‘Orphans of a Nation’ wins the International Emmy for Best Telenovela
23-11-2020
Today, the team of ‘Orphans of a Nation’ has a very special reason to celebrate: the work written by Thelma Guedes and Duca Rachid with artistic direction by Gustavo Fernandez won, on Monday (23), the award for Best Telenovela in the 48th edition of the International Emmy Awards. The ceremony, which traditionally takes place at a large party in New York, this year was held remotely and broadcast live on the website of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The announcement of the victory of ‘Orphans of a Nation’ was made by Paul Blackthorne. The work competed with ‘Chen Xi Yuan’, from China; ‘Na Corda Bamba’, from Portugal; and ‘Pequeña Victoria’, from Argentina.
Director Gustavo Fernandez represented the work team at the event: “I thank the Academy and the authors, who are the creators of this wonderful project and now two times Emmy winners, Duca Rachid and Thelma Guedes. Thanks to Globo for having the courage to produce this project, and special thanks to the entire team for their fantastic dedication. I'm sure everyone is incredibly happy to see our message about refugees and about love reaching so many people around the world”.
Thrilled with the victory, the authors thanked the appreciation of the themes covered in the telenovela. “It is so rewarding to know that a story that came out of our head, our imagination, our art, reached so many people in so many different places. Winning the International Emmy, considered the Oscar of world TV, is such an honor and a huge responsibility”, celebrated Thelma Guedes. “It is exceptionally good to have our work recognized. It is the time to celebrate, after the stow of making a telenovela. And at this time, it has an even more special taste, which is to know that our story of welcoming and empathy has touched people all over the world”, added Duca Rachid.
The telenovela was shown in April last year on TV Globo and told the story of love and overcoming of Jamil (Renato Góes) and Laila (Julia Dalávia), who arrived in Brazil with the desire to rebuild their lives. She, a Syrian refugee. He, employed by a powerful Lebanese sheikh (Herson Capri), who took Laila by force as one of his wives. Surprised by their passion and fleeing a nation at war, they join forces to make that love possible. In addition to bringing the refugee issue as a backdrop, the telenovela’s main messages are empathy, cultural diversity and overcoming in the name of love.
This is already the third international award that the telenovela has won. This year, the plot received the Grand Prize at the Seoul Drama Awards, and in 2019 it also won the Rose D’Or Awards, in the Serial Drama category. ‘Orphans of a Nation’ has been licensed to over fifty countries, including Mexico, Uruguay, and Bolivia.
Cauã Reymond also participated in the ceremony, announcing the “TV Movie/Mini-Series” category, in which Globo competed with ‘Elis - Viver é Melhor que Sonhar’. The actor presented the award from Joatinga beach, in Rio de Janeiro.
Considered the number one event in the television market, Emmy International recognizes the excellence of productions made exclusively for TV outside the United States, in addition to non-English content produced for American TV. Globo has already received 17 Emmy trophies. The first was of “World Television Personality”, received by Roberto Marinho in 1976, an award he would receive again in 1983. His son, Roberto Irineu Marinho received the statuette in 2014, in the same category. In 1981, Globo won with the musical ‘A Arca de Noé’ and in 1982, with ‘Life and Death Severina’. Globo has been awarded seven times for the “Best Telenovela”, with ‘India – a Love Story’ (2009), ‘Blood Ties’, co-production with SIC, shown in Portugal (2011), ‘The Illusionist’ (2012), ‘Side by Side’ (2013), ‘Precious Pearl’ (2014), ‘Empire’ (2015) and ‘Hidden Truths’ (2016). In 2011, ‘Jornal Nacional’ won the Emmy for Journalism in the ‘News’ category, with the coverage of the resumption of the set of favelas of Alemão by the security forces of Rio de Janeiro. ‘The Invisible Woman’ (2012) and ‘Sweet Mother’ (2015) won in the ‘Best Comedy’ category. Fernanda Montenegro received the award in 2013 as ‘Best Actress’ for her role in ‘Sweet Mother’. Globo also received the ‘Best Series’ award at the International Emmy Kids Awards 2018, with ‘Young Hearts - Embrace Diversity’. And now, it ends the year of 2020 with the trophy of Best Telenovela for ‘Orphans of a Nation’.