The film and television prize Romy, awarded by the daily newspaper “Kurier”, has returned to the Vienna Hofburg for its 33rd edition after a break due to corona. The gala broadcast on ORF 2 on Saturday evening was characterized by enlightened and fearless quality journalism in times of crisis.
Puls 4 information manager Corinna Milborn received the jury Romy for her commitment against fake news and for serious journalism. It stands for “trustworthy, credible and fact-based information in the service of enlightenment” and is the “figurehead of a consistent information offensive” by the broadcasting group ProSiebenSat.1Puls4, according to the jury’s reasoning. “Without journalism, we would be at the mercy of what the powerful want to cover up,” said Milborn in her speech, recalling that Austria had recently slipped in the press freedom ranking “because politicians wanted to exert too much influence”. “As a society, we can’t afford that,” said the information manager, and appealed to “the money that is there” not to be allocated according to the interests of parties, but according to quality.
ORF correspondent Christian Wehrschütz has been reporting tirelessly from the Ukraine since the beginning of the war – and was also awarded a special prize for his commitment. The jury attested him “courage in research and level-headedness in classifying terrible events for the public”. “Every day, Christian Wehrschütz shows how valuable serious journalism is and how criminal war can be,” said Martina Salomon, Editor-in-Chief of “Kurier”, who presented him with the award to standing ovations from those present in the hall. The ORF correspondent stressed that he was also accepting the award for his two employees, with whom he had already covered more than 16,000 kilometers in Ukraine. In addition to his employer, he also thanked his comrades in the Austrian army and his family for letting him move to Ukraine. “I wish everyone that the next Romy Awards can take place again in peaceful times,” he concluded his speech.
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“At 95 nothing is spared”
Erni Mangold was happy about the platinum Romy for her life’s work. The 95-year-old looks back on a theater career spanning around seven decades and more than 100 appearances in film and television productions. When the moderator of the evening, Andi Knoll, approached her, she briskly grabbed the microphone and stated: “At 95 you are spared nothing.” She, too, made her way to the stage to standing ovations, where Romy record holder Tobias Moretti gave a laudation for her. Mangold embodies “something like the sensuality of stubbornness”. Unruliness has become her trademark. “It’s unimaginable that she would ever stop running, motschkern,” says Moretti. “I’m happy to be with you. Because maybe I won’t be there tomorrow,” said Mangold and Moretti immediately inherited the platinum Romy.
The audience was asked for the other nine Romy categories. Almost a million votes were taken in advance for the 45 nominees. Went as the most popular actress in the film category Maria Hofstatter for her leading role as an unconventional prison teacher in the film “Fuchs im Bau”. PHilipp Hochmair was able to score with his performance in “The Wannsee Conference” and took home the Romy in the category “Most Popular Actor Film”.
Went as the most popular actor in a series or series Stefanie Reinsperger, who celebrated her debut as the new TV commissioner in “Tatort” last year, and NIcholas Ofczarek, who showcased his acting skills in ‘The Ibiza Affair’ and ‘The Passport’, emerged as the lucky winners. Both could not be present, but conveyed messages of greeting.
“May one be happy?”
The most popular presenter in the information area was this time Lou Lorenz Dittlbacher. She is now the editor-in-chief of ORF III, moderated the “summer talks” last year and was in “ZiB 2” for years. “Are you allowed to be happy when you know that war is raging a few hundred kilometers away?” Lorenz-Dittlbacher asked himself and came to the conclusion: You’re allowed to recharge your batteries for work. “We must and will keep looking,” she promised and pleaded for cohesion in the media industry.
After 2019, the ORF journalist became the most popular sports presenter again Alina Zellhofer (“Sport on Sunday”). Former ski racer Hans Knauss received a Romy for Favorite Show/Entertainment Host. He was voted the audience’s favorite for the ORF series “Österreich vom Feinsten”, which started last year. He was “almost shocked” by this, as he had already stopped “wagging prices” 17 years ago.
When “discovery female” took Antonia Moretti a Romy towards. Last year she was in front of the camera with her father Tobias Moretti in the two-part film “Im Netz der Camorra”. Julian Waldner was voted “Discovery Male”. The Carinthian played the title role in the movie “Klammer – Chasing the Line”.
A special romy for the relief operation was also surprising “Neighbor in Need” and at the same time awarded the willingness of Austrians to donate. ORF Director General Roland Weißmann accepted the award on his behalf. He recalled the start of the campaign 30 years ago and the 18 relief campaigns for people in need that have been carried out together with the ORF since then. In the meantime, “Neighbor in Need” has become a synonym for “red-white-red helpfulness”, the ORF boss praised the solidarity of the population.
Source: Nachrichten
