Winners Announced for the 2024 Venice TV Award
Two weeks after the Venice Film Festival this event brings together an international jury in the iconic city and is supported by the Association of Commercial TV (ACT), the European Group of Television Advertising (egta) and the International Music + Media Centre (IMZ). The Venice TV Award, now in its seventh year, continues to highlight the impact and excellence of television in today’s entertainment landscape.
The BBC stood out in 2024 by winning three Gold Medals, as it did the previous year. The broadcaster claimed top honours in the Light Entertainment category for The Eurovision Song Contest. It also triumphed in Animation with A Bear Named Wojtek, a story about a Syrian bear adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II. Additionally, Ukraine: Enemy in the Woods, the documentary which provided unprecedented access to Ukrainian soldiers, won Gold in Cinematography.
The UK emerged as the most successful country in this year’s awards, with a total of seven wins. In addition to the BBC’s successes, Sky UK won the Documentary category for Hatton, which chronicles the journey of former boxer Ricky Hatton. In TV Series ITV was successful with Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The Children & Youth category saw Apple TV+ UK take home Gold in with Lovely Little Farm (Season 2), while Channel 4 secured victory in the Reality TV category with Tempting Fortune.
Outside of the UK, French channel TV one earned gold in the TV Film category with On the Run, a heart warming story of a bank robber who forms an unexpected bond with an abandoned boy. German broadcaster ZDF got a Special Jury Prize in the TV Series category with The Zweiflers, a drama centred on Holocaust survivor Symcha Zweifler. Meanwhile, Globo TV Brazil secured two Gold Medals in the Branded Entertainment and Program Promotion categories, highlighting its prowess in creating innovative content.
Other international wins included entries from CBS in America, Record TV Brazil, RTVE Spain, 3sat and SP Portugal, reflecting the worldwide reach of the Venice TV Award.
Global Recognition for Outstanding Work
The jury for the awards is made up of distinguished figures from the global TV industry, who are tasked with recognising the best television across 19 categories, including TV Series, TV Movie, Documentary, Comedy, Animation, News, Branded and Entertainment.
"I thoroughly enjoyed the process and was impressed by the exceedingly high standard and diversity of entries this year,” said juror Alan Holland, Head of Specialist Factual Productions at BBC Studios, as he reflected on this year’s entries.
Commenting on the importance of recognising excellence in television Katty Roberfroid, director general of the egta, said, "We are happy to support the Venice TV Award. Great content is a must for the future of our industry, so we are pleased to acknowledge the merit of those who produce it."
Fostering New Talent
The Venice TV Award also remains committed to fostering new talent. The Civica Scuola di Cinema Luchino Visconti in Italy won 2024’s New Talent category with Vision d'été, a short film that impressed the jury with its originality and execution. Minnie Ferrara, Director at the Luchino Visconti Film School, reflected on the importance of the award for emerging creatives, "By recognising emerging talent, the awards inspire students to explore new ideas and expand their creative boundaries.”
For a complete list of winners of the 2024 Venice TV Award, please click here.
