ACTF News

Hardball, produced by Northern Pictures, has continued its unstoppable 2020 awards momentum by taking home this year’s prestigious NHK Japan Prize as the best program in the Primary age category.

The international judging panel for the Japan Prize awarded Hardball the top gong in an online awards ceremony held on November 5.

The series was one of an unprecedented number of Australian children’s television productions that made the Jurors’ Selection for this year’s prize. Altogether, Australian content represented a third of the Primary division finalists with fellow Australian series The Inbestigators (Gristmill), First Day (Epic Films) and DisRupted: Rocky and Me (CJZ) being finalists. And Little J and Big Cuz – Series 2 (Ned Lander Media, Mediaworld Pictures, Blue Rocket Productions) and Bluey (Ludo Studio) were also nominated in the pre-school division.

The Japan Prize was established in 1965 by the national Japanese Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) to celebrate the world's best programming with high education values and positive social themes. Each year, more than 300 entries are submitted to the contest from all over the world.

In 2017, special episode Little Lunch – The Nightmare Before Graduation received first place for the ‘Best Work in the Primary Category’. Now, Hardball joins the ranks by taking home the prestigious top prize.    

2020 has seen Hardball take home a swag of awards. Only last month, the program won the International Emmy Award for best ‘Kids: Live-Action’ series. Earlier, it received the Prix Jeunesse International Award for Best ‘Years 7-10 Fiction’, the 2020 BANFF World Media Festival Rockie Award for best ‘Children and Youth: Fiction’ and a Silver Remi award at Worldfest Houston in the 'TV Series: Family/Children’s' category.

Hardball has also sold to a range of international broadcasters including KiKA (Germany), BBC (UK), France Televisions (France), NRK (Norway), RTE (Ireland), TVO (Canada), TFO (Canada), TVB (Hong Kong), RTP (Portugal), RTV (Slovenia), and SABC (South Africa).

A second series of Hardball  is currently in production. The new series of ten episodes sees our handball champions face twin rivals, the end of primary school approaching, and a scholarship opportunity for Mikey that could split up the gang for good. Together the kids from Block Street strive to win the state doubles handball tournament before they reach the end of primary school and experience all the change that comes with it.

The ACTF congratulates the Hardball team on a well-deserved win and an amazing year of success.

Hardball is a Northern Pictures production for the ABC, with investment from Screen Australia in association with the ABC. Created by Guy Edmonds and Matt Zeremes and Executive Produced by Catherine Nebauer, Produced by Joe Weatherstone. Financed with support from the ACTF and Create NSW. The ACTF distributes Hardball internationally.

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