MIPCOM DIVERSIFY TV EXCELLENCE AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Copyright: Mandoga Media

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).

Cannes Series during MIPCOM. Copyright: Mandoga Media

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.