Korean documentary 'The Song of Trees' wins Prix Italia TV documentary award
In short
The KNN-produced documentary 'The Song of Trees', directed by Jin Jae-un, won the TV documentary competition at the 78th Prix Italia, with the award presented on October 2 in L'Aquila, Italy. Organizers said it is the first Korean program to take the prize in that category. The film follows an 88-year-old Korean woman who bought land in Nicaragua and planted one million trees.
Read the full story 2 min read
The KNN-produced documentary 'The Song of Trees', directed by Jin Jae-un, won the TV documentary competition at the 78th Prix Italia, according to the three reports. The award was presented on October 2 local time at a ceremony in L'Aquila, Italy. Kyunghyang Shinmun, Chosun Ilbo and Hankook Ilbo each said it is the first Korean program to take the prize in the TV documentary category; Hankook Ilbo noted that KBS has won in the drama category three times. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Kyunghyang Shinmun described Prix Italia as a major international broadcasting award founded in 1948 and referred to as the “Oscars of broadcasting”. It said this year's edition drew 226 entries from 83 broadcasters in 52 countries. Chosun Ilbo identified the award as the 78th Prix Italia, organized by Italian public broadcaster RAI. [ 1 , 2 ]
The film documents an 88-year-old Korean woman who bought more than seven times the area of Yeouido in Nicaragua and planted one million trees. Kyunghyang Shinmun said the subject studied biology and biochemistry in the United States and worked on cancer and infectious disease research before receiving a terminal diagnosis in her mid-60s, after which she began tending the forest, saying she wanted to give back to the earth and supply oxygen. [ 1 , 3 ]
Jin said the film asks how little people have listened to nature, and that he was glad the international jurors had listened to its slow time and silence, according to Kyunghyang Shinmun. Hankook Ilbo quoted the director as saying the work was not a simple environmental hero story but an attempt to help audiences recover a sense of hearing and seeing nature through long observation, minimal narration and the silence of the forest. [ 1 , 3 ]
Hankook Ilbo reported that the jury said the film lets viewers encounter “the sublime soul of a strong woman” amid flowing camera movement. KNN, in the same report, said the win proves a regional broadcaster can produce content that resonates worldwide, and said it will air an encore on October 8 at 7:40 a.m. under the broadcast title '무명, 나무를 심는 여인'. [ 3 ]
Kyunghyang Shinmun reported the film had earlier taken three awards at the New York Festival, including gold in the feature documentary category, and had received the TV documentary award at the 53rd Korea Broadcasting Awards as well as selection as a “good program of the month” by the Broadcasting Media Communications Deliberation Committee. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The award is described by KNN as proof that a regional broadcaster can produce content that resonates internationally, and it is the first Korean win in the Prix Italia TV documentary category, according to the reports. KNN scheduled an encore broadcast of the film for domestic viewers.
Key facts
- KNN's documentary 'The Song of Trees', directed by Jin Jae-un, won the TV documentary competition at the 78th Prix Italia. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The award was presented on October 2 local time at a ceremony in L'Aquila, Italy. [ 1 , 3 ]
- It is the first Korean program to win the Prix Italia TV documentary category, according to the reports. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Prix Italia is organized by Italian public broadcaster RAI and was founded in 1948; this year it drew 226 entries from 83 broadcasters in 52 countries. [ 1 ]
- The film documents an 88-year-old Korean woman who bought more than seven times the area of Yeouido in Nicaragua and planted one million trees. [ 1 , 3 ]
- KNN said it will air an encore of the film on October 8 at 7:40 a.m. under the broadcast title '무명, 나무를 심는 여인'. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The documentary 'The Song of Trees', directed by Jin Jae-un, won the TV documentary competition at the 78th Prix Italia. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- It is the first Korean program to win in the Prix Italia TV documentary category. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The award ceremony took place on October 2 local time in L'Aquila, Italy. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Prix Italia is run by Italian public broadcaster RAI. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The film is about an 88-year-old Korean woman who planted one million trees in Nicaragua. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the prize is the competition's top award or one prize within the category. Kyunghyang Shinmun calls it the '본상' and the final winning entry, while Hankook Ilbo describes it as winning the competitive section, without ranking it.
- The scale of the competition. Only Kyunghyang Shinmun gives entry figures (226 entries, 83 broadcasters, 52 countries); the other documents do not mention them.
- KNN's role as producer. Hankook Ilbo attributes production to KNN and quotes the broadcaster, while the other two documents do not name the producing broadcaster.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The Song of Trees is named winner in the TV documentary competition at the 78th Prix Italia, presented at a ceremony in L'Aquila, Italy. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun publishes its report on the award, including the director's comments and the competition's entry figures. [ 1 ]
- KNN is scheduled to air an encore of the documentary under the broadcast title '무명, 나무를 심는 여인'. [ 3 ]