Return to Europe: Istanbul film is "Turkey reportage of the year"

Award ceremony for the "Turkey reportage of the year". Nikolaus Wisiak (PRE TV), Anita Ericson (Reisemagazin), Chimena Novohradsky (PRE TV), Kristof Bender (ESI), Tahsin Yilmaz (Counsellor of the Turkish Embassy), Robin Gosejohann (ERSTE Stiftung), Zlata Durakovic (PRE TV), Gerald Knaus (ESI), Susanne Zita-Angst (Kronen Zeitung), Wilfried Seywald (Temmel, Seywald und Partner). Photo: Anna Rauchenberger

The TV documentary "Istanbul – Truth, fear and hope" has been awarded as "Turkey reportage of the year" by an expert jury of the Turkish information bureau in Vienna. The film is part of the ten part documentary "Balkan Express – Return to Europe" and has been chosen prize winner in the category TV and winner across all categories and countries among 2,700 contributions from all over Europe.

Tahsin Yilmaz, Counsellor of the Turkish Embassy in Vienna, said that "the TV documentary shows the potential residing in this region, it portraits Turkey as a part of Europe. Everybody can see that Turkey's great diversity is not a threat but an opportunity for Europe."

"Return to Europe" is one of the most ambitious TV projects on South Eastern Europe produced in recent years. It is an initiative of ERSTE Stiftung and has been co-produced by pre tv, ORF and 3sat in cooperation with ESI.