GECs
Banff TV festival, CTV to host documentary competition
MUMBAI: The Banff World Television Festival and Canadian broadcaster CTV are teaming again to host the CTV Canadian Documart. This is an annual competition offering development funding to the top three documentary pitches.
UCTV has donated C$100,000 in support of the contest. Funding of C$50,000 will be provided for the first place winner, $30,000 for second place and $20,000 for third. Pitching and judging will take place at Banff 2006 in Canada from 11 to 14 June 2006.
Canadian docuemntary filmmkaer Jeff New man who won the award in 2004 says, As an emerging independent producer, the CTV Documart was a tremendous opportunity. When you’re starting out, selling your ideas can be the toughest hurdle to overcome. Having the opportunity to present my idea to such a large and influential group of broadcasters and commissioning editors was a privilege. Winning the event eventually lead to a broadcast license, and was huge overall boost to my career. The direct result was a completed film that I’m very proud of.”
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
