Watch 2011's International Digital Emmy-winners

Three groundbreaking programs were recipients of the 6th annual International Digital Emmy Awards on April 4 during the opening ceremony of the MIPTV conference in Cannes, in three categories - nonfiction, fiction and children/young people.

Twelve nominees competed for the award for global excellence in content created and designed for viewer interaction and/or delivery on a digital platform, representing programs from eight countries, including Brazil, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and Turkey.

"This year's winners attest to the power of social media throughout the world," said Bruce L. Paisner, the President & CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, in a statement. "We congratulate them for being on the cutting edge of a vital new form of expression."

The 2011 Digital Emmy winners follow, with websites and links to media:

Nonfiction: Highrise: Out My Window
Directed by Katerina Cizek for National Film Board of Canada (Canada)

An interactive web documentary, Highrise: Out My Window feature 49 stories of people living in highrise buildings in 13 cities, told in 13 languages, spanning the globe from Sao Paulo's largest vertical squat to a massively renovated post-Soviet highrise suburb in the Czech Republic, from Bangalore to Chicago. It includes music videos performed by residents and an indie-music playlist. Delivered entirely on the web with 360-degree views the viewer can explore.
Trailer: http://www.nfb.ca/film/highrise_out_my_window_trailer
See the documentary: http://interactive.nfb.ca/#/outmywindow/

Children & Young People: Battlefront II
Produced by Raw TV/Airlock for Channel 4 (UK)

Battlefront II follows 12 young people running campaigns to change the world. Their causes include Autism, Anti-Bullying, Keeping it Safe Online, Lives Not Knives, Natural Beauty, Smiling, Voting, and more. The second season ended on air and is viewable online. Battlefront III is accepting applications. A new feature of the website is the Start Your Own Campaign section, which encourages viewers to set up their own efforts on behalf of a cause. Other new additions to the site include a fortnightly web show hosted by YouTube talent Alex Day.
Watch: http://www.battlefront.co.uk/the-show/

Fiction: Shankaboot
Batoota films/BBC World Service Trust (Lebanon)

The first Arabic web series created as a vehicle for exploring social problems often overlooked by mainstream media. The aim of the project is to present these issues from a fresh perspective and to promote an exchange of opinion between young adults across the region. Four seasons are posted online with titles such as "Fistful of Sandals" and "Return of the Hero" a channel for users to upload multi-media projects inspired by Shankaboot.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlukzheaSKo
Watch the series: http://www.shankaboot.com/en/episodes

In addition to the Digital Emmys, the Academy gave the Pioneer Prize to Jon M. Chu, for creating The LXD, The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers, a global online dance web series. Chu directed Justin Bieber's film and the Step Up franchise.
Watch: http://thelxd.com/episodes

RC