PBS SoCal Honored with Two Telly Awards
PBS SOCAL HONORED WITH TWO TELLY AWARDS
For Film about Pioneering Ballerina, Mia Slavenska
COSTA MESA, Calif. (April 24, 2015) - PBS SoCaL, PBS for Greater Los Angeles, and Slavenska Dance Preservation Inc., have been named Silver winners in the 36th Annual Telly Awards for their film "Mia, a dancer's journey." The film won two Silver Telly Awards, one in the Film and Video TV Documentary category and one in the Film and Video Cultural category. The film premiered in Southern California in November 2014 as a part of PBS SoCaL's commitment to highlight the arts and the remarkable stories of legendary Southern California influencers.
"Mia, a dancer's journey," is the story of Mia Slavenska, a celebrated 20th century ballerina, and is voiced by Emmy® award-winning actress Blythe Danner. Slavenska achieved fame as a prima ballerina in Croatia, and then as a star attraction in the Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo. She later escaped to the U.S. to avoid World War II. In America, Slavenska formed her own company and introduced U.S. audiences to ballet as an art form.She retired from the stage in 1961 and dedicated her life to teaching. Before she died, Slavenska's daughter, Maria, promised to tell her mother's story, which becomes a fascinating and moving reflection on historical memory, national identity, and the power of dance.
The Telly Awards were founded in 1979 and are the premier awards honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world.
"Mia, a dancer's journey" was among 12,000 entries from all 50 states and numerous countries. A prestigious judging panel of over 500 accomplished industry professionals, each a past winner of a Silver Telly and a member of The Silver Telly Council, judged the competition, upholding the historical standard of excellence that Telly represents. The Silver Council evaluated entries to recognize distinction in creative work - entries do not compete against each other - rather entries are judged against a high standard of merit. Less than 10% of entries are chosen as Winners of the Silver Telly, the highest honor. For more about the Telly Awards, please visit www.tellyawards.com.
"Mia, a dancer's journey" was co-produced for public broadcasting by Slavenska Dance Preservation, Inc., and PBS SoCaL. Writer, Producer, Director: Maria Ramas, Producer, Director, Editor: Kate Johnson, Producer: Brenda Brkusic, Producer: Ted Sprague, with Mia Slavenska's voice by Emmy® Award-winning actress Blythe Danner. For more information about the film, please visit pbssocal.org/mia.
About PBS SoCaL
PBS SoCaL is the only station in the Greater Los Angelesarea providing the full PBS schedule to Southern California and is home to all PBS program premieres as they are released nationally. As Southern California's flagship PBS station, PBS SoCaL provides early education, access to a broad array of arts and culture, and programs for, about and by the people of Southern California.
PBS SoCaL is the parent to three unique broadcast channels, PBS SoCaL/KOCE-HD, PBS SoCaL Plus, and PBS SoCaL World, which are dedicated to educating, entertaining and enlightening viewers throughout Southern California. PBS SoCaL offices are located in Downtown LA, Century City and Costa Mesa. PBS SoCaL is proudly, our communities' largest classroom, largest stage for the arts and trusted source of information. Explore the future of PBS in Southern California at pbssocal.org.
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CONTACT:
PBS SoCaL
Stacy Shaffer
(714) 241-4166