The highest award for regional television production, CIRCOM's Grand Prix, has been won by a documentary about the fight to stop an oil pipeline threatening a rural coastline in Ireland.
The Pipe (An Piopa), made for Irish language broadcaster, TG4, was announced as the winner at a live TV gala show in Romania on Thursday 5 May. The Pipe also won the award for Best Documentary against more than 40 other programmes in the competition. In all, there were 157 entries from 21 different countries in Europe.
David Lowen, President of the Prix CIRCOM, announcing the awards in Timisoara said: "The winner, said the judges, is a story to match David and Goliath. On the west coast of Ireland a giant oil company wants to build a pipeline. But the local fishermen say it will ruin their fishing grounds and their livelihood."
Frank Bohm, of Hessischer Rundfunk Germany and chair of the Documentary category judges said: "It has a very strong storyline, filmed and edited with a very good rhythm."
Rachel Lysaght, Producer from Underground Films, said "This is a great honour, and a very important moment for the film, and for us, as filmmakers. Director Risteard Ó Domhnaill spent four years filming this story, so to have been awarded Best Documentary and Grand Prix is a wonderful validation of all the hard work that went into making the film. Ultimately, these awards represent an important international recognition of, and solidarity with the continuing struggle of the people of Rossport".
The Pipe wins for TG4 total prize money of 5,000 euros and two specially commissioned trophies.
The complete list of winning and commended programmes and stations is:
DOCUMENTARY and GRAND PRIX
Winner: The Pipe (TG4 Galway,Ireland)
Commended: The Sound of Ole Bull (NRK Hordaland, Norway)
MAGAZINE
Winner: The Election: Extra Edition (SVT Gävledala, Sweden)
Commended: The Gauguin Towers: The Implosion (France 3 Limousin)
VIDEO JOURNALISM
Winner: Nicola Rees (BBC Yorkshire, UK)
Commended: Magnus Brenna Lund (NRK Østfold, Norway)
SPORT
Winner: Late Kick Off (BBC Midlands, UK)
Commended: Shoulder to Shoulder (TG4 Galway, Ireland)
MOST ORIGINAL
Winner: The Secret Life of Waves (BBC Scotland)
Commended: Don’t Try This At Home (NRK Trondelag, Norway)
VIVRE L’EUROPE
Winner: Euphoria, MTV Pécs, Hungary
(No commended in this category)
THE RISING STAR
Winner: Spas Kyosev (BNT Sofia, Bulgaria)
Commended: Frida Bjork (SVT Göteborg, Sweden)
FICTION/DRAMA
Winner: The Lost Son (NDR Hamburg, Germany)
Commended: Body and Soul (TG4 Galway, Ireland)
SOCIAL INTERACTION AND VIEWER SUPPORT
Winner: A Symphony for Yorkshire (BBC Yorkshire, UK)
Commended: Women in Wartime (Omroep Gelderland, The Netherlands)