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Press Releases
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ announces winners of International Radio Playwriting Competition
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Gordon Pengilly from Canada and Bolaji Odofin from Nigeria have scooped the two top prizes in the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service and British Council International Radio Playwriting Competition 2007.
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Writers from Thailand, Malta, Georgia and Australia were also awarded special prizes in the competition which rewards original 60-minute radio plays on any subject.
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The distinguished panel of judges included the Nobel Prize winner in Literature, Doris Lessing.
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Gordon Pengilly from Canada won the English As A First Language category with his play Seeing In The Dark described by judges as "beautiful" and "cruel".
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Bolaji Odofin from Nigeria won the English As A Second Language category with her play Nature Calls described as "a great tale" and "very funny" by the judges.
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Both winners received Β£2,500 prize money and the opportunity to see their play being recorded for broadcast on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service in the World Drama slot.
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At a presentation ceremony in London, Gordon Pengilly said:
"I love radio plays: they are kind of like movies for the ears. I've written for theatre, film and television and delighted to be taking my first steps in radio."
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Bolaji Odofin said: "This play was my third stab at this competition and to have won is a tremendous bonus. Writing Nature Calls was so much fun it was almost sinful."
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Additional prizes of radios were awarded to the best writers from four regions.
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Stephanie McCarthy from Australia claimed the top prize for the Asia and the Pacific region with her play Killing Oleander and Vincent Vella from Malta won for the Europe region with his play The Pardon Beggars.
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Dean Barratt from Thailand came first in the South Asia category with his play Bones Of The Chinamen and Lasha Bughadze from Georgia won the Russia and the Caucasus region category with his play When Cabbies Are Attacked.
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Executive Producer of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Drama, Marion Nancarrow, said: "The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ International Radio Playwriting Competition is one of the most exciting events at Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Drama. It's a great opportunity to really connect with our audience and showcase a vast, untapped resource of writing talent from around the world.
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"This year we received an unprecedented 1,200 entries from a range of writers, some experienced, others with no experience at all and submitting a script for the first time. Previous winners have gone on to gain further commissions for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Drama, so this could be the next step to a very successful career."
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Up to 40 readers read through all the scripts to select the final shortlist of 16 which were then read and discussed by a distinguished panel including: Sally Cowling, Director of Drama and Dance, British Council; Femi Elufowoju Jr, Artistic Director of Tiata Fahodzi, London; Mehmet Ergen, Artistic Director, Arcola Theatre, London; Harriet Green, Commissioning Editor, Programmes, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service; Doris Lessing, Writer, and Marion Nancarrow, Executive Producer, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Drama.
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Further information on the International Radio Playwriting Competition can be found online at bbcworldservice.com/competitions.
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World Service Publicity
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