MILAN - On June 14, at the Stelline Foundation in Milan, the 73rd edition of the Prix Italia 2021 kicked off, the international competition organized by RAI which this year reflects on the "role of media and culture for a new beginning", with the objective to question the setback of the last year and a half, but above all on the rebirth strategies proposed by radio, TV and web productions, rewarding the best creative skills of theatrical performances, live events, cinema and cultural festivals.

  56 companies of broadcasters are then confronted with 241 works, evaluated by seven international juries, with 76 jurors, who will assign 10 prizes in the radio, TV and web categories at Palazzo Lombardia on 17 June. As always, young people and university students play a leading role, thanks to an agreement signed between Rai and the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI). The student jury will award the best video in the competition.

  Among the most talked about, two themes at the centre of our lives: the post Covid-19 recovery, with the desire for redemption and the need to start again, and the ecological turning point, a new awareness on the importance of the environment acquired during the hardest months . For each of the nine Radio, TV and Web categories, the seven best products have been selected, among which the juries will choose the winners.

  RAI, the only Italian broadcaster present in the selections, asserts itself with two programs: the Mental web series produced by Rai Fiction, in the “Web Fiction” category; and the staging of La Traviata by Martone produced by Rai Cultura with the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma (culture produced "in presence" in difficult conditions), in the "Tv Performing Arts" category. But all art and culture are at the center of this year's selections: from the great television happening, Marina Abramović takes possession of TV (Sky UK), to the first works promoted by broadcasters (Musica per sirene, CZCR - Czech Rep. ), tributes to Bach (Solo with JS Bach, ABC - Australia), Chopin (Chopin. The Caribbean note, TVP - Poland) and Beethoven (Roll over Beethoven, SRG SSR - Switzerland).

  Among the numerous examples in competition focused on the "green turning point", the jurors selected programs that address the balance of the ecosystem (The Symphony on the Rising of the Seas, BBC), the hope in the ability of the planet and its inhabitants to save the habitat (Scorpion, ROR - Romania), the need for a new circular economy (The unsustainable cost of city life, SVT - Sweden), or simply the desire to return to experience nature in a fun way (Pesce-bingo, DR - Denmark).

  Among the countries most represented in the 2021 edition of the Prix, France and the United Kingdom stand out with 10 programs each, followed by Germany with seven proposals.

  The most popular broadcasters are the BBC (UK) with 7 selected programs, ARTE (France) and ARD (Germany) with 6 programs each. Excellent results also achieved by DR (Denmark) with 4 selected programs, CZCR (Czech Rep.), NPO (Netherlands) and SRG SSR (Switzerland) with three programmes each.

  This edition of the Prix Italia is also full of meetings, conferences, previews and opportunities for reflection on the theme "Starting afresh from culture and entertainment. The role of the media for a new Renaissance ”.

  The award ceremony is scheduled for June 17 at 5:00 pm at the Testori Auditorium of Palazzo Lombardia, when the nine winners and three Special Prizes of the 2021 edition will be announced.

gn-ol