The 2025 International Emmy Awards winners were announced Monday at a gala event in New York. For the 53rd annual edition, winners were chosen from 64 nominees across 16 categories representing a record 26 countries.
Among the special honors was Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Dana Walden receiving the International Emmy Founders Award, which was presented by megahit producer Ryan Murphy.
“I know this award is usually given to people who create stories, and rightly so. But I see this honor as recognition of an important partnership,” Walden said in his acceptance speech. “It exists between a creator who dreams a dream and a team who believes they are good enough to pave the way. My approach is anything but complicated. It’s about finding singular voices… and empowering them to do their best work. And most importantly, building a culture of creative risk-taking.”
She also spoke about Murphy’s early upbringing on “Glee.” “It wasn’t the worst test pilot of all time – believe me – but it also didn’t get the reaction it deserved. I learned two lessons that changed the way I work with creators. First, through Ryan’s eyes, I was able to understand what harsh criticism feels like for creators, especially when the story is personal. , the feedback wasn’t really for him, it was for management. “It was supposed to be ours.” It’s our job to protect “Glee” and teach viewers how to appreciate something different and original. ”
Walden, who received a standing ovation as he approached the stage, cited shows he directed early in his career at 20th Century Fox Television, including “The X-Files,” “Ally McBeal,” “24” and “The Simpsons.”
“All of these shows had two things in common: They were creatively ambitious and they were good,” she said. “And even though they were made in the United States, they were huge hits all over the world, because good storytelling is truly universal. And the belief that good stories can come from anywhere and belong to everyone is at the heart of the Walt Disney Company. It’s also the guiding principle of my friend Bob Iger. Bob has always championed the simple but powerful idea that if you do the storytelling right, everything else will follow. No matter how much the world changes, people always want to feel connected, so they always need to be entertained. ”
As for this year’s awards, the UK entered the competition with 12 nominations, the most in all categories. Other countries included Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, China, India, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkiye, and the United Arab Emirates.
“Live With Kelly and Mark” hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos fronted this year’s International Emmy Awards, which included sponsors including Variety. In addition to Mr. Walden, this year’s recipients included Joao Roberto Marinho, Chairman and President of Grupo Globo, who received the Director’s Award. The 2025 award winners are:
arts programming
“Art Matters with Melvin Bragg” (UK)
“DJ Mehdi: Made In France” (France)
“Herciković; Exposed” (“Herciković; Exposed”) (Brazil)
Winner: “Ryuichi Sakamoto Last Days” (Japan) (NHK)
Best performance by an actor
Diljit Dosanjh (India) in “Amar Singh Chamkira”
David Mitchell “Ludwig” (UK)
Winner: Oriol Pla (Spain) for “Yo, addicto” (“I, Addict”) (Alea Media/Disney+)
Diego Vazquez “One Hundred Years of Solitude” (Colombia)
Best Actress Award
Charlotte Hope (South Africa) in “Catch Me a Killer”
Winner: Anna Maxwell Martin (UK) for “Until I Kill You” (World Productions)
Carolina Miranda “Mujeres Acecinas – Season 2” (Mexico)
Maria Sid “Smärtpunkten” (“Pressure Point”) (Sweden)
comedy
“Chicken Nuggets” (Korea)
“Iris” (France)
Winner: “Ludwig” (UK) (Big Talk Studios / That Mitchell & Webb Company)
“Y Llegaron de Noche” (“They Came at Night”) (Mexico)
current affairs
Winner: “Dispatches: Kill Zone: Inside Gaza” (UK) (Basement Films)
“Philippines: Diving for Gold Medal” (France)
“Investigation of Press Records: Desaparecidos Forçados” (“Enforced Disappearances”) (Brazil)
“Walk the Line” (Singapore)
documentary
Winner: “Hell Jumper” (UK) (Expectation TV)
“King of Kings: The Hunt for Edward Jones” (France)
“O Prazer é Meu” (“It is my pleasure”) (Brazil)
“School Bonds” (South Africa)
drama series
“Las Azules” (“Women in Blue”) (Mexico)
“Bad Boy” (Israel)
“Koek” (“cake”) (South Africa)
“Rivals” (UK)
For kids: Animation
Winner: “Bluey” (Australia) (Ludo Studio)
“Lamput – Season 4” (Singapore)
“Lupi and Baduki” (Brazil)
“Muumilaakso – Season 4” (“Moominvalley”) (Finland)
For kids: facts and entertainment
Winner: “Auf Fritzis Spuren – Wie war das so in der DDR?” (“Fritzi’s Trace – What was it like in East Germany?”) (Germany) (Balance Film / MDR / WDR)
“Bora, O Pódio é Nosso” (Brazil)
“Kids Like Us” (UK)
“Playroom Live” (South Africa)
For kids: Live action
Winner: “Fallen” (UK) (Night Train Media / Silver Reel / Hero Squared / UMedia)
“Luz” (Brazil) “Prefects” (Kenya)
“Shut up” (Norway)
news
“Fantastico: El Salvador: The Melancholy of Security” (Brazil)
“Gangs of Haiti” (UK)
Winner: “Gaza, Quest for Life” (Qatar) (Al Jazeera Arabic Programming Directorate)
“Syria – The truth revealed” (Sweden)
unscripted entertainment
“Big Brother: Canada – Season 12” (Canada)
“Love is Blind: Habibi” (United Arab Emirates)
“¿Quién es la Máscara? – Season 6” (“The Masked Singer”) (Mexico)
Winner: “Shaolin Heroes” (Denmark) (Metronome Productions / Banijay / TV 2 Denmark)
short series
“Beyond Dancing” (Hong Kong – China)
Winner: “La médiatrice” (“The Mediator”) (Canada) (KOTV)
“My Dead Mama” (Canada)
“Todo se Transforma – Season 4” (“Change is everything”) (Argentina)
sports documentary
“Argentina ’78” (Argentina)
“Chase the Sun 2” (South Africa)
Winner: “It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football” (Spain) (Netflix Documentary/You First Original Production)
“Sven” (UK)
telenovela
Winner: “Deha” (“The Good & The Bad”) (Turkiye) (Ai Yapim)
“Mania de VocŇ” (“Crazy About You”) (Brazil)
“Regreso a Las Sabinas” (Spain)
“Valle Salvaje” (Spain)
TV movie/miniseries
“Amar Singh Chamkira” (India)
“Herhausen: The Banker and the Bomb” (Germany)
Winner: “Lost Boys & Fairies” (UK) (Duck Soup Films)
“Vencer o Morir” (“Victory or Death”) (Chile)
