The festival is being organized by Radio and Television Slovakia / RTVS in cooperation with the European Broadcasting Union / EBU. The 13th edition was a bit special - due to the worldwide pandemic situation around Covid-19 the event could not be held in the premises of RTVS, Slovak Radio in Bratislava, and went online.
Nevertheless, also this year's edition continues in its tradition of supporting radio drama production for children and youth and promoting international cooperation in this field. The eleven jury members nominated by the participating broadcasters could not meet in person, but had to listen to the competing entries in advance, send their votes by e-mail and the final decision on the winners of the PRIX EX AEQUO awards was made during a videoconference.
PRIX EX AEQUO for the Best Radio Play has been awarded to the radio play Mosquitoes Wedding or The Life of Verminous Insects (PLAYgue on Your Houses!) producedby the Czech Radio. As the jury members stated, the story of a mosquito named Zdenda and Fanny the Firefly is "an excellent written text that brings serious topics in a playful manner, appealing for children and adults at the same time. It is a rare quality to be found in radio plays. The play talks about freedom of opinion, life and love choices and solidarity, without a didactic tone."
PRIX EX AEQUO for the Exceptional Execution of a Radio Play has been awarded to Eva Staaf, director of The Brothers Lionheart produced by the Swedish Radio Stockholm. According to the jury members the director Eva Staff has shown great sensitivity in the choice of voices and in guiding actors through the play. The jury emphasized especially the natural acting of both young actors. The experts in the role of jury members stated that the play is creating an intense, plastic, movie-like experience of the world of Astrid Lindgren´s story."
The Director General of Radio and Television Slovakia, Mr. Jaroslav Rezník, was also satisfied with the outcome of this year's edition of the festival: "Radio drama is the top leading genre of radio production. I am thrilled that the Slovak Radio over the almost 95 years of its existence has dedicated a great deal of attention to this genre and it grew into a tradition. I am pleased to observe that Slovakia being a small country is growing into a powerful kingdom of radio drama, as proves the already 13th edition of the International Children´s and Youth Radio Drama Festival PRIX EX AEQUO. I send my heartfelt congratulation to the winners and a big thank you to all the jury members for their work."
"The winning entries are a proof of how varied and at the same time fascinating the forms of current radio productions for children and youth can be. We observed with delight that all the competing entries - including the two radio plays produced by Radio and Television Slovakia - were able to demonstrate the power of art as something essential for children and young listeners, and with excellent use of sounds and music offered its message and its values in an appealing way," a remark on the results by Zuzana Belková, Head of RTVS Radio Literary-Drama Department.