The 2025 International Emmy Awards ceremony was a star-studded affair, revealing an impressive array of winners and honoring industry legends. This year's event, held in New York, showcased the best in global television across 16 diverse categories, with a record-breaking 64 contenders from 26 countries vying for the prestigious Emmys.
But here's where it gets controversial... or at least, thought-provoking. The International Emmy Founders Award, typically reserved for storytellers, was bestowed upon Dana Walden, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment. In her acceptance speech, Walden emphasized the importance of collaboration between creators and their teams, stating, "I view this honor as recognition of a vital partnership."
Walden's speech highlighted her approach to finding unique voices and supporting them to do their best work. She shared an insightful story about nurturing Ryan Murphy's "Glee" early in its run, explaining how harsh criticism can impact creators, especially when the story is personal. Walden learned the importance of protecting the show and educating audiences to appreciate something different and original.
As she took the stage to a standing ovation, Walden referenced some of the iconic shows she oversaw at 20th Century Fox TV, including "The X-Files," "Ally McBeal," "24," and "The Simpsons." She emphasized the creative ambition and excellence of these shows, which resonated globally, proving that great storytelling is indeed universal.
This year's competition saw the U.K. lead with the most nominations across all categories, with 12 nods. Other countries represented included Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and many more, showcasing the diverse range of talent and stories from around the world.
The 2025 International Emmy Awards winners are as follows:
- Arts Programming: "Ryuichi Sakamoto: Last Days" (Japan)
- Best Performance by an Actor: Oriol Pla in "Yo, adicto" (Spain)
- Best Performance by an Actress: Anna Maxwell Martin in "Until I Kill You" (United Kingdom)
- Comedy: "Ludwig" (United Kingdom)
- Current Affairs: "Dispatches: Kill Zone: Inside Gaza" (United Kingdom)
- Documentary: "Hell Jumper" (United Kingdom)
- Drama Series: "Rivals" (United Kingdom)
- Kids: Animation: "Bluey" (Australia)
- Kids: Factual & Entertainment: "Auf Fritzis Spuren - Wie war das so in der DDR?" (Germany)
- Kids: Live-Action: "Fallen" (United Kingdom)
- News: "Gaza, Search for Life" (Qatar)
- Non-Scripted Entertainment: "Shaolin Heroes" (Denmark)
- Short-Form Series: "La médiatrice" (Canada)
- Sports Documentary: "It's All Over: The Kiss That Changed the Spanish Football" (Spain)
- Telenovela: "Deha" (Türkiye)
- TV Movie/Mini-Series: "Lost Boys & Fairies" (United Kingdom)
And this is the part most people miss... the International Emmys also honored Grupo Globo chairman/president João Roberto Marinho with the directorate award.
So, what do you think? Is the International Emmy Founders Award best suited for storytellers, or can it also recognize the vital role of industry leaders like Dana Walden? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
