The highlight of the Sportel event was the award ceremony at the gala evening on last Tuesday. These awards were to honour the best visual imagery specialists in the international sporting world.
Although the event is all about sports, there was not a single pair of shorts to be seen. It seems like the sporting world came to the party dressed up for the occasion (1 or 2 exceptions though, but we’ll skip the names). Close to 3000 people came to the event to discuss business in the sporting world and there was quite a buzz over the few days at the Grimaldi Forum. The awards were a way to recognize the best in sports media (visual and written).
The ceremony was attended by Louis Ducruet, the son of Princess Stephanie who represented the Princely family at this event.
Donovan Bailey was Presiding the Jury, and did say it was a very difficult choice to decide on the best, amongst the nominated presentations. The difficulties lay in choosing between innovating techniques of filming, or particular styles, and even emotional images. In terms of the written nominations, the choices were mainly based on humour and emotions. Michael Llodra (member of the Jury), also added that it was interesting to see how athletes were used in the advertising world, and how they came together with creative geniuses to create humour and emotions in todays adverts.
Winners of Awards:
Award for Sports Slow Motion: Neymar in slow motion, by Philip Parrish, Samson Chan – NBC Sports Group (USA)
Award for Promoting a Program: Rio 2016 Olympic Game trailer by RKCR/Y&R & BBC Sport (United Kingdom)
Discovery Award: Call of The Road by Jan Xavier Pacle – Live Design (Qatar)
Innovation Award: Invisible – Fencing by C. Cotentin, F. Duflos, M. Rivoire, T. Payre – Canal+ (France)
Advertising Award: Christian Blachas: Baby Bay – Evian by James Rouse – BETC (France)
Special Awards:
Award from the Public: FISE World Denver 2016 Highlight by Hurricane Action Sport (France)
Jury’s Award: Tout en Douceur by Jean-Jacques Amsellem – Canal+ (France)
Documentary Award : Peace and Sport « Speed Sisters » Amber Fares – SOCDOC Studios LLC (Belgium)
Book Awards:
Monegasque Olympic Committee: 1/100th – The Sports Photography of Bob Martin – Vision Sport Publishing (UK)
French National Olympic Committee: “l’Homme sans Gravité” by David Burnett – Marabout (France)
Sportel Autobiography Award: “Dan Carter – autobiography of an All Blacks Sports Legend” – Marabout (France)
