Japan Prize 2019
Announcing the Japan Prize 2019 winners!

Japan Prize 2019 received 288 entries for Audiovisual Works and Proposal Pitch from 54 countries and regions in the world.

Annual Report 2019
The trophy

The Grand Prix Japan Prize 2019

Play
Buddha in Africa
Title
Buddha in Africa
Organization
Thinking Strings Media
Momento Film
Country/Region
South Africa
Sweden
Media
Film
Duration
53’30”

In the southern countries of Africa, there are growing number of schools whose objective is to promote Buddhist culture. Set in one such school in Malawi, the documentary follows a group of teenage students as they struggle to reconcile their African roots and Asian values in the process of forging their identities. The school welcomes children from impoverished families and provides them with not just basic education but also instruction in Chinese language and martial arts. A student dreams of becoming a martial arts film star like Jet Li, but he soon comes to a crossroads: he is torn between the choice of returning to his home village to help his family or pursuing a life in the Chinese culture. The film offers a subtle exploration of the impact of soft power while depicting the inner dialogue of African youth as they confront questions of race, culture, and religion.

Audiovisual Works The Best Work in Each Division

The Best Work in the Pre-school Division
(The Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Prize)

Play
Title
MUSIC IN THE BOX – Finding Sound
Organization
Korea Educational Broadcasting System (EBS)
Country/Region
Republic of Korea
Media
TV
Duration
10’47”

Children discover the wonders of music, through sounds generated by everyday objects hidden inside a box. In this episode, the host and the children create a variety of sounds from a book by flipping its pages and clapping its covers. Gradually, their acoustic escapade evolves into full-scale musical performance. The program stimulates the children’s curiosity for music by engaging them in various genres including classical, jazz, and rock.

The Best Work in the Primary Division
(The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Prize)

Play
Title
SUBMARINE MYSTERIES AT THE END OF THE WORLD
Humpback whales
Organization
Pakapaka, Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego
Country/Region
Argentina
Media
TV
Duration
13’00”

This program invites young viewers into the world of life beneath the sea. Set in the southern-most city of Ushuaia in Argentina, Lola and her three diver friends explore the undersea ecosystems along the Tierra del Fuego coast. The focus of this episode is the humpback whale. Lola visits a research center to learn ways to identify different whale species. She also attempts to observe them using a drone. The result of her research and images she captures are shared online, stimulating communication with viewers to harness collective knowledge.

The Best Work in the Youth Division
(The Minister of Foreign Affairs Prize)

Play
Title
Buddha in Africa
Organization
Thinking Strings Media (South Africa)
Momento Film (Sweden)
Country/Region
South Africa
Sweden
Media
Film
Duration
53’30”

In the southern countries of Africa, there are growing number of schools whose objective is to promote Buddhist culture. Set in one such school in Malawi, the documentary follows a group of teenage students as they struggle to reconcile their African roots and Asian values in the process of forging their identities. The school welcomes children from impoverished families and provides them with not just basic education but also instruction in Chinese language and martial arts. A student dreams of becoming a martial arts film star like Jet Li, but he soon comes to a crossroads: he is torn between the choice of returning to his home village to help his family or pursuing a life in the Chinese culture. The film offers a subtle exploration of the impact of soft power while depicting the inner dialogue of African youth as they confront questions of race, culture, and religion.

The Best Work in the Lifelong Learning Division
(The Governor of Tokyo Prize)

Play
Title
HUMANITY 4.0
Organization
Korea Educational Broadcasting System (EBS)
Country/Region
Republic of Korea
Media
TV
Duration
47’37”

Can humans attain immortality? Is it possible to sustain love throughout eternity? In this documentary program, a renowned Korean mechanical engineer delves into the forefront of science and technology to question the very definition of humanity. Driven by his desire to keep the memory of his beloved son alive forever, Professor Dennis Hong embarks on a journey to find practical ways to attain immorality. Along the way, he meets scientists who employ digital technology to resurrect a deceased lover. He also attempts to preserve his own identity in the form of an AI robot created with his own personal data. Interweaving intimate stories of a father-son relationship with an investigation into advanced science and technology, the program engages us in an emotional and intellectual conversation about love and humanity.

The Best Work in the Digital Media Division
(The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Prize)

Play
Title
Like♡Me
Organization
Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK)
Country/Region
Norway
Media
Website

“Like♡me” is a new web drama series that combines elements of social media, messaging apps, and live action drama to tell a story about bullying. Based on the actual testimonies of a group of twelve-year-olds, the story portrays the life of a girl as she gets betrayed by her best friends and suffers exclusion and bullying. The viewers are able to follow either the aggressor or the victim through their daily online posts, and get a first-hand experience of the bullying as it unfolds. The character’s desire for approval and obsession with popularity is depicted in a raw and unfiltered manner, prompting viewers to recognize their own behavior and its consequences. The goal is to help nurture young people’s self-confidence.

Audiovisual Works Special Prizes

The Japan Foundation President’s Prize

Play
Title
FACES
How I survived being bullied
Organization
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
Country/Region
Japan
Media
Website

This is a website which collects 2-minute video testimonies of people who survived bullying, addressed to those who are currently suffering from bullying. In attempt to build a platform where people of different ethnicity, religion, and culture can support one another, the project calls upon public media companies around the world to participate in this international co-production initiative. Each message provides hints on how to overcome bullying and regain one’s self-confidence. The idea is to provide ray of hope for those who are suffering, and help them regain joy in life.

The UNICEF Prize

Play
Title
A World of Boisterous Silence
Organization
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
Country/Region
Japan
Media
TV
Duration
50’00”

Set in a school in Tokyo for children who cannot hear, this documentary follows the life of children over the course of a year. For many years, Japan’s schools for the deaf have emphasized assimilation to the mainstream society and banned the use of sign language. Many schools focused on teaching spoken Japanese and lip-reading. At this school, however, the emphasis is put on using sign language to nurture their ability to think, to express themselves, and to build self-confidence. The children’s eyes sparkle as they use sign language to recite poems in class and joke around with friends during recess. The school campus is always silent yet vibrant, making us realize that the children who cannot hear live in a different but equally rich world. Regardless of whether one has disability or not, what is important for the growth of a child? What does a truly diverse society look like? The program poses many important questions.

Proposal Pitch The Best Proposal

The Hoso Bunka Foundation Prize

Title
PUMZI & VUYO
Organization
Pixcomm
Country/Region
South Africa

Lead by a penguin and a vulture, two animals on the endangered list, the program aims to teach preschool children about the importance of conservation. Pumzi is a fun loving and playful penguin, while Vuyo is a clever and precocious vulture. The two contrasting characters have fun playing African music as they learn about various environmental problems. By using animal characters, the program aims to engage children living in urban areas to take interest in issues surrounding nature.

Proposal Pitch Excellent Proposal

The National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan Prize

Title
Young African Farmers
Organization
Mediaset Africa Communications
Country/Region
Kenya

In Africa, unemployment rate among young people with academic degrees are on the rise. Meanwhile, African farmers are growing older with the average age now reaching 60 years old. In order to find solutions to these problems, the program will follow 3 young African farmers in their twenties and thirties who have succeeded in the business of agriculture. What farming techniques are they using? How much money do they make? The objective is to inspire young people to go into agriculture thereby contributing to the increase of food production.

Runners-up

Pre-school Division

Play

1st place

Title
Q - PHILOSOPHY FOR CHILDREN -
Why is It Embarrassing to Be Naked?
Organization
Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK)
Country/Region
Japan

A puppet boy named Q-kun explores questions about everyday life with a talking rabbit named Chitchi. The question in this episode is, "Why is it embarrassing to be naked?" Together, Q-kun and Chitchi discuss topics such as when and where it’s embarrassing to be nude, and why humans initially began wearing clothes. By questioning "normal" behaviors and ideas, the program helps shed light on exactly why it’s embarrassing to be naked.

Play

2nd place

Title
Shimajiro: A World of WOW!
Living
Organization
Benesse Corporation
The Answerstudio Co. Ltd.
Dash Co., Ltd.
Country/Region
Japan

The topic of living is discussed in three segments that explore the importance of observation, working together, and creativity.
The episode is designed to make children think about what it means to live. The program’s goal is to help each child discover their own unique way of navigating the outside world—a place that is often mysterious and easy to get lost in.

Primary Division

Play

1st place

Title
Look into my World
The Girl with the long Hair
Organization
Suedwestrundfunk (SWR)
Kurhaus Production
Country/Region
Germany

Janne, 11, hasn’t had her hair cut for three years. After a television show about children who need a wig, she decides to donate her hair. She herself knows what it's like to live with a handicap because she is hard of hearing. She searches a wigmaker and finds the 14-year-old Anouk, who already lost all her hair as a small child. Is she going to be ready for such a big change?

Play

2nd place

Title
Jane my rainbow family
Organization
Fermer Film
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)
Country/Region
Germany

Jane is twelve and her parents separated a year ago after her mother fell in love with another woman. Now Jane and her younger brother, Elias, stay one week with their dad and one week with their mum and her girlfriend. It took Jane a while to get used to the new set-up, although her mum’s homosexuality was her least concern. She was more scared the family would break apart.

Youth Division

Play

1st place

Title
CLOROPHILIA
THE THIRST OF PLANTS
Organization
Channel Encuentro
Country/Region
Argentina

“CLOROPHILIA” is a nature tv series unlike no other - a new way of storytelling that focuses on the natural world. Combining fiction and documentary, the series puts different breathtaking South American locations on display and helps us discover and wonder at the unique world of plants. On each episode, “CLOROPHILIA” reinvents itself: Thriller, futuristic dystopia, romantic comedy or horror movie, everything is possible in this stunning trip to the world of plants.

Play

2nd place

Title
Daraya: A Library Under Bombs
Organization
Brother Films
Country/Region
France

At the heart of the Syrian civil war, a group of activists created an underground library in the besieged outskirts of Damascus. After years of blockade, they were forced to leave their city. But they managed to save their videos illustrating a unique experiment of cultural resistance under the bombs. This film follows the story of three friends who met during the 2011 revolution and never gave up on their cultural resistance and peaceful struggle.

Lifelong Learning Division

Play

1st place

Title
Accused #2: Walter Sisulu
Organization
La Générale de Production
Country/Region
France

256 hours of sound archives recorded during the Rivonia trial (9 months) were recently unearthed and digitised by the Institut National de l’Audiovisuel (INA). They bring back to life the political battle waged by Mandela and his 7 co-defendants. This film looks at one of them in particular: accused number 2, a lesser-known hero of the struggle against Apartheid, Mandela’s mentor Walter Sisulu.

Play

2nd place

Title
A World of Boisterous Silence
Organization
Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK)
Country/Region
Japan

At Meisei Gakuen, a school in Tokyo, children who cannot hear learn using sign language. The children’s eyes sparkle as they recite, in sign language, the poem "The Song of Spring" from their textbook. The fresh early spring breeze caresses our cheeks, and tiny veronica flowers bloom in profusion before our eyes. We turn our eyes to that "boisterous world of silence" and ask alumni of the school for their perspectives on Japanese society today.

Digital Media Division

Play

1st place

Title
History 360°
Organization
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)
Country/Region
Germany

“History 360°” makes historical connections, developments and events tangible for spectators. The ZDF relies on linear documentaries, innovative 360 degrees video productions and a walk-in, virtual space. The seven 360 degrees short documentaries provide users the opportunity to travel back in time to certain places in Germany. By combining original locations, archive material and animation technology, the movies offer a new look at the history of each location.

Pre-school Division

Entry No. I-001

Play
Title
Becca's Bunch
Entering Organization
JAM Media
Country/Region
Ireland
Media
TV

Pedro tells The Bunch he’s never had a wish come true. The Bunch can’t believe this, and Becca thinks she knows just how to solve it; an adventure to The Wishing Stone! This episode fosters resilience in Pedro not to give up on his wish and that ultimately, he has the ability to be brave within himself all along. It also encourages play, curiosity and the importance of friendship among the Becca and Bunch.

Entry No. I-004

Play
Title
House of Mechanics
Entering Organization
Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation
Country/Region
Norway
Media
TV

Archimedes said: Give me but a firm spot on which to stand, and I shall move the earth. Marco checks if he can become Superman by using a lever. “House of Mechanics” is an educational show about basic principles of mechanics and physics. Children build their own constructions to find solutions. The goal of the series is to open the mind of small engineers.

Entry No. I-005

Play
Title
MAYBE AN ELEPHANT
Entering Organization
Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation
Country/Region
Israel
Media
TV

Ayelet and Gali are two adorable sisters who share the same room. Gali is the older sister and her side of the room is always super tidy. The side of Ayelet, though, is filled with papers and crayons. She really likes to paint. When Gali asks her what she is painting, she replies, Maybe an elephant...
When no one is around, her paintings become alive, always get Ayelet into trouble.

Entry No. I-006

Play
Title
I am ME
Entering Organization
KiKA-Der Kinderkanal von ARD und ZDF
Country/Region
Germany
Media
TV

Six-year-old Jona is gluten intolerant. In order for him to learn to be independent, his family bakes bread with him. Jona knows what to do, and they bake delicious bread. The fact that Jona has Down syndrome is not mentioned on purpose. Because Jona is simply Jona and, just like every other kid, he doesn’t need to have an "explanation" attached to him.

Entry No. I-008

Play
Title
The Birdhouse Stories
Entering Organization
Dandelooo
Country/Region
France
Media
Film

How delicious to be told stories! How joyful to see the illustrations of a book come alive along the reading... Six stories from children books gathered in animated images about birds twirling around, chirruping or even cooing! “The Birdhouse Stories” invites us to open up to small details that make us understand the world, soar and spread our wings to bloom.

Entry No. I-011

Play
Title
The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That! -Season 3
Entering Organization
Portfolio Entertainment Inc.
Country/Region
Canada
Media
TV

Sally is convinced that a tall thin glass of juice holds more than a short wide glass, so Cat takes them to Point O'View where they learn that getting evidence can cause them to change their mind. This program focuses on Science Inquiry & Conservation of Matter, explanations should be supported with evidence. Changing shape or breaking apart an object does not change the amount of material it is made up of.

Entry No. I-014

Play
Title
Raven's Quest
Entering Organization
Apartment 11 Productions
Country/Region
Canada
Media
TV

“Raven's Quest” features first-person profiles of Indigenous kids from various political and physical regions in Canada. This series introduces children to the diversity of Indigenous communities with different languages, territories, and traditions.
Each episode showcases a different child and their unique perspective on their day-to-day hobbies, talents, and First Nations, Metis or Inuit practices.

Entry No. I-015

Play
Title
Open and Close
Entering Organization
Danmarks Radio
Country/Region
Denmark
Media
TV

The two hosts Katrine and Sofie focus on the challenging theme Feelings - all the strange feelings we have inside us, and some of the taboos regarding those. The show brings up topics such as separation, sleep over, being afraid, siblings and being shy. And it talks openly and freely about all the different emotions these situations can bring up in you.

Entry No. I-016

Play
Title
Q - PHILOSOPHY FOR CHILDREN -
Entering Organization
Japan Broadcasting Corporation
Country/Region
Japan
Media
TV

A puppet boy named Q-kun explores questions about everyday life with a talking rabbit named Chitchi.
The question in this episode is, "Why is it embarrassing to be naked?" Together, Q-kun and Chitchi discuss topics such as when and where it’s embarrassing to be nude, and why humans initially began wearing clothes. By questioning "normal" behaviors and ideas, the program helps shed light on exactly why it’s embarrassing to be naked.

Entry No. I-021

Play
Title
Grandad, Gran and me
Entering Organization
KRO-NCRV
Country/Region
Netherlands
Media
TV

In this program, we see a toddler with Grandad/Gran. Together they do an activity. This can be anything, preferably something really fun / beautiful / unusual / cool / crazy for other children to watch. We also show how Grandad/Gran is at home, what is fun for them and we hear the children say what they think is fun / funny / crazy about their Grandad and Gran.

Entry No. I-027

Play
Title
Yakka Dee!
Entering Organization
Yakka Dee Ltd
Country/Region
United Kingdom
Media
TV

Have you seen the look on a child’s face when they first speak? They are filled with joy, positive self-esteem and confidence. “Yakka Dee!” celebrates children communicating - because talking fills you up with whizz, pop, bang!
Each episode of “Yakka Dee!” concentrates on one word. The words featured focus on the first sounds children can vocalise, making it especially helpful for young children, those with speech delay, autism or English as a second language.

Entry No. I-030

Play
Title
Dino Dana
Entering Organization
Sinking Ship Entertainment
Country/Region
Canada
Media
TV

In ‘A Dino Never Forgets’, Dana is upset when she finds out that her friend and neighbour Mr. Hendrickson is moving to a new home. In her latest dino experiment, she learns about dino migration from a huge herd of travelling sauropods. Her discoveries help make the transition a little easier for her and Mr. Hendrickson.

Entry No. I-035

Play
Title
Shimajiro: A World of WOW!
Entering Organization
Benesse Corporation
Country/Region
Japan
Media
TV

The topic of living is discussed in three segments that explore the importance of observation, working together, and creativity.
The episode is designed to make children think about what it means to live. The program’s goal is to help each child discover their own unique way of navigating the outside world—a place that is often mysterious and easy to get lost in.

Entry No. I-037

Play
Title
MUSIC IN THE BOX
Entering Organization
Educational Broadcasting System
Country/Region
Republic of Korea
Media
TV

1. Opening: Which music box do we open today?
2. Unboxing & Playtime: Let's play with anything and make it into music!
3. Going out on a high note, The Performance Box
It covers from children’s song to classical pieces, jazz, rock, and pop songs. Capturing the attention of children and parents as well.

Primary Division

Entry No. E-001

Play
Title
ZombieLars (Season 2)
Entering Organization
Tordenfilm AS
Country/Region
Norway
Media
TV

It's election time in the town of Bekkebakken. Newcomer mayoral candidate Bastian Berg is promising free taco Fridays, free waffles on Sundays and all Strangers to be kicked out of town. Will anyone vote for this? Are things about to change for the worse in Bekkebakken? And what will this mean for Anna and Lars - can a ninja and a zombie find love in a society that hates who they are?

Entry No. E-016

Play
Title
Life In The Land of Maths
Entering Organization
Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company
Country/Region
Sweden
Media
TV

Welcome to the country where mathematics means everything! Meet the self-confident math police who solves his cases with help from the number thief Conni Calculation. In the bakery, Bunnino and Cookie bake fresh and correct calculations, while Primus and Deci in the Digit shop construct any number using just ten digits.

Entry No. E-017

Play
Title
Swing
Entering Organization
RADIO TELEVISION OF SERBIA
Country/Region
Serbia
Media
TV

Amir and Saber are two boys from Afghanistan who, after the shipwreck, are separated from their parents and stay alone on a refugee path. On their way through Serbia, they decide to spend the night at a farm. Next morning, Amir reveals Saber is too ill to continue their journey. Ten-year-old Milos finds them, but decides not to tell anyone about them and to help them.

Entry No. E-019

Play
Title
Jane my rainbow family
Entering Organization
Fermer Film
Country/Region
Germany
Media
TV

Jane is twelve and her parents separated a year ago after her mother fell in love with another woman. Now Jane and her younger brother, Elias, stay one week with their dad and one week with their mum and her girlfriend. It took Jane a while to get used to the new set-up, although her mum’s homosexuality was her least concern. She was more scared the family would break apart.

Entry No. E-020

Play
Title
Hi mum, bye dad
Entering Organization
NTR
Country/Region
Netherlands
Media
TV

What does it feel like when your mother and father are no longer together?
You have to pack your suitcase and you have to travel between 2 houses. In the children’s series, “Hi mum, bye dad” presenter Tatum Dagelet sets off with children from divorced parents. Each episode she drives a child from one parent to the other and talks to them about how it is when your parents are divorced.

Entry No. E-035

Play
Title
The Big Divorce Show
Entering Organization
Danmarks Radio
Country/Region
Denmark
Media
TV

“Divorces is so common nowadays that grown-ups tend to forget how hard it can actually be.”
This sentence by a kid kickstarted our public service project, aiming to show children that they have the right to be heard. In a series of four episodes, Frida, Julius and Mathilde, unfold their stories and thoughts of being a child of divorce and design their very own stand-up show together with a comedian who is also a divorce-child.

Entry No. E-040

Play
Title
Brothers
Entering Organization
Vietnam Television
Country/Region
Vietnam
Media
TV

Thanh (9) and Canh (17) earn living as magicians on the street every night. Thanh, after birth, was sent to live in another family because his family was in poverty. He just returned home two years ago, but he is afraid of being sent to another family again one day. Will the love between the brothers after so many years of separation help them overcome the past obsession and the daily obstacles and stay together?

Entry No. E-041

Play
Title
Kids of Courage
Entering Organization
LOOKS Film & TV Produktionen GmbH
Country/Region
Germany
Media
TV

Anton, 10, joins Hitler Youth against his father’s wish while he discovers that his friend, Greta, is Jewish. On the night of November 9, 1938, Anton sees violence breaks out on the streets. Greta and her parents seek protection from him and his family. Anton now sees what the Nazis are capable of. Confidentially, he goes to his comrade Rudi for advice - and lands his father, Greta and her family in great difficulty.

Entry No. E-042

Play
Title
SUBMARINE MYSTERIES AT THE END OF THE WORLD
Entering Organization
Pakapaka
Country/Region
Argentina
Media
TV

Documentary series that invites us to reveal the secrets of subaquatic life. Lola lives in Ushuaia, the city farthest south in the world. In each episode, Lola suggests learning about different species that live in the Tierra del Fuego shores and in order to do that, she challenges three diver friends who capture the most wonderful images from the bottom of the ocean.

Entry No. E-043

Play
Title
Save our mother earth!
Entering Organization
Ministry of the Environment (MOE)
Country/Region
Japan
Media
Video

Rina and Kento visited a theme park created by Gaea, the earth incarnated. Park rides there demonstrate climate change and portray the threat to the globe and our lives. Rina and Kento learn the history of the earth and global warming from Gaea and start thinking about what they can do for the future of the earth.

Entry No. E-046

Play
Title
Last Commanders
Entering Organization
Objective Media Group Scotland
Country/Region
United Kingdom
Media
TV

Combining a dramatic science fiction story, the intense gameplay of first person videogames and the fun and entertainment of gameshow television, “Last Commanders” is an interactive, universe-spanning, sci-fi adventure show. Four sets of young Commanders direct their chosen character through a mission on board a space station, working together to crack codes, tackle obstacles and overcome challenges.

Entry No. E-049

Play
Title
Sounds Hunter
Entering Organization
Zoomin Contenidos
Country/Region
Argentina
Media
TV

The hunters, girls and boys from different regions, have a concrete mission: to catch sounds, rythms and melodies from every corner of the country. Together with Cami and Ale, they create new sound map of Argentina which will result in an original song in every episode. The first destinations of this sound map are: Tilcara, Buenos Aires, San Juan, Mar del Plata and Mendoza, among many other iconic places of Argentina.

Entry No. E-054

Play
Title
Look into my World
Entering Organization
Sudwestrundfunk
Country/Region
Germany
Media
TV

Janne, 11, hasn’t had her hair cut for three years. After a television show about children who need a wig, she decides to donate her hair. She herself knows what it's like to live with a handicap because she is hard of hearing. She searches a wigmaker and finds the 14-year-old Anouk, who already lost all her hair as a small child. Is she going to be ready for such a big change?

Entry No. E-062

Play
Title
Water Cart
Entering Organization
Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation
Country/Region
Sri Lanka
Media
TV

When a little girl cannot afford to buy drinking water, she goes to a well in the jungle with her friends. Villagers, who buy water from a woman, are shocked to know her well is contaminated just as other wells in the village. Meanwhile, the children manage to bring clean water to the village and make the villagers happy because they now have water to cook their milk rice to celebrate the New Year.

Youth Division

Entry No. Y-002

Play
Title
My Troubled Mind: Stories About Teenage Mental Health
Entering Organization
Mosaic Films
Country/Region
United Kingdom
Media
Video

Ryan speaks bravely about his experience of racial bullying and a dysfunctional home life while he was growing up. It took a long, anguishing time, where he was experiencing suicidal thoughts, until Ryan was able to find someone he could talk to and eventually get the help he needed. Before it got more serious.

Entry No. Y-004

Play
Title
Streetkids United 3 - The Road To Moscow
Entering Organization
JaJa Film Productions
Country/Region
Netherlands
Media
Film

This documentary is the empowering story of nine Indian girls who are chosen by Karunalaya Social Service Society to represent their country at the Street Child World Cup in Moscow, Russia. The girls are an inspiration to everyone who meets them because of their positive and uplifting spirit. They hope to become a role model for other street children and show that street children are somebody.

Entry No. Y-009

Play
Title
Unique
Entering Organization
Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation
Country/Region
Norway
Media
TV

The purpose of the series is to safeguard children who become sick, increase awareness of children with illnesses, and nurture empathy. In this episode, Rie is finally undergoing sophisticated facial surgery in London, Trym hopes he won't need to have his joints tapped for fluid, and Marie looks forward to enjoying Halloween even though she has diabetes.

Entry No. Y-014

Play
Title
Two Para Swimming Rivals: Same Age, Same Name, Same Dream
Entering Organization
Ehime Broadcasting Co., Ltd.
Country/Region
Japan
Media
TV

Young swimmers, Honoka Okabe and Honoka Nakamichi, share the same given name and birth year. Okabe has congenital disorder of her right arm from the elbows up. Nakamichi has no right leg as a birth defect. They began swimming in their childhood, and their next goal is to the take part in the competitive swimming 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. They keep training towards the goal, encouraging each other.

Entry No. Y-016

Play
Title
Thank God I am Homo
Entering Organization
Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company
Country/Region
Sweden
Media
TV

“Thank God I am Homo” is a lesbian road trip through Sweden, about being lesbian in Sweden the year 2018. The aim is to find answers to questions like: Are people in the countryside more judgmental towards gay people than urban people? Is it possible to see if someone is gay?

Entry No. Y-017

Play
Title
My Way
Entering Organization
Radio Television Hong Kong
Country/Region
China
Media
TV

When we run, we run towards specific goals.
The three youngsters featured in this episode do not have outstanding academic qualifications but are determined to forge a partnership with horses. They have opted for careers in the horseracing industry, persevering with what they want to do in the hope of making something of themselves. The youngsters are charging full steam ahead towards their respective goals.

Entry No. Y-019

Play
Title
Daraya: A Library Under Bombs
Entering Organization
JAVA FILMS
Country/Region
France
Media
TV

At the heart of the Syrian civil war, a group of activists created an underground library in the besieged outskirts of Damascus. After years of blockade, they were forced to leave their city. But they managed to save their videos illustrating a unique experiment of cultural resistance under the bombs. This film follows the story of three friends who met during the 2011 revolution and never gave up on their cultural resistance and peaceful struggle.

Entry No. Y-024

Play
Title
My Notebooks: Seven Years of Tiny Great Adventures
Entering Organization
Japan Broadcasting Corporation
Country/Region
Japan
Media
TV

Children’s Nonfiction Literature Award winner, Asuka Umeda’s kept writing Self-Learning notebooks in which he independently learns about a topic of his own choosing for 7 years. These notebooks are not written for homework or a grade, but for his own enjoyment, and they have helped him connect with many local adults, broadened his horizons and resist the pressure to fit in within the narrow society of school.

Entry No. Y-025

Play
Title
Mitigate menstrual miseries through schools
Entering Organization
Bangladesh Television
Country/Region
Bangladesh
Media
TV

A school of a remote area has initiated an innovative step to mitigate menstrual miseries of the students. It established a room where female students spend their time freely and get menstrual health related items free of cost as well as medical advice and medicine. It has become a role model that inspires others to initiate such facilities.

Entry No. Y-026

Play
Title
Buddha in Africa
Entering Organization
Thinking Strings Media
Country/Region
South Africa
Media
Film

Enock Alu, a Malawian teenager growing up in a Chinese Buddhist orphanage, feels torn between his African roots and Chinese upbringing as he has to make some tough decisions about his future. “Buddha in Africa” poses complex questions about race, imperialism, faith and culture and offers a subtle exploration of the impact of soft cultural power on the identity and interior life of a young boy and his community.

Entry No. Y-028

Play
Title
Some deep story
Entering Organization
Finnish Broadcasting Company
Country/Region
Finland
Media
Video

Riikka was bullied at primary school. The torture continued in high school and eventually in social media.
The cyberbullying began when she worked as a moderator for a Facebook group of 25,000 members. From there the bullying spread to other Facebook groups. Soon, very personal things related to her life were discussed among over 100,000 people. People laughed at her appearance, invented lies about her and wished she would kill herself.

Entry No. Y-029

Play
Title
CLOROPHILIA
Entering Organization
Channel Encuentro
Country/Region
Argentina
Media
TV

“CLOROPHILIA” is a nature tv series unlike no other - a new way of storytelling that focuses on the natural world. Combining fiction and documentary, the series puts different breathtaking South American locations on display and helps us discover and wonder at the unique world of plants.
On each episode, “CLOROPHILIA” reinvents itself: Thriller, futuristic dystopia, romantic comedy or horror movie, everything is possible in this stunning trip to the world of plants.

Entry No. Y-035

Play
Title
Jenny
Entering Organization
Productions Avenida Inc.
Country/Region
Canada
Media
TV

After several months of treatment to fight leukemia, Jenny can start dreaming about returning to a more normal life.
While her physical health has improved greatly, her mental wellbeing hasn’t kept up. With the help of her therapist, family and friends, Jenny faces new challenges and more than anyone, understands that the future is full of surprises and decides to take full advantage of each day to reinvent a life that is her own.

Entry No. Y-040

Play
Title
King of Gulset
Entering Organization
Spark
Country/Region
Norway
Media
TV

In “King of Gulset”, stand-up comedian Jonis Josef takes us back to his youth in the middle of 2000s and tells us, with his somewhat exaggerated, narrow and subjective memory, stories of what happened at Gulset when he and his gang of teenagers grew up.

Entry No. Y-042

Play
Title
My Life: I Will Survive
Entering Organization
Blakeway North
Country/Region
United Kingdom
Media
TV

Filmed across summer 2018 this film, a follow up to Born to Vlog, follows Youtuber Nikki Lilly as she turns 14; persuades her parents to let her dye her hair and deals with growing up and puberty, whilst surviving an eight-day coma and coping with her ongoing life-threatening medical condition.

Entry No. Y-052

Play
Title
Bike Bird
Entering Organization
Nuten Film AS
Country/Region
Norway
Media
Film

“Bike Bird” is a film about Zahra (12) who lives in an asylum reception center in western Norway.
Zahra wants to learn to ride a bike but is not allowed by her parents because they know that a cycling girl in Afghanistan is in danger of getting a very bad reputation. Zahra is a fighter and she lets no one else prevent her from following her dreams.

Lifelong Learning Division

Entry No. L-004

Play
Title
Seats at the Table
Entering Organization
Rosalia Films, Inc.
Country/Region
United States
Media
Film

“Seats at the Table” portrays a remarkable class which connects college students with prisoners of a maximum-security juvenile facility as they discuss classic works of Russian Literature. Each group enters with their own set of preconceptions regarding the other. The literature provides a point of reference whereby they can discuss their lives openly and honestly and learn from each other.

Entry No. L-006

Play
Title
Humanity4.0
Entering Organization
Educational Broadcasting System
Country/Region
Republic of Korea
Media
TV

Can we be immortal? Can it be possible to preserve our love forever?
One of genius mechanical engineers in the world, Professor Dennis Hong at RoMeLa, UCLA leads this documentary has observed an advanced technology that recreate one’s lover as an immortal digital being and he has experienced the similar procedure to transform himself as an AI machine to cherish the memory with his beloved son, Ethan.

Entry No. L-008

Play
Title
Letter from Masanjia
Entering Organization
Flying Cloud Productions Inc.
Country/Region
Canada
Media
Film

When a woman from Oregon finds an SOS note written by a Chinese prisoner stashed in a box of Halloween decorations from Kmart, she never imagined it would eventually lead to the closure of all of China's labour camps. Her story went viral around the world, and the letter-writer Sun Yi, a former prisoner who had been wrongly jailed for his beliefs, was forced into hiding for fear of the repercussions.

Entry No. L-019

Play
Title
Blind Flying
Entering Organization
Swiss Radio and Television
Country/Region
Switzerland
Media
TV

Jonas and Yves are blind and severely visually impaired. Years ago the two friends set themselves the goal of discovering the world without a sighted companion. The two wanted to form their own impressions of a city that’s always making headlines. What is life like there? What’s the atmosphere like? Jerusalem and its people hold plenty of surprises for them, from the Wailing Wall to a taxi journey to the Dead Sea.

Entry No. L-027

Play
Title
Open Bracket
Entering Organization
Radiotelevisione Italiana
Country/Region
Italy
Media
TV

“Open Bracket” is a multimedia project, spread through public service platforms (Radio 3, Rai 3, Rai Play and Rai Radio Play). It aims to shift points of view and provide ways of understanding that can help us enter a world that is normally closed: the world of young people. It tells the stories of young people of both sexes, victims and perpetrators, in order to better understand a complex reality.

Entry No. L-036

Play
Title
The Body
Entering Organization
Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation
Country/Region
Norway
Media
Video

Why and when do girls get their periods? How does it feel when their breasts start to grow? The episode explains how the female body changes during puberty and after puberty. It is part of a series about how our brains, bodies and feelings change in our youth.

Entry No. L-044

Play
Title
First Contact
Entering Organization
Animiki See Digital Production Inc.
Country/Region
Canada
Media
TV

“First Contact” takes six Canadians, all with stereotypical opinions about Indigenous People, on a unique 28-day exploration of Indigenous Canada. It is a journey that will turn their lives upside down, challenging their perceptions and confronting their prejudices about a world they never imagined they would see. This exploration of the true Indigenous experience in Canada will change the participants’ lives forever.

Entry No. L-045

Play
Title
Kosmos – The Universe in Five Minutes
Entering Organization
Finnish Broadcasting Company
Country/Region
Finland
Media
Video

Is there other intelligent life out there? What existed before the Big Bang? Why does the universe expand at an increasing pace, and what will happen to us? Thousands of Finns sent questions to Yle Science about space and the universe. That’s how the short form series “Kosmos – The Universe in Five Minutes”, Finland’s first crowdsourced science series, was created and published in Yle Areena.

Entry No. L-046

Play
Title
A World of Boisterous Silence
Entering Organization
Japan Broadcasting Corporation
Country/Region
Japan
Media
TV

At Meisei Gakuen, a school in Tokyo, children who cannot hear learn using sign language.
The children’s eyes sparkle as they recite, in sign language, the poem "The Song of Spring" from their textbook. The fresh early spring breeze caresses our cheeks, and tiny veronica flowers bloom in profusion before our eyes. We turn our eyes to that "boisterous world of silence" and ask alumni of the school for their perspectives on Japanese society today.

Entry No. L-051

Play
Title
Dapin: Footprints in Taiwan
Entering Organization
Taiwan Indigenous Television
Country/Region
Taiwan
Media
TV

Yawi Hayung, an Atayal doctor, has provided medical services for the mountain areas of Fuxing District for 32 years. His greatest difficulty is that he cannot find anyone to take over his practice. This summer, Miku Taro, an Atayal intern, comes to Yawi’s clinic and after the summer break, she is going to be a first-year student at medical school. Will Dr. Hayung find his successor?

Entry No. L-054

Play
Title
Accused #2: Walter Sisulu
Entering Organization
La Générale de Production
Country/Region
France
Media
Film

256 hours of sound archives recorded during the Rivonia trial (9 months) were recently unearthed and digitised by the Institut National de l’Audiovisuel (INA). They bring back to life the political battle waged by Mandela and his 7 co-defendants. This film looks at one of them in particular: accused number 2, a lesser-known hero of the struggle against Apartheid, Mandela’s mentor Walter Sisulu.

Digital Media Division

Entry No. D-002

Play
Title
#followme – The dark economy behind your timeline
Entering Organization
VPRO
Country/Region
Netherlands
Media
Cross-media

In “#followme” – the first documentary about Instagram – documentary filmmaker Nicolaas Veul dives into the network's inner workings and uncovers a well-oiled machine based on fraud. From celebs faking popularity to networks of Russian housewives selling comments-on-demand: who is fooling whom in the circus called Instagram?

Entry No. D-007

Play
Title
Like♡me
Entering Organization
Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation
Country/Region
Norway
Media
Website

“Like♡me” is a new web drama series that combines elements of social media, messages and live action drama to tell a believable story about exclusion and bullying. The Viewers are able to comment on the story as it unfolds.

Entry No. D-015

Play
Title
History 360°
Entering Organization
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen
Country/Region
Germany
Media
Cross-media

“History 360°” makes historical connections, developments and events tangible for spectators. The ZDF relies on linear documentaries, innovative 360 degrees video productions and a walk-in, virtual space.
The seven 360 degrees short documentaries provide users the opportunity to travel back in time to certain places in Germany. By combining original locations, archive material and animation technology, the movies offer a new look at the history of each location.

Entry No. D-018

Play
Title
FACES - How I Survived Being Bullied -
Entering Organization
Japan Broadcasting Corporation
Country/Region
Japan
Media
Website

The “FACES” is a global project for public broadcasters to participate and gather 2 minutes testimonies in which people explain how they survived being bullied during their childhood, so that those who are suffering can find clues to get out from the situation. These testimonial videos are also delivered online, so that the victims can easily access and find that they are not alone and will realize that many in the world are beside them.

Entry No. D-026

Play
Title
Ocean School
Entering Organization
National Film Board of Canada
Country/Region
Canada
Media
Website

At “Ocean School”, learners explore habitats at the bottom of the Gulf of St. Lawrence with VR.
They strike a pose with an augmented reality whale, and dissect virtual cod! Through stunning animation, they learn about the history of the cod through the eyes of an Indigenous artist. “Ocean School” empowers the next generation of citizens with the knowledge and tools to design innovative solutions for the accelerating challenges that face the world’s ocean.

Finalists (Proposal Pitch)

Proposal Division

Entry No. P-001

Title
Wally’s Wheels
Entering Organization
ZincoTools Entertainment
Country/Region
Colombia

Isn’t it fun when your dog is the one taking you for a walk? Whenever Wally takes his shepherd dog Motta out for a ride, it takes the opportunity to escape and play hide and seek… or so Wally believes! While Motta is out dealing with “the bad guys”, Wally and his two friends are using Wally’s wheelchair and their imagination to explore the world around them.

Entry No. P-003

Title
Young African Farmers
Entering Organization
Mediaset Africa Communications
Country/Region
Kenya

The average African farmer is 60 years old according to FAO thus time to persuade the youth towards the agricultural value chain & food security as an assured source of income. The Agriculture value chain can absorb up to 20% of unemployed youth according to the ministry of agriculture in Kenya while injecting much needed food into the market.

Entry No. P-020

Title
A War on Children
Entering Organization
Lolo's Boy Productions
Country/Region
Philippines

Two years after the siege in Marawi City, a group of Christian volunteers reached out to the displaced families of the city. It was a unique sight to behold, because religious tensions were set aside as Muslims and Christians join forces to provide education by initiating a mobile school for the displaced children in armed conflict.

Entry No. P-028

Title
Pumzi & Vuyo
Entering Organization
Pixcomm
Country/Region
South Africa

“Pumzi & Vuyo” features a fun loving and playful young Penguin, Pumzi, who lives in a baobab tree with her friend, Vuyo the Vulture. Both of these animals on the endangered list at risk of extinction. These two animated characters are joined by children and other friends, combining animation along with African stories, music and animals. It’s interactive, and children will be encouraged to join in, sing along and play the games.

Entry No. P-033

Title
Fight fire with fire
Entering Organization
Radio Television of Vojvodina
Country/Region
Serbia

If the teenage population lost its ability to be focused on something for more than 50 seconds by being in world of virtual reality for too long, and if their connection to the virtual world is high on their list of priorities, then that same virtual world is a possible tool that we could use to eliminate the unwanted consequences that have appeared in their lifestyle. This film monitors the game development process and teenagers giving advice to the developers.

Final Selection Jurors

COMMITTEE 1

Pre-school, Primary & Digital Media Divisions / Proposal Pitch

Chairperson of Audiovisual Works

Name:
Sevilay Bozdemir
Country/Region:
Turkey
Title & Organization:
Executive Producer
Turkish Radio & TV (TRT)

Chairperson of Proposal Pitch

Name:
Glynis Beukes‒Kapa
Country/Region:
Namibia
Title & Organization:
Executive Producer ‒ Education & Religion
Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC)

Leader of Committee 1

Name:
Abby Jenkins
Country/Region:
United States
Title & Organization:
Senior Director, Content, PBS KIDS Digital
PBS
Name:
Fernanda Rotondaro
Country/Region:
Argentina
Title & Organization:
General Manager
Encuentro/Pakapaka– Federal System of Media and Public Content of Argentina

COMMITTEE 2

Youth & Digital Media Divisions / Proposal Pitch

Leader of Committee 2

Name:
Ade Rawcliffe
Country/Region:
United Kingdom
Title & Organization:
Head of Diversity, ITV Commissioning
ITV

Leader of Digital Media Division

Name:
Harto Hänninen
Country/Region:
Finland
Title & Organization:
Director/Script Writer/Subeditor
Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE)
Name:
Stefanie Theil
Country/Region:
Switzerland
Title & Organization:
Senior Producer
Swiss Radio and Television (SRF)
Name:
Ai Shibata
Country/Region:
Japan
Title & Organization:
Senior Producer, Unit 1 (Youth & Education), Program Production Department
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

COMMITTEE 3

Lifelong Learning & Digital Media Divisions / Proposal Pitch

Leader of Committee 3

Name:
Karina Laterza
Country/Region:
Italy
Title & Organization:
Secretary General of Prix Italia
Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI) / Prix Italia
Name:
Somyos Kiataramkul
Country/Region:
Thailand
Title & Organization:
Manager of Program Production Department
Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)
Name:
Khadija Ouled Addi
Country/Region:
Qatar
Title & Organization:
Program Producer
Al Jazeera Network ‒ Center for Liberties & Human Rights
Name:
Kathy Li
Country/Region:
China
Title & Organization:
Program Manager
DOClabs Beijing

Preliminary Selection Jurors

COMMITTEE 1

Audiovisual Works (Pre-school Division)

Leader of Committee 1

Name:
Sojin An
Country/Region:
Republic of Korea
Title & Organization:
Acquisitions Executive of Programming Center
Korea Educational Broadcasting System (EBS)
Name:
Brandon Lane
Country/Region:
Canada
Title & Organization:
Development Producer
Nelvana
Name:
Rasmus Mandsberg
Country/Region:
Denmark
Title & Organization:
Content Producer
Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR)
Name:
Yangfan Liu
Country/Region:
Japan
Title & Organization:
Program Director, Unit 1 (Youth & Education), Program Production Department
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

COMMITTEE 2

Audiovisual Works (Primary Division)

Leader of Committee 2

Name:
Monica Maruri Castillo
Country/Region:
Ecuador
Title & Organization:
Executive Director
Instituto Iberoamericano del Patrimonio Natural y Cultural (IPANC)
Name:
Launa Kennett
Country/Region:
United Kingdom
Title & Organization:
Director/Producer
Blakeway North
Name:
Ulla Rehbein
Country/Region:
Germany
Title & Organization:
Producer
Suedwestrundfunk (SWR)
Name:
Hiroaki Narimatsu
Country/Region:
Japan
Title & Organization:
Program Director, Unit 1 (Youth & Education), Program Production Department
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

COMMITTEE 3

Audiovisual Works (Youth Division)

Leader of Committee 3

Name:
Anna Birgersson-Dahlberg
Country/Region:
Sweden
Title & Organization:
Head of Development
Bilda Sweden
Name:
Tshilidzi Davhana
Country/Region:
South Africa
Title & Organization:
Commissioning Editor
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)
Name:
Fernanda Rotondaro
Country/Region:
Argentina
Title & Organization:
General Manager
Encuentro/Pakapaka– Federal System of Media and Public Content of Argentina
Name:
Yuri Sudo
Country/Region:
Japan
Title & Organization:
Senior Producer, Unit 6 (Media Design), Program Production Department
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

COMMITTEE 4

Audiovisual Works (Lifelong Learning Division)

Leader of Committee 4

Name:
Will Pedigo
Country/Region:
United States
Title & Organization:
Executive Producer
Nashville Public Television (NPT)
Name:
Nobuya Dan
Country/Region:
Japan
Title & Organization:
Producer/Writer
DOCUMENTARY JAPAN INC.
Name:
Anandana Kapur
Country/Region:
India
Title & Organization:
Director
CINEMAD India
Name:
Taku Arai
Country/Region:
Japan
Title & Organization:
Principal Program Director, Unit 3 (Science, Welfare & Lifestyle), Program Production Department
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)
Name:
Shuichi Mano
Country/Region:
Japan
Title & Organization:
Senior Producer, Unit 3 (Science, Welfare & Lifestyle), Program Production Department
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

COMMITTEE 5

Audiovisual Works (Digital Media Division)

Leader of Committee 5

Name:
Rob McLaughlin
Country/Region:
Canada
Title & Organization:
Executive Producer, Digital Content and Strategy
National Film Board of Canada (NFB)
Name:
Florent Maurin
Country/Region:
France
Title & Organization:
President
The Pixel Hunt
Name:
Yusuke Mizuno
Country/Region:
Japan
Title & Organization:
CEO
Life is Tech, Inc.
Name:
Takashi Katsume
Country/Region:
Japan
Title & Organization:
Program Director, Unit 3 (Science, Welfare & Lifestyle), Program Production Department
NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)

Past Japan Prize

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