Monday, November 15, 2010

Just Sayin' ... '38th International Emmy Awards'

Three 38th International Emmys Awards nominees: Naomie Harris, above, in a scene from "Small World"; Julio Chavez and Cecilia Roth (center) in "Epitafios," as well as Kristine Hermosa and Jericho Rosales in "Dahil May Isang Ikaw," which is nominated for Best Telenovela. Photos from http://www.bbc.co.uk/, HBO and http://www.abs-cbn.com/, respectively.

AS I perused the list of 39 nominated programs/performances in 10 categories up for prizes in the 38th International Emmy Awards ceremony next Monday (22 Nov.), I kept an eye open for work that captured my imagination.

What made the biggest impression, however, were the observations that Yours Truly was making in search of interesting/compelling international television to bring to your attention. Eight of them are listed below in no particular order.

OBSERVATION No. 1 – While the awards recognize excellence in television outside of the United States, The 2010 International Emmy World Television Festival (20, 21 Nov.) and awards ceremony are held at the New York Hilton. Why not Laos, Lisbon or London? I have sent out polite inquiries and hopefully will have an answer shortly.

OBSERVATION No. 2 – The Brits generally have the most nominations. This year the count is nine. For instance: Likely the best known in the world of all of the nominees are two UK players. Helena Bonham Carter is up for a Best Actress award for "Enid" (Blyton), about the very complicated life of the great children’s book author (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nxkm8). In The Street, Bob Hoskins (Best Actor nominee) is Paddy Gargan, a recovering alcoholic and owner of a pub on an ordinary street. He and his patrons muddle through life – sometimes the best they can; sometimes not – like the rest of us (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008cbds). The TV Movie/Mini-Series category includes “Small Island” with Hortense (Naomie Harris) as a Jamaican immigrant to 1948 London. (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/smallisland/index.html). She has big dreams, which are challenged when she faces racism and poverty. The series, which also airs in the United States and Northern Ireland, is based on Andrea Levy’s best-selling novel of the same name ... Do the Brits fare so well because more work is submitted from their shores? Do they simply produce the best work? Or is the fix in?

OBSERVATION No. 3 – There are only two African entries – both from South Africa. One of HBC’s competitors in the Best Actress category is Lerato Mvelase, a star of Home Affairs, a series about the seemingly different lives of nine South African women. (http://www.penguinfilms.co.za/inprod/inprod2005.html) LM, who staged a very public and successful fundraising campaign to book passage to New York for the awards ceremony, portrays a university student originally from the provinces who has lived an overprivileged life with her adoptive parents in the city ... Still in the throes of euphoria after beating out 85 contenders to win the prestigious Rose D’Or (http://www.rosedor.com/) are the brains/talent behind Hopeville. The mini-series (http://www.curious.co.za/) about a reformed alcoholic who wants to reform his town’s public swimming pool, triggering a hue and cry, is nominated as a Best TV Movie/Mini-series.

OBSERVATION No. 4 – It is not televised live or recorded (though last year it was streamed live and likely will be this year), therefore the 38th International Emmy Awards and previous editions are an unknown entity to most in the United States. Yet the program is not a small affair (http://iemmys.tv/awards.aspx). Last year Graham Norton hosted. Barbara Walters, Henry Kissinger and David Frost presented and/or received the International Emmy Directorate Award or International Emmy Founders Award. Previous recipients of the Directorate/Founders award include Silvio Berlusconi, Jacques Cousteau, Hisashi Hieda, Patrick Le Lay, Oprah, Steven Spielberg, Ted Turner and Dick Wolfe. At the 38th International Emmy Awards hosted by Jason Priestley, the Directorate award goes to Lorne Michaels (“Saturday Night Live”); the Founders award honoree is none other than Simon Cowell (“American Idol” amongst other things).

OBSERVATION No. 5 – Out of hundreds of entries from 50 countries considered in three rounds of judging over six months by more than 700 judges, there are no nominated programs from India or the rest of South Asia; ditto for France.

OBSERVATION No. 6TV Globo seems to have a lock on TV production in Brazil. The company is either the sole or co-producer of all five of the country’s nominated programs, including Best Documentary contender, Kuarup: The Lost Soul Will Return. It chronicles the two-day ritual of bringing back the lost souls of family and friends practiced by the Alto Xingu Indians (http://www.globotvinternational.com/prodMulti.asp?prodId=139&mType=25&catId=4).

OBSERVATION No. 7 – Is HBO poaching content ideas from itself and others? Last year’s, “Capacodio” (Mexico, http://www.hbolatino.com/capadocia/), is a drama set in a women’s prison airing on HBO Latino. HBO classic is responsible for “Oz,” the discontinued drama set in a men’s prison. This year’s Best Drama entrant, Argentina’s “Epitafios” (“Epitaph,” http://www.hbolatino.com/epitafios/index.shtml), is about a serial killer. “Dexter” is the namesake of the serial killer on the popular Showtime series (http://www.sho.com/site/dexter/home.do).

OBSERVATION No. 8 – Those in the United States in particular who swear off TV, probably will not invest in one to watch international TV either. Some good stuff here to be sure. And no shortage of the bad and the ugly.

Visit http://iemmys.tv/ to learn more about the 38th International Emmy Awards and festival.

Live from New York, Lord & Taylor’s 'Holiwindows'
The family scene, right, is one of 12 window displays to be shown this evening when Lord & Taylor's Holiday Window displays are unveiled. Below, a panel from last year's display. Photos from www.LordandTaylor.com and Rudy Pospisil (www.anothernormal.com).

For more than 70 years Lord & Taylor has been contributing to the U.S. yuletide season in part by unveiling its Christmas windows each November. Tonight, the New York-based department store is unveiling its Fifth Avenue (#424) windows in a way it has never done before:

The unveiling ceremony at 5:30 EST will be streamed live (www.lordandtaylor.com/share). That means anybody in the world with an Internet connection who cares to see yet another American spectacle can witness it if s/he wishes – even a body in Timbuktu.

This year there are all manner of tie-ins:
– Before the unveiling Broadway star Kristin Chenowith will perform;

– Not only will the Young People’s Chorus of NYC sing, the ensemble (http://www.ypc.org/) will perform “Share the Joy,” a holiday song composed exclusively for L&T;

– Local student groups across nine states where L&T stores are located will simultaneously sing “Share the Joy.” The performances will be posted on L&T’sWeb site (www.lordandtaylor.com/);

– Today, the Fifth Avenue store only hosts/boasts “Charity Day” to benefit the American Red Cross (http://www.nyredcross.org/). Customers who make a $5 donation receive a 20 percent off single-item coupon and 15 percent savings the whole of the day. L&T will also support the Red Cross’ preparedness mission with a customer drive to collect vital disaster supply items for emergency "Go-Bags."

– “Share the Joy” is the theme of this year's holiday window displays; see past displays at http://intheknow.lordandtaylor.com/news-events/holiday-windows-past-present/?nggpage=2;

– The windows were inspired by favorite holiday traditions and memories from L&T customers, families and friends submitted via Facebook;

– The 12 Christmas scenes, set in New York over the past 50 years, include “picking out a tree,” “taking a family photo” and “Christmas baking”;

“This year is all about sharing and we’re thrilled to take our customer interaction to a new level by bringing to life their holiday traditions in our windows,” Brendan Hoffman, President and CEO/L&T said in a press release. “The annual Christmas windows are our gift to New York City and I’m excited that this year we can share the magic of this tradition with everyone around the world through our live stream.”


Tristan Couvares Is Going to Get His Life Back
TRISTAN Couvares is going to be emancipated in two days’ time, and guess what he’s going to do?

Instead of going to an amusement park, tonight he is going to host a live “Webathon” charity talent show (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=110541645678380).

Yeah, I know what you’re wondering – Who is TC and why should you care that he’s being emancipated and celebrating said event?

Trritan Couvares, right, with Lucy and presumably awaiting orders from his public. Photo from Control TV Facebook page.

In answer to the latter questions first: For two obvious reasons. One, no human should be held in bondage. Second, good will come from it. Specifically, proceeds raised from the somewhat secretive L.A. talent show will go to four charities, including charity: water (http://www.charitywater.org/) and Green Dot Public Schools (http://www.greendot.org/).

As for TC, if a certain Facebook page is to be believed the 25-year-old Manchester, CT total babe moved to Los Angeles two years ago. Somehow, goes the narrative, he found himself “with no job, no girl, and no clue what do [sic] do with his life …”

Eh voila! a reality show and star-in-the-making were born. Not just any reality show, however. “Control TV” made its debut last month on the Web with two groovy hooks: Viewers are encouraged to vote on virtually every aspect of TC’s life, down to what he eats and wears. By popular demand he inherited a doll named Dolly and a car named Lucy. One question on the table now is whether TC should keep Lucy, a 2011 Ford Fiesta, per an oath he made to viewers. Voting is trending toward him keeping his ride, but it doesn’t end until Tuesday (16 Nov.) at 9 a.m. PST.

Are you ready for this, “Control TV” is streamed live – 24/7. Check it out now: http://www.controltv.com/. When TC is freed from his shackles on Wednesday (17 Nov.), it will have been for six weeks.

One reckons such a traumatic experience calls for tonight’s jubilee at CafĂ© Was (http://www.cafewas.com/), especially if one detests fried hotdogs or doesn’t care to be burdened with a pregnant belly suit. In New York, the talent show will be simulcast at 9:30 EST during the aptly named “Libations for Liberation!,” a celebrity-speckled party thrown by Digital Broadcasting Group (DBG, http://http://www.blogger.com/www.dbgroup.tv/), the show’s executive producer/distributor.

Granted, maybe you still don’t care about TC. Surely, though, your heart beats for Ocean Park Community Center (http://www.opcc.org/) and Donors Choose (http://http://www.donorschoose.org/), no?

1 comment :

  1. You write about many interesting things and the themes you chose are fascinating. Can we expect any new feeds to your blog ?

    ReplyDelete

 
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