First for China at International Emmys

The 33rd annual International Emmy Awards, held in New York City last night, saw Denmark and Germany nab top drama and documentary honours, while China picked up its first ever award.

Denmark, which has won the best drama prize three out of the past four years, received Emmys in both the drama and miniseries categories for crime drama The Eagle, about a detective trying to tackle organised crime and his own psychological problems, and miniseries Young Andersen, about storyteller Hans Christian Andersen.

Germany was recognised for its documentary programme The Drama of Dresden, about the bombing of the city just before the end of the Second World War, in February 1945.

In the performance category – a recent addition to the awards – China’s He Lin received the best actress award for her role in Slave Mother, depicting how women were once viewed as only tools for giving birth and commodities that could be exchanged.

Rounding out the evening’s awards were France, which saw Thierry Fremont win in the male performance category for Dans la Tete du Tueur (Murder in Mind); and Canada, which picked up a comedy Emmy for series The Newsroom, and a children and young people award for series Dark Oracle.

The BBC landed two accolades for the UK – coming up well short of its performance last year when it walked away with six of seven programming awards. Beeb motoring programme Top Gear won the Emmy for best non-scripted entertainment, and documentary Holocaust – A Musical Memorial Film from Auschwitz scooped a best arts programming award.

Recognition awards such as the International Emmy Founders Award were presented by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to Oprah Winfrey, chairman of prodco Harpo, for her international broadcast career and philanthropic activities, while actress Helen Mirren presented the International Emmy Directorate to UK broadcaster ITV for 50 years of service in commercial broadcasting.

Founded in 1969, the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is the largest organisation of global broadcasters, with more than 500 members from 70 countries and 350 companies.