MIPCOM 2021, which will be reuniting the global television distribution and production communities in Cannes (11-14 October), has today announced the finalists for its prestigious MIPCOMDiversify TV Excellence Awards.
The 5th edition of the awards will take place on Wednesday 13 October from 16.00 to 17.00 CEST, in the Grand Auditorium, Palais des Festivals, Cannes and will be live streamed worldwide via MIPCOM Digital as well as other affiliated online platforms.
Dedicated to championing and promoting diversity and inclusion in all its forms across the international television industry, MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Awards recognize stand out programming that challenges stereotypes, provides fair and balanced representation and exemplifies originality and excellence in storytelling, casting and production values.
This year sees the return of the Variety Creative Change Award which made its debut in 2020, recognising an individual who uses their platform in the arts to create inclusive stories. This year’s recipient is Academy Award nominated actor, writer, producer, and musician, Riz Ahmed.Themes of inclusion and representation run throughout Riz’s work as a creator and activist, from his roles in projects such as SOUND OF METAL, THE NIGHT OF, and MOGUL MOWGLI, to his essay in Nikesh Shukla’s “The Good Immigrant,” his 2017 address to Parliament on diversity in the creative industries, and his appointment to the Mayor of London’s 2021 Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm.
MIPCOM is delighted to announce rising star Salif Cissé as Master of Ceremonies this year, a graduate of the prestigious National Academy of Dramatic Arts. Salif, who starred in last year’s shortlisted drama Mental, staged his first project High Sign at the Cartes Blanches Festival in 2017. Since then he was cast in Guillaume Brac’s All Hands On Deck, starred in his own original mini-series Couronnes and will next appear in one of the lead role in the upcoming Netflix series, Endless Night, due out in 2022..
The 24 finalists cover a broad range of topics from celebrating diverse culture and heritage, stories of living with disabilities, the lasting impact of the global pandemic, children’s rights, AIDs and HIV 40 years on and transgender activism. They were chosen from a record number of submissions by the Pre-Selection Jury made up of the MIP Markets Diversity Advisory Board and a panel of industry experts, including: Bunmi Akintonwa, CEO, Little Black Book Company; Mounia Aram,CEO, Mounia Aram Company; Sahar Baghery, Head of Business Development, Amazon Prime Video; Bruna Capozzoli, Head of Creative Content, On The EDGE Conservation; Patrick Connolly, International Entertainment Executive; David Cornwall, Managing Director, Scorpion Television; Mark Garner, EVP Global Content Sales & Business Development, A+E Networks; Sallyann Keizer, Managing Director, Sixth Sense Media; Wincie Knight, Senior Director, Global Inclusion Strategies, ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), EMEA ; David Levine, Chief Content Officer, Moonbug Entertainment; Tshepo Moche, Development Consultant, Content Creator & Writer, Play Nice Pictures; Adam Pearson, Disability Rights Campaigner, Actor & Presenter; Cédric Petitpas, Head of Family Partnerships, YouTube UK & Ireland; Bouchra Rejani, Founder & CEO, WeMake; Nick Smith, EVP Formats, All3Media International; André Renaud, SVP Global Format Sales, BBC Studios, Sam Renke, Actress, Presenter, Speaker, Writer and Disability Rights Campaigner; Shabnam Rezaei , Co-Founder & President, Big Bad Boo Studios; Deborah Williams, CEO, The Creative Diversity Network (CDN).
The winning programmes will be chosen by charitable organisations that campaign for equality and inclusion, including Fondation Mozaïk, GLAAD, GADIM, Mencap, Minority Rights Group, SCOPE, Show Racism the Red Card, Stonewall.
The shortlisted programmes are:
MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for Representation of Diversity in Kids Programming – Preschool
16 Hudson
Production company: Big Bad Boo Studios
Distributor: Big Bad Boo Studios
Original Broadcaster: TVO
Country of origin: Canada
JoJo and Gran Gran
Production company: BBC Children’s In-House Productions for CBeebies in collaboration with A Productions
Distributor: CBeebies
Original Broadcaster: CBeebies and BBC iPlayer
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Mira, Royal Detective
Production company: Wild Canary Animation / Technicolor India
Distributor: Disney
Original Broadcaster: Disney Junior
Country of origin: United States
MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for Representation of Diversity in Kids Programming – Older Children
Lockdown – The Confession
Production company: Sinking Ship Entertainment
Distributor: Sinking Ship Entertainment
Original Broadcaster: Youtube Originals
Country of origin: Canada
L’Effet Secondaire
Production company: Zone3
Distributor: Newen Connect
Original Broadcaster: TOU.TV
Country of origin: Canada
FYI’s Kidversation
Production company: Fresh Start Media production
Distributor: Sky News & Sky Kids
Original Broadcaster: Sky News & Sky Kids
Country of origin: United Kingdom
MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for Representation of LGBTQIA+ – Scripted
It’s a Sin
Production company: RED Production Company for Channel 4 and HBO Max in association with All3Media International
Distributor: All3Media International
Original Broadcaster: Channel 4
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Rūrangi
Production company: Autonomouse
Distributor: The Yellow Affair
Original Broadcaster: Hulu
Country of origin: New Zealand
Oh My Goig
Production company: Camille Zonca
Distributor: beteve / Camille Zonca
Original Broadcaster: beteve
Country of origin: Spain
MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for Representation of LGBTQIA+ – Non Scripted
VICE VERSA: The Neglected Pandemic, 40 Years of HIV & AIDS
Production company: VICE Studios
Distributor: VICE Distribution
Original Broadcaster: VICE TV
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Shine True
Production company: VICE Studios
Distributor: OutTV and Fuse Media
Original Broadcaster: OutTV and Fuse Media
Country of origin: Canada
You Can’t Ask That
Production company: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Distributor: ABC Commercial
Original Broadcaster: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Country of origin: Australia
MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for Representation of Race and Ethnicity – Scripted
We Are Lady Parts
Production company: Working Title Television
Distributor: NBCUniversal Global Distribution
Original Broadcaster: Channel 4 / Peacock (US)
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Creamerie
Production company: Tony Ayres Productions, Kevin & Co. and Flat3
Distributor: NBCUniversal Global Distribution
Original Broadcaster: TVNZ
Country of origin: United States
Dreaming Whilst Black
Production company: Big Deal Films
Distributor: BBC
Original Broadcaster: BBC iPlayer
Country of origin: United Kingdom
MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for Representation of Race And Ethnicity – Non Scripted
The Money Maker
Production company: Kalel Productions
Distributor: NBCUniversal Formats
Original Broadcaster: Channel 4
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Exterminate All the Brutes
Production company: HBO Documentary Films, Velvet Film
Distributor: Sky Documentaries
Original Broadcaster: Sky Documentaries
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Toni Morrison – Black Matter(s)
Production company: ROCHE PRODUCTIONS
Distributor: ARTE Distribution
Original Broadcaster: ARTE France
Country of origin: France
MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for Representation of Disability – Scripted
Special Honors, Welcome to Adulthood
Production company: Caminando
Distributor: Newen Connect
Original Broadcaster: TF1
Country of origin: France
Christmas Ever After
Production company: MarVista Entertainment, Neshama Entertainment, Vroom
Distributor: MarVista Entertainment
Original Broadcaster: Lifetime
Country of origin: United States
Six Degrees
Production company: Encore Television
Distributor: Encore Television-Distribution
Original Broadcaster: Société Radio-Canada | Tou.tv Extra
Country of origin: Canada
MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for Representation of Disability – Non Scripted
I’m Tourette
Production company: KBS (Korean Broadcasting System)
Distributor: KBS Media
Original Broadcaster: KBS
Country of origin: Korea
Mission: Accessible
Production company: Rockerdale Studios
Original Broadcaster: Channel 4
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Summer in Lockdown
Production company: Drummer TV
Distributor: BSLBT
Original Broadcaster: Film 4
Country of origin: United Kingdom
The awards will be presented in association with founding partners A+E Networks and DiversifyTV – a group of executives championing diversity, inclusion and representation across the TV industry – joined by presenting partners Telefilm Canada and Canada Media Fund and supported by All3Media Internationalas partner of the disability category, as well as new partners, from the United Nations’ SDG Media Compact and Trace Studios.
