TVN Warner Bros. Discovery with 14 Awards at the World Media Festivals 2023
TVN Warner Bros. Discovery won as many as 14 awards during the last edition of the World Media Festivals in Hamburg. TVN and TVN24 journalists and filmmakers were awarded in the “News Reports and Features,” “Documentaries,” and “Entertainment” categories. They received as many as seven gold and six silver statuettes, while the feature film “In Your Place” won the main Intermedia prize – Global GRAND AWARD in the “Entertainment” category. This year, the festival received as many as 764 entries from 33 countries.
The winning film “In Your Place” is a comedy about a young married couple who are raising a small son. Kasia works as a kindergarten teacher, Krzysiek works in a corporation. Their relationship is in crisis. One morning after waking up, they discover that they have switched bodies. Each of them has to face professional challenges and the everyday problems of their spouse.
Golden statuettes in their categories were awarded to:
1. BEHAVIORIST – series TVN
Entertainment: Continuing Series and Serial Programmes
This is a Polish crime series, available on the VOD Player platform from January 4 to February 22, 2022 as a Player Original production. The screenplay was based on the book of the same title by Remigiusz Mróz.
Entertainment: Continuing Series and Serial Programmes
This is a Polish crime series, available on the VOD Player platform from January 4 to February 22, 2022 as a Player Original production. The screenplay was based on the book of the same title by Remigiusz Mróz.
2. OBCHŁAŃ KŁAMSTWA, report by Czarno na Białym TVN24
Documentaries: Ethics and Religion
A report from the “Bielmo” series by Marcin Gutowski about covering up sexual abuses in the Catholic Church. This time the material concerned the diocese of Buffalo in the USA. It is a story about people who dared to publicize such cases and broke the conspiracy of silence, for which – unlike the perpetrators – they suffered negative consequences.
Documentaries: Ethics and Religion
A report from the “Bielmo” series by Marcin Gutowski about covering up sexual abuses in the Catholic Church. This time the material concerned the diocese of Buffalo in the USA. It is a story about people who dared to publicize such cases and broke the conspiracy of silence, for which – unlike the perpetrators – they suffered negative consequences.
3. CANADA SAMPLES OF SUFFERING. CHILDREN OF NOT THIS GOD, a documentary by the editors of Czarno na Białym TVN24
News Reports and Features: Public Affairs
Report by Marek Osiecimski about the drama of the indigenous people of Canada. For 115 years until the so-called of residential schools, their children were forcibly directed. There were over 150,000 of them, and not all of them returned home. They were beaten, sexually abused and starved in schools. What happened in these institutions, mostly run by Catholic clergy, was later called cultural genocide.
News Reports and Features: Public Affairs
Report by Marek Osiecimski about the drama of the indigenous people of Canada. For 115 years until the so-called of residential schools, their children were forcibly directed. There were over 150,000 of them, and not all of them returned home. They were beaten, sexually abused and starved in schools. What happened in these institutions, mostly run by Catholic clergy, was later called cultural genocide.
4. THE ARCHBISHOP AND THE CONTRACT FOR MILITARY HELICOPTERS, a report by the Superwizjer TVN
News Reports and Features: Legal Affairs
The material concerns an important tender for the purchase of armaments for the Polish army. 50 Caracal multi-role helicopters were to change the face of the Polish armed forces. But the politicians of the Law and Justice party, led by Antoni Macierewicz, canceled the tender, which was sharply criticized by military experts. The material looks for the reason for the cancellation of the tender and the answer to the question of what the Polish archbishop from the Vatican and the well-known Italian swindler have to do with it. Reportage by Maciej Duda and Łukasz Ruciński.
News Reports and Features: Legal Affairs
The material concerns an important tender for the purchase of armaments for the Polish army. 50 Caracal multi-role helicopters were to change the face of the Polish armed forces. But the politicians of the Law and Justice party, led by Antoni Macierewicz, canceled the tender, which was sharply criticized by military experts. The material looks for the reason for the cancellation of the tender and the answer to the question of what the Polish archbishop from the Vatican and the well-known Italian swindler have to do with it. Reportage by Maciej Duda and Łukasz Ruciński.
5. POLISH TRAP. THE MYSTERY OF THE DEATH OF A JOURNALIST FROM GUATEMALA, report by Superwizjer TVN
News Reports and Features: Investigative Report
Investigation by journalists of “Superwizjer” TVN and “Duży Format” GW about paid workers coming to Poland from many parts of the world. One of the large migration waves are inhabitants of Latin American countries – they go to factories and plants throughout Poland, but many of them fall into a trap from which it is very difficult to get out. It turns out that companies that bring workers from Latin America brutally exploit their ignorance of the language and Polish law. Mexicans and Guatemalans have been told to work up to several hours a day, and there are repeated cases of intimidation and financial fraud. The journalist Orlando Villanueva tried to defend the deceived, but while working on a reportage about the fate of his compatriots, he was murdered in Guatemala. Reportage by Marcin Wójcik and Bartosz Józefiak.
News Reports and Features: Investigative Report
Investigation by journalists of “Superwizjer” TVN and “Duży Format” GW about paid workers coming to Poland from many parts of the world. One of the large migration waves are inhabitants of Latin American countries – they go to factories and plants throughout Poland, but many of them fall into a trap from which it is very difficult to get out. It turns out that companies that bring workers from Latin America brutally exploit their ignorance of the language and Polish law. Mexicans and Guatemalans have been told to work up to several hours a day, and there are repeated cases of intimidation and financial fraud. The journalist Orlando Villanueva tried to defend the deceived, but while working on a reportage about the fate of his compatriots, he was murdered in Guatemala. Reportage by Marcin Wójcik and Bartosz Józefiak.
6. KOMPANIA VOWA DEFENDS KIEV, a report by the Superwizjer TVN
News Reports and Features: Documentary
Since the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, over one hundred thousand volunteers have been resisting the aggressor in various ways. Many of them joined the territorial defense forces, which became an extremely important part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Trained civilians, aided by veterans of previous fights, know their terrain perfectly. In urban combat, equipped with anti-tank weapons, they are one of the most dangerous formations for the Russian invader. Michał Przedlacki from “Superwizjer” spent several days with one of them.
News Reports and Features: Documentary
Since the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, over one hundred thousand volunteers have been resisting the aggressor in various ways. Many of them joined the territorial defense forces, which became an extremely important part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Trained civilians, aided by veterans of previous fights, know their terrain perfectly. In urban combat, equipped with anti-tank weapons, they are one of the most dangerous formations for the Russian invader. Michał Przedlacki from “Superwizjer” spent several days with one of them.
Silver statuettes in their categories were awarded to:
1. THE POWER OF A LIE edited by Black and White
News Reports and Features: Analysis/Commentary
Piotr Świerczek’s well-known material about the work of the Smolensk subcommittee. For 13 years, Antoni Macierewicz has been repeating that there was an attack, but so far he has not provided any evidence for it. The reporter reached recordings, photos and international expertise, which, although they were commissioned by the subcommittee itself, were never included in its reports, including the last one, which was supposed to be the final report. For the first time, we showed documents that have never been made public in their entirety. Świerczek also spoke to people who worked for the subcommittee but disagreed with its conclusions. They say directly that their research has been manipulated, selectively used for the thesis of an assassination attempt.
News Reports and Features: Analysis/Commentary
Piotr Świerczek’s well-known material about the work of the Smolensk subcommittee. For 13 years, Antoni Macierewicz has been repeating that there was an attack, but so far he has not provided any evidence for it. The reporter reached recordings, photos and international expertise, which, although they were commissioned by the subcommittee itself, were never included in its reports, including the last one, which was supposed to be the final report. For the first time, we showed documents that have never been made public in their entirety. Świerczek also spoke to people who worked for the subcommittee but disagreed with its conclusions. They say directly that their research has been manipulated, selectively used for the thesis of an assassination attempt.
2. GET THE BUTCHER FROM VUKOVAR. BACKGROUND OF THE GROM-U SECRET OPERATION ed. Superwizjer
Documentaries: True Crime
Thirty-one years ago, the Serbs entered the completely destroyed Croatian city of Vukovar. Drunk and angry, the aggressors rushed to the hospital where the wounded defenders and civilians lay. Then they killed hundreds of them and buried them in a mass grave. One of those responsible for the crime was the mayor of Vukovar, the Serb Slavko Dokmanović. He was elusive and very careful, but thanks to the daring action of the GROM special unit, he stood before the International Criminal Court. How was the operation planned? What do the officers who undertook this extremely difficult task say years later? About this in Bertold Kittel’s report “Get the Butcher from Vukovar. Behind the scenes of GROM’s secret operation”.
Documentaries: True Crime
Thirty-one years ago, the Serbs entered the completely destroyed Croatian city of Vukovar. Drunk and angry, the aggressors rushed to the hospital where the wounded defenders and civilians lay. Then they killed hundreds of them and buried them in a mass grave. One of those responsible for the crime was the mayor of Vukovar, the Serb Slavko Dokmanović. He was elusive and very careful, but thanks to the daring action of the GROM special unit, he stood before the International Criminal Court. How was the operation planned? What do the officers who undertook this extremely difficult task say years later? About this in Bertold Kittel’s report “Get the Butcher from Vukovar. Behind the scenes of GROM’s secret operation”.
3. LIBERATE UKRAINE edited by Superwizjer
Documentaries: Current Affairs
Report about the counterattack of the Ukrainian army, which liberated more areas and cities from Putin’s occupation. They revealed the crimes and dramas of people who came into contact with the aggressor. Another city that symbolized Russian barbarism was Izium and the mass graves of killed civilians found there. What did the inhabitants under Russian occupation have to face? The answer can be found in Michał Przedlacki’s reportage in “Superwizjer”.
Documentaries: Current Affairs
Report about the counterattack of the Ukrainian army, which liberated more areas and cities from Putin’s occupation. They revealed the crimes and dramas of people who came into contact with the aggressor. Another city that symbolized Russian barbarism was Izium and the mass graves of killed civilians found there. What did the inhabitants under Russian occupation have to face? The answer can be found in Michał Przedlacki’s reportage in “Superwizjer”.
4. UNDER THE TALIBAN REGULATION ed. Superwizjer
Documentaries: Social Justice
A reportage by Michał Przedlacki, who looks at the Taliban rule after the withdrawal of US troops. After 20 years of Afghan war, the Taliban say they are not the same as they used to be. They want official recognition of their government and international cooperation. Have they really changed? How much can you trust them? How much do Afghans trust them? Will the new power and famine lead to mass exodus from the country?
Documentaries: Social Justice
A reportage by Michał Przedlacki, who looks at the Taliban rule after the withdrawal of US troops. After 20 years of Afghan war, the Taliban say they are not the same as they used to be. They want official recognition of their government and international cooperation. Have they really changed? How much can you trust them? How much do Afghans trust them? Will the new power and famine lead to mass exodus from the country?
5. WE WERE PRISONERS OF THE POLISH STATE ed. Superwizjer
News Reports and Features: Current Events
Closed centers for refugees are places inaccessible to journalists. Few people want to talk about what is going on in them. Reporters Wojciech Szumowski and Rut Kurkiewicz went abroad to meet the refugees who were staying in Poland. They listened to their shocking accounts, in which they described their stay in closed centers in our country.
News Reports and Features: Current Events
Closed centers for refugees are places inaccessible to journalists. Few people want to talk about what is going on in them. Reporters Wojciech Szumowski and Rut Kurkiewicz went abroad to meet the refugees who were staying in Poland. They listened to their shocking accounts, in which they described their stay in closed centers in our country.
6. YOUNG BELARUS ed. Superwizjer
Documentaries: Human Rights
A shocking picture of young people who are looking for their place in the world. They fled the country because Alyaksandr Lukashenko brutally suppressed the protests after the rigged elections in 2020. The protagonists of the documentary “Young Belarus” share their traumatic memories of those repressions. Andriej is a young rapper who lives in Poland. His life is hip-hop on the one hand, and nostalgia, a sense of hopelessness and worse news from Belarus on the other, which he broadcasts every day on Nexta – an independent Belarusian media, where he has become one of the faces of the fight against Lukashenko’s regime. Away from his family and banned from returning home for life, Andrei tries to reconcile fulfilling his dreams with fighting for the freedom of Belarus. Łukasz Ruciński and Patryk Szczepaniak’s film “Young Belarus”
Documentaries: Human Rights
A shocking picture of young people who are looking for their place in the world. They fled the country because Alyaksandr Lukashenko brutally suppressed the protests after the rigged elections in 2020. The protagonists of the documentary “Young Belarus” share their traumatic memories of those repressions. Andriej is a young rapper who lives in Poland. His life is hip-hop on the one hand, and nostalgia, a sense of hopelessness and worse news from Belarus on the other, which he broadcasts every day on Nexta – an independent Belarusian media, where he has become one of the faces of the fight against Lukashenko’s regime. Away from his family and banned from returning home for life, Andrei tries to reconcile fulfilling his dreams with fighting for the freedom of Belarus. Łukasz Ruciński and Patryk Szczepaniak’s film “Young Belarus”
World Media Festival is a media industry festival addressed to global television and film, advertising and internet creators. The awards are given for the highest production standards as well as the best and most creative solutions, e.g. in advertising, animation, documentary, education, entertainment, corporate communications and public relations.