Two ABC titles have won prestigious Rockie Awards at the Banff World Media Festival in Canada, leading the way for outstanding Australian content on the international stage.
ABC iview drama Wrong Kind of Black, produced by Princess Pictures, won the Web Fiction Award for its compelling portrayal of the life of Indigenous DJ Boori Monty Pryor, from Palm Island in the 1960s to the height of the 1970s disco inferno.
ABC Factual short-form series The Twist, produced by Broken Yellow, won the Animation Award for its innovative take on intriguing Australian true crime stories, presenting documentary content in extraordinary new ways for digital audiences.
The two titles were the only Australian nominees and winners at the awards, which celebrate the world’s best content across television and digital platforms.
Sally Riley, ABC Head of Drama, Comedy & Indigenous, said:
“The ABC is thrilled to win two Rockie Awards at the Banff World Media Festival, demonstrating how outstanding Australian content connects with people here and overseas.
“Congratulations to our teams and partners, Princess Pictures and Broken Yellow, for bringing Wrong Kind of Black andThe Twist to life for digital audiences, leading the charge for the ABC’s original and diverse content across multiple platforms.”
Andrea Denholm, Princess Pictures Executive Producer, said:
“The power of Boori’s story was clear from the moment we heard it and we are thrilled that the film struck a chord in such a prestigious international competition. We are proud of the talented team who worked so hard to bring this distinctly Australian story to the world and thank the ABC and Screen Australia for their foresight and faith in the project.”
Navid Bahadori, Broken Yellow Executive Producer, said:
“The Twist came in as underdogs into Banff, up against some incredible animations from across the world. The Broken Yellow team worked for almost two years crafting each episode, so it’s such an honour to be recognised by the international film community.”
