MGM Television's The Handmaid's Tale to Receive Program of the Year Honours at the Banff World Media Festival's Rockie Awards, June 13

BANFF, AB, June 1, 2017 /CNW/ - The organizers of the 38th annual Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) are thrilled to announce MGM Television's The Handmaid's Tale will be honoured as the 2017 Program of The Year presented by Bell Media at its prestigious Rockie Awards. The 38th annual BANFF World Media Festival will take place June 11-14, 2017 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Canada.

The Handmaid's Tale star Yvonne Strahovski and Executive Producer Warren Littlefield will be in attendance at the gala ceremony on June 13 to accept the honour for the series Vanity Fair says is "especially current, cutting, and vital." Littlefield and Strahovski and will also deliver an exclusive Master Class for BANFF delegates on June 14, closing out the festival.

Based on the award-winning, best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood, which recently topped the best-seller's list once again, The Handmaid's Tale is the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly part of the United States. Facing environmental disasters and a plunging birth rate, Gilead is ruled by a twisted fundamentalist regime that treats women as property of the state. As one of the few remaining fertile women, Offred (Elisabeth Moss) is a Handmaid in the Commander's household, one of the caste of women forced into sexual servitude as a last desperate attempt to repopulate a devastated world. In this terrifying society where one wrong word could end her life, Offred navigates between Commanders, their cruel Wives, domestic Marthas, and her fellow Handmaids – where anyone could be a spy for Gilead – with one goal: to survive and find the daughter that was taken from her.

The television adaptation has received a plethora of critical praise, including from The Washington Post, which says "The Handmaid's Tale is magnificent and effectively haunting."

"Already renewed for a second season, The Handmaid's Tale has instantly been recognized as one of the most compelling dramas on television," commented Ferne Cohen, Executive Director of the Banff World Media Festival. "MGM Television has masterfully adapted a complex and important novel, and we are delighted to celebrate this series' international success as Program of the Year at BANFF 2017."

The show has become an instant hit around the world. The premiere episode on Hulu in the United States has been watched by more Hulu viewers than any other series premiere on the platform, while in Canada, The Handmaid's Tale is the most-watched series in Bravo history. The series is available internationally in Australia on SBS, Canada on Bravo, Central Europe on HBO CE, Israel on HOT, New Zealand on Lightbox, the Nordics on HBO Nordic, Poland on Showmax, Russia on TV1000, Spain on HBO Espana, UK on Channel 4 and coming soon to Orange in France.  

The 10-part series was created for television by Bruce Miller (The 100) who serves as the series' showrunner. Executive Producers are Miller, Warren Littlefield (Fargo), Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, and Illene Chaiken. The Handmaid's Tale is produced by MGM Television and internationally distributed by MGM.

For additional information about the Banff World Media Festival visit: http://www.banffmediafestival.com/ 

About the Banff World Media Festival
The Banff World Media Festival is the world's largest and most important gathering of entertainment industry and digital media executives dedicated to media content development, production, broadcast and distribution within TV and digital media. BANFF provides a platform for the evolving media industry to develop its creative and business objectives – it serves as the leading destination for co-production and co-venture partners and is an unparalleled marketplace for over 2,000 international decision-makers to connect with new partners, learn from industry leaders and execute new business deals. The 38th annual BANFF World Media Festival will take place June 11-14, 2017 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Canada.

About MGM Television
MGM Television is a leading producer and global distributor of premium content for television and digital platforms, with distribution rights to original productions and a robust catalog of television episodes and feature film titles including such premiere entertainment franchises as James Bond, Rocky, Stargate and The Hobbit trilogy.  Current scripted and unscripted multi-platform projects include Fargo (FX); Vikings (HISTORY); The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu);  Get Shorty (EPIX); The Voice (NBC); Survivor (CBS); Shark Tank (ABC); Teen Wolf (MTV); Steve Harvey's  FUNDERDOME (ABC); Beat Shazam (FOX); Lucha Underground (The El Rey Network).  Through its finance and distribution entity, Orion TV Productions, the syndicated courtroom series Lauren Lake's Paternity Court is currently airing its fourth season. MGM's television programming regularly airs in more than 70 countries worldwide.  For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

SOURCE Bravo

Scott Benzie, Director Of Marketing, BANFF World Media Festival, [email protected], 416.921.3171 X 228