'5 Broken Cameras' wins Emmy
Israeli film takes home Best Documentary Award at International Emmy Awards ceremony in New York. Co-director Emad Burnat declares on stage that he is 'the first Palestinian to win an Emmy'
"5 Broken Cameras," which was co-directed by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi, is based on footage shot by Burnat, a resident of the village of Bilin, who documented his son growing up alongside the village residents' struggle against the separation fence.
Video courtesy of jn1.tv
The film was nominated for an Academy Award last year. It won the award for best Israeli documentary at the 2012 Jerusalem Film Festival and the World Cinema Documentary Directing Award at The Sundance film festival.
The film competed for an Emmy against three other documentaries: "The Golden Hour" from New Zealand, "My Mother, Lady Bondong" from South Korea and "5 de Mayo, Un Dia de Gloria" from Mexico.
As he accepted the award, Burnat said that "it's a big honor to be the first Palestinian to win an Emmy award. This means a lot to me and my people in Palestine.
"I made this film to ... share my story with you and all the world. We want what you want – peace and liberty. We want a good future for our kids so we need your support and your help. Free Palestine."
Emad Burnat in '5 Broken Cameras'
The ceremony, which was held for the 41st time, was hosted by John Oliver, who has filled in for Jon Stewart as host of Comedy Central’s "The Daily Show." Oliver said during the ceremony that everything on America television these days was either version of English and Israeli shows or versions of English shows based on Israeli ones.
Britain's Sean Bean and Brazil's Fernanda Montenegro took the top acting honors at the ceremony, in which the statues were spread among TV productions from six countries.
Bean, best known for his roles in "The Lord of the Rings" and "Game of Thrones," won the best actor award for his role in an episode of the crime anthology series "Accused."
Montenegro, who received an Oscar nomination for the 1998 film "Central Station," was chosen best actress for her role in "Doce de Mae" ("Sweet Mother") in which she plays an 85-year-old woman who wishes to live independently and take on new experiences, like dancing.
The Emmy for best drama series went to the French zombie thriller "Les Revenants" ("The Returned"), about a small alpine village that is rocked when several people presumed dead suddenly reappear at their homes as ghostly characters in human form.
Britain's "Moone Boy," about a young Irish boy who survives his chaotic family life with the help of an imaginary grown-up pal, won in the comedy category.
