Prix Italia 2005
Patrick Jaquin, Deputy Head of Communications, EBU 

The oldest international radio, television and web competition 

Prix Italia was founded by RAI in Capri in 1948 and the year 2005 will see its 57th edition (18–24 September 2005).

Prix Italia awards prizes for quality productions in the fields of drama (single plays and serials), documentaries (culture and current affairs), the performing arts (television) and music (radio).

It has been hosted by the most important Italian cities, which has greatly contributed to its extra-ordinary international prestige. The Prix Italia’s roll of honour includes the names of the writers, directors and producers who make up the history of international television.

Among the innumerable personalities who, in the course of the years, have entered their works are writers such as Jean Anouilh, Riccardo Bacchelli, Heinrich Böll, Bertholt Brecht, Italo Calvino, Jean Cocteau, Eduardo De Filippo, Marguerite Duras, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Umberto Eco, Max Frisch, John Osborne, Alain Robbe-Grillet and Françoise Sagan; and directors including David Attenborough, Ermanno Olmi, Sidney Pollack, Francesco Rosi, Roberto Rossellini, John Schlesinger, Andrej Wajda and Krysztof Zanussi. Among the winners are equally illustrious figures: Samuel Beckett, Ingmar Bergman, Peter Brook, René Clair, Federico Fellini, Werner Herzog, Peter Greenaway, Eugène Ionesco, Ken Loach, Harold Pinter and Dylan Thomas.

Five continents 

Prix Italia’s partners and permanent members are made up of 80 public and private radio and television companies, representing 42 countries from the five continents. Only Prix members can enter programmes in the competition. The organizational and decision-making structure is unique among the many international prizes and festivals. In fact, the member organizations’ delegates meet twice a year at the General Assembly to take strategic decisions and elect the president (who for the 2005 period is Caroline Thomson, BBC).

RAI nominates the secretary general from among its top executives: Alessandro Feroldi is the current incumbent. The competition is held each year in the second half of September, accompanied by a series of major cultural events and performances. Hundreds of high-ranking representatives from the world’s broadcasters attend: directors, producers, writers, as well as a considerable number of Italian and foreign journalists. RAI ensures wide radio and TV coverage on its channels’ news bulletins and the show which accompanies the prize-giving ceremony. Prix Italia is particularly attentive to encouraging local relations, widely promoting all events, and providing full information for both the general public and special interest groups. During Prix Italia, RAI presents cinema previews of the main competing programmes, with the participation of their stars who answer questions from the public. At the same time, the directors of RAI’s TV and radio channels give an overview of the coming season’s schedules to the national and international press.

pj / ep