The Nordic countries scooped a record number of 12 statuettes at Friday’s award ceremony held at Berlin’s Rotes Rathaus town hall.

This year’s 37th Prix Europa celebrating the best European audio, digital media and TV/video productions of the year, was held under the motto: public service media-excellence and impact in all genres. A total of 32 awards were handed out from 181 nominations originating from 27 countries.

In the TV fiction categories, the Swedish crime drama Blackwater commissioned by SVT, was awarded the coveted prize for Best European TV/video fiction, mini-series of the year. The show was co-created by Maren Louise Käehne and Karin Arrhenius for producers Piv Bernth and Helene Lindholm.

Sweden picked up another two awards via SR (Sveriges radio) - Best European audio fiction series for Before-After: Anna Lindh directed by Helena Bergström, and a special commendation, audio fiction-single for Ernaux’s Girls by Lia Zackow.

The Norwegian pubcaster NRK brought home the following six awards:

  • Special commendation - best TV/video fiction-series to Power Play from co-creator/writer Johan Fasting, produced by Motlys and Novemberfilm.
  • Best online media project to The Bomb from writers Renate Rognan, Helene Storsveen, Vicky Schaubert, director and producer Ståle Hansen.
  • Best European audio documentary series to Shit Town, Trondheim by Ole Martin Hafsmo, produced by Kjetil Saugestad.
  • Special commendation - best audio investigation series to The Surgeon by Kari Jeppestøl Arntzen and Trude Lorentzen, produced by Kjetil Saugestad.
  • Special commendation - best audio fiction series to The Lads Pass: The Lad’s podcast by Erik Goplen and Gustav Lie Gundersen, produced by Ingrid Torjesen.
  • Special commendation - best TV/video Iris category to the documentary Beneath the Surface by Alexander Irvine Cox, produced by Ingvil Giske.

The Danish pubcaster DR received two awards:

  • Best European audio investigation series for The Mystery directed by Frederik Hugo Ledegaard Thim and produced by Jens Vithner.
  • Special commendation - best audio documentary-single for The Heart-Shaped by Nanna Hauge Kristensen.

The Finnish pubcaster Yle was bestowed Best European audio music programme for Music Documentary: Ánnámáret by journalist Sebastian Bergholm, produced by Elin von Wright.

Meanwhile the coveted Prix Europa for Best European TV/video fiction series was handed out to This is Not Sweden by Aina Clotet, produced by Spain’s Nanouk Films, in co-production with Anagram Sweden, co-financing from RTVE, TV3, SVT, NDR and Yle.

In a symbolic move, the award for best European journalists of the year went to all 418 journalists working for the Ukrainian public service broadcaster UA:PBC.

“Free, independent quality journalism is now more necessary than ever,” underlined Prix Europa’s president Katja Wildermuth, director general of Bayerischer Rundfunk. “Our democratic dialogue depends on a common factual basis, and we need a common understanding of our values“, she said.

For the full list of Prix Europa winners, check: https://www.prixeuropa.eu/winner-2023