‘Light on Earth', ‘Mars', ‘Super Bowl 50' win at International Television & Film Awards

Tony Petitti, chief operating officer of Major League Baseball

Al Jazeera won ‘Broadcaster of the Year’, The Edge Picture Company was ‘Production Company of the Year’, winning six gold world medals, five silver world medals, one bronze, and nine finalist certificates and Fox Networks Group Latin America was named ‘Program Promotion Team of the Year’.

The 2017 TV & Film Awards grand jury comprised of prominent international broadcast and film industry executives awarded trophies to content creators across all platforms and in all genres including 3 grand awards, 167 gold world medals, 175 silver world medals and 145 bronze world medals. This year’s ceremony celebrated the world’s best TV and films from 40 countries around the globe.

Public Information winners

In addition, each year, New York Festivals, in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Public Information, selects entries that exemplify the aims and ideas of the United Nations and honours them with the United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI) awards. Before the Flood (National Geographic) was honoured with the gold UNDPI award, Warmer (ABS-CBN Corp.) was recognised with a silver UNDPI award and Rights of the Child (Discovery Learning Alliance) received a bronze.

Al Jazeera wins big

In addition to Broadcaster of the Year, Al Jazeera’s award-winning entries covered a variety of global topics and were recognised with 7 gold world medals, 14 silver world medals, 8 bronze and 12 finalists certificates. Gold medallists include, Al Jazeera Investigates for The Dark Side: Secrets of the Sports Dopers, Al Jazeera English for ISIL and the Taliban and The Caliph: Foundation, and 101 East for Good Morning Pakistan.

“Al Jazeera English is delighted be named Broadcaster of the Year at the New York Festival awards and to win a batch of gold, silver and bronze awards for our content,” said AJE’s acting md, Giles Trendle. “It is an honour to have our bold and unique journalism recognised on the global stage by our peers. In a world seemingly beset by rising bigotry and extremism, Al Jazeera English continues its mission in providing a wider scope of information, insight and understanding. These awards are a testament to the quality of our journalism and the value of our goal to tell important stories from around the world. Behind every award is a multi-talented and multi-cultural team of dedicated individuals whose creativity and commitment come together in the shared aim of listening to, and telling people’s stories.”

Network news

Network news reporting on headline issues took home gold world medals:

• Syria on the Run (GloboNews/ Globo TV)
• Trump: America's Next President? (SKY British Television)
• Fault Lines: The Dark Prison (Al Jazeera English)
• Smart Consumer Reports (Korean Broadcasting System
• China Stories II The vanishing shadow (Radio Television Hong Kong)
• Virus in the System (ANTENA 3)
• Libya Heat (RT)
• Death on a Comet’ and ‘Jupiter: Close Encounter both for (Discovery Channel Canada)

Winning documentaries
Blockbuster documentaries were in the winner’s circle. Gold medallists include:

• Before the Flood (National Geographic) produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and Fisher Stevens
• Years of Living Dangerously (National Geographic) series produced by James Cameron
• National Parks Adventure (MacGillivray Freeman Films) narrated by Robert Redford
• The Circus: Inside The Greatest Political Show on Earth (Showtime)
• Europe´s Last Nomads (Interspot Film GMBH) 
• Dawn of Humanity’ and ‘Inside Einstein’s Mind (WGBH’s PBS series Nova)
• Louder Than Words (Newseum)
• We, the Voters: 20 Films for the People (Vulcan)
• Fighting ISIS and State of Surveillance (Vice on HBO)

New Best Use of Technology winners
The newly launched Best Use of Technology category celebrated the creative technological advancements in content creation that enhanced the viewing experience. Gold world medalists include:

• Play the Guggenheim, Guggenheim Museum
• Halcyon, Syfy
• Globo Olympic Studio, Globo

In addition, Rio 2016: SportTV Olympic Coverage, SportTV also earned a bronze world medal.

Primetime centre-stage

• Drama series, TV movies and mini-series all striking gold. 
• Dramas earning gold medals: Jean (TVNZ), the drama about New Zealand’s most famous aviatrix, Jean Batten; Victoria (ITV UK), British television’s drama chronicling the early life of Queen Victoria; and Killing Reagan (National Geographic) drama 
• Mini-series taking home the gold: Roots (History Channel) and Harley and the Davidsons (Discovery Channel) 
• Additional gold world medallists include the comedy series, Workin' Moms (CBC/ Wolf and Rabbit Entertainment) and TV movie, Duel of the Brothers - Adidas vs. Puma (Zeitsprung Pictures GmbH)

Sporting gold
Tony Petitti, chief operating officer of Major League Baseball was honoured with the 2017 New York Festivals® Lifetime Achievement Award. Petitti’s career path is the definition of excellence and for almost three decades, he has been a top figure in the world of sports television serving in numerous leadership positions at major networks.

• Gold world medal winning sports programming and promos played out on the world stage. 
• MLB Network Presents: The Bird, and Maverick and Ortiz and Intentional Talk (MLB Network), 
• Eu Me Movo (SPORTV)
• 2016 Summer Olympics, and Paralympics 2016 Channel 4 
• ESPN saw multiple entries earn gold for special event coverage and sports programming including: Outside the Lines, ESPN’s investigative series, Tyler Sash, SportsCenter, the network’s flagship series, SC Featured - Pin Kings, World Cup of Hockey and Chicago Cubs World Series Anticipation Feature.

Corporate films
Gold winners in the corporate image film category were:

• The Edge Picture Company scored six gold world medals for The Future of World Trade, Cyber Enabled Blackmail, One Million Futures, Strength in Agility, and Everyday Heroes.
• Sensualite, Norvell Jefferson and Volvo Trucks Baby Film, Medien Manufaktur GmbH 
• Deeper than Blue, The Energy Within Campaign, and Running Man (PSONA Films) 

Other awards
Fox Networks Group Latin America was recognised with the 2017 Program Promotion Team of the Year Award. The special industry award honors the creative team with the highest scores for entries and largest medal count across all promotion categories and all platforms. The Latin America-based network earned two gold world medals, five silver world medals, three bronze world medals and two finalist certificates.

NBC Entertainment’s promos earned top honours; gold medallists include Timeless’ Time Has Come and America's Got Talent Simon of the Lambs. Additional promos taking home the gold were The Affair trailer – Cages (Showtime Networks) and Woodcut Posters (National Geographic).

To view the winners’ showcase, click here.