TV France International Names Winners for Export Awards

PARIS: The export awards, which highlight the economic and cultural impact of French television program exports, were presented by TV France International to SamSam, Becoming a Woman in Zanskar and Mafiosa.

SamSam, distributed by Moonscoop, won in the animation category. The show, about a little boy who is transformed into a superhero, has notched up 55 sales, notably to Rai in Italy and to GMTV in the U.K. SamSam aired on 20 different channels in 14 countries (excluding France) in 2008-2009.

Becoming a Woman in Zanskar, distributed by ZED, was the documentary winner. The project scored 50 sales, including Discovery HD Canada, Discovery Asia and Rai. Becoming a Woman in Zanskar aired in six countries (excluding France) on 12 channels. The doc tells the story of two best friends who have to leave their families forever. One will marry a man she hasn’t chosen, the other will become a nun.

AB International Distribution’s Mafiosa was the fiction winner. Sales include TVP in Poland, ERT in Greece and Cinemoi in the U.K. Mafiosa centers on the Corsican mafia, in which sibling rivalry splits a clan in two.