RFE/RL’s “Desperate Honeymoon” documentary wins New York Festivals Awards
Washington, D.C. — RFE/RL’s video documentary “Desperate Honeymoon” won Silver and Bronze medals at the New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards ceremony in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
The documentary follows a newlywed Syrian couple as they flee their war-torn country and make the fraught journey to Europe in pursuit of a new life. It personalizes a story often told in terms of numbers and statistics, portraying the individual choices made by two migrants in their own words.
“These awards are an acknowledgment of our journalists’ ability to combine professionalism and authenticity to tell the most important stories of our time,” RFE/RL Editor-in-Chief Nenad Pejic said.
The documentary, produced by RFE/RL multimedia editor Ray Furlong and cameraman Roman Kupka, was released as a long-form video and in shorter segments tailored for digital platforms in English and Russian languages, attracting almost half a million views on social networks globally.
The Silver Medal was awarded in the Magazine Format/Information Program category, and the Bronze was in the category of Current Affairs.
“Hidden Armenians,” a short documentary produced by RFE/RL’s Armenian Service depicting the lives of Armenians whose families have lived for generations in Turkey, received a Finalists’ Certificate in the category of History and Society.
The New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards honor programming in all lengths and forms from more than 50 countries. First presented in 1957, the awards celebrate exceptional and innovative programs being created today on all continents in the television and film industries.
About RFE/RL
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is a private, independent international news organization whose programs — radio, Internet, television, and mobile — reach influential audiences in 23 countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through USAGM.
Find out more
Contact Joanna Levison
Director of Media and Public Affairs, Prague
- Levisonj@rferl.org
- 420-221-122-080
Contact Martins Zvaners
Deputy Director of Media and Public Affairs, Washington, DC
- zvanersm@rferl.org
- (202) 457-6948