Ken-ichi Imamura
At the 77th Prix Italia, Japanese producer, Ken-ichi Imamura, of NHK Enterprises, Studio IMAKEN, and Tokyo Docs, and President of Prix Italia offered a profound reflection on storytelling, creativity, and the evolving landscape of global media. With over forty years of experience in production, Imamura’s words resonated as a bridge between Asian and European perspectives on the future of audiovisual content.
Speaking about the Neapolitan film tradition, Imamura recalled his admiration for its unique mix of humor, melancholy, and humanity: “Of course, Sophia Loren is a name that every Japanese person knows. I remember watching 'I girasoli' (Sunflower) many years ago, though I didn’t realize then that it was part of the great Neapolitan tradition. Over time I came to appreciate how Naples has produced some of Italy’s most authentic storytellers — from Francesco Rosi and Eduardo De Filippo to Massimo Troisi and Paolo Sorrentino.”
When asked about the world’s most creative regions, Imamura emphasized the diversity of global inspiration: “It’s almost impossible to choose just one country. In animation and manga, Japan continues to be remarkably innovative, constantly reinventing its own traditions. In entertainment cinema, Hollywood still leads in scale and craftsmanship, but recently India has been producing films that are grand, joyful, and visually stunning. Italy, on the other hand, remains unmatched in portraying the subtleties of love, family, and art — themes that speak to universal human emotions. Each region has its own creative energy, and that diversity is what makes the global industry so inspiring.”
At Prix Italia, Imamura found particular fascination in the documentary section: “As a documentary producer myself, I was naturally drawn to the variety of documentaries across the different sections. Each one had its own tone — from deeply personal stories to large-scale investigations — showing how documentary is still one of the most vital forms of expression today. I was moved by the courage and sincerity behind so many of the works.”
About European productions, Ken-ichi Imamura makes his own personal ranking: “In feature films, I would say Italy and France. For television drama, the United Kingdom continues to set a high standard of storytelling. In documentary and factual programming, again France and the UK show great strength and creativity. And in music, I must mention Italy and Austria — both countries where culture and melody seem to flow naturally from everyday life.”
When asked about his vision for the future of Prix Italia, Imamura reflected on the festival’s potential: “For me, an ideal Prix Italia is one that welcomes not only European perspectives but also voices from outside Europe. A work that contributes to globalization doesn’t necessarily have to talk about globalization — even a story about one individual, told with depth and honesty, can be truly universal. What matters is not only the content but the process of creation — if international perspectives are included from the beginning, global resonance will naturally follow. Prix Italia can play a key role in encouraging that cross-border collaboration and exchange of creative ideas.”
Reflecting on the relationship between streaming platforms and public broadcasters, Imamura offered a balanced, forward-looking view: “Public broadcasters are facing difficult times — shrinking budgets, declining revenue, and the challenge of reaching younger audiences. Yet they still possess an extraordinary strength: the ability to create quality content based on decades of experience and public trust. If they can use that strength wisely, their future can still be bright. Streaming platforms like Netflix have poured huge budgets into making content for a global audience, but even they are beginning to realize the limits of that model. They are now turning toward local stories made for local viewers, while traditional broadcasters — once confined to national boundaries — are seeking international reach through digital platforms. So, the two worlds, once very far apart, are now moving closer together. In the end, what will determine survival is the power of content itself. Seeing the diversity and depth of works presented at Prix Italia this year, I believe public broadcasters still have the creative energy to shape the future.”
THE AWARDS
"Ryuichi Sakamoto: Last Days" by NHK won both the Special Prize in Honour of the President of the Italian Republic and the TV Performing Arts category, for its delicate, intimate portrayal of the life and art of the legendary Japanese composer. The BBC’s "Hell Jumper" triumphed in TV Documentary, also receiving the Signis Special Prize for its unconventional and deeply human account of the war in Ukraine.
French productions also shone brightly, with a double victory for ARTE France: "Ballade de la baleine" (The Ballad of the Beluga) took home the Radio & Podcast Drama award, while "Malheur niveau 2" (Misfortune Level 2) won in the Radio & Podcast Documentary and Reportage category. France Télévisions also celebrated a strong presence, winning the Ylab Award, chosen by university students, with "Comme si j’étais morte" (As If I Were Dead), and receiving a Special Mention within the Presidential Prize for "Kaboul" (Kabul), an international co-production featuring Rai Fiction among its partners.
Sweden emerged as another key player at Prix Italia 2025: SVT took the TV Drama award with "Whiskey on the Rocks", a tense and ironic portrayal of power and masculinity, while Sveriges Radio won Digital Innovation with "Nyhetssök" (AI-Powered News Search), an experiment that uses artificial intelligence to explore news content.
Other major awards included the Radio & Podcast Music category, won by the Czech broadcaster ČRO with "Republika Zahradníiíiíiíiíi" (Republic of Zahradníiíiíiíiíi); SRG SSR of Switzerland in Digital Factual with "10 ans après les massacres en Irak" (10 Years After the Massacres in Iraq); and Suspilne Ukraine, which won Digital Multimedia with "ARTyleriya" (ARTillery).
The 77th edition also marked the debut of the new Global South Award, created to highlight documentaries distinguished by innovation, originality, and universality of message, even when produced with limited resources. The first winner was SABC of South Africa with "Free at Last: Unresolved Stories of Apartheid", while two Special Mentions went to BBS Bhutan for "Run Against Time: The Snowman Race in Bhutan" and PBC Palestine for "Beyond the Sea."
At the closing ceremony, Chiara Longo Bifano, Secretary General of Prix Italia, underlined the festival’s spirit of openness and community: “We are once again in Naples, a city that has always been a crossroads of people from diverse and sometimes contrasting worlds, yet a place where creativity constantly thrives. This is my fourth edition of Prix Italia, and I am truly proud of what has become our real community. Here, I have found not only the formal seat of a prestigious and historic award but a living, dynamic community of authentic people who share a genuine passion for culture and for quality communication. We are growing and expanding, finding new friends every day. This year, for the first time, we have the honor of a President coming from outside Europe, Mr. Imamura. Thank you, Imamura-san! We have also welcomed new participants from all over the world, as we remain deeply committed to broadening our reach. We are here in Naples to reaffirm our mission as public service media: to make complexity understandable and shareable, with our eyes wide open, with the strength of reason, and with the conviction that reality, the true reality, remains our most precious horizon. Get Real! Get Prix Italia!”