
Nuit Noire, October 17, 1961
Cipango
France
Producers: Thomas Anargyros, Edouard de Vésinne
Director: Alain Tasma
Original script by Patrick Rotman
Written with François-Olivier Rousseau, Alain Tasma
Cast: Clotilde Courau, Thierry Fortineau, Atmen Kelif, Vahina Giocante, Ouassini Embarek, Jean-
Michel Portal, Florence Thomassin, Serge Riaboukine, Aurélien Recoing
Nominees: Alain Tasma (Director)
Edouard de Vesinne (Producer)
While de Gaulle was preparing to negotiate the end of the Algerian war, the chief of the Paris police, Maurice Papon, ordered the arrest of more than 11,000 Algerians who were demonstrating peacefully against the abuse of the police force and the curfew they were subjected to. The final death toll went up to several hundred protesters. Nuit Noire, October 17, 1961 reveals the truth of the savagery carried out by the highest levels of French authority.