HEARTLINES/The Mass Media Project scoops a prestigious international award at the 2007 Banff World Television Awards in Canada

The Good Provider, an episode in the HEARTLINES series, was awarded a prestigious “Rockie” in the Best Family and Youth Program category at the closing ceremony of the 28th Banff World Television Awards.

Produced by Curious Pictures, and directed by Barry Berk, The Good Provider was competing against an international selection of programmes from Britain, USA and South Korea; including the groundbreaking gay teen series South of Nowhere and the controversial US documentary Ithutheng: Never Stop Learning. The Good Provider was one of only four South African finalists selected for competition. .

The Banff World Television Awards were created to honour excellence in international television. Since their inception 28 years ago, the awards have grown in standing, and today the Festival is recognized as one of the most important international industry events of the year. Over 800 international programme entries, from 38 countries were submitted for competition. This extraordinary number of entries, along with the reputable make-up of the Awards jury, makes the Banff World Television Awards among the most valuable recognitions within the global television community. Given the sheer numbers of entries to the festival, and the quality of submissions, it is a remarkable achievement to secure a “Rockie.”

The Good Provider was screened locally on SABC as part of the critically acclaimed HEARTLINES series. The Good Provider tells the story of Solomon, a proud father who loses his job, but is too ashamed to tell his family. Solomon leaves his home to seek work as a manual labourer, but his absence leads his son to spiral into delinquency. The film is ultimately a tale of redemption as Solomon learns that a father’s responsibility is not only to provide money, but also love and support.

The victory at Banff is not the only accolade bestowed on the series. The HEARTLINES series has been well-received at international festivals, and has already received international recognition. The HEARTLINES feature film, screened as the final episode of the series, was accepted for screening at a number of important international film festivals, including Sithengi (South Africa), The Gothenburg International Film festival (Sweden), The Pan African Film Festival (Los Angeles) and FESPACO (Burkina Faso). In May 2007 HEARTLINES was awarded the “Best Fiction Film Award” at the New Orleans Human Rights Festival, as well as a “World Fest Award.” The HEARTLINES feature film was also nominated for a Banff World Television Award in the “Made for Television Movie” category.