Atlantic Crossing wins International Emmy
“This is Christmas Eve, a birthday and winning the Olympics …”
Photo: Press Room / International Emmy® Awards
Alexander Eik (center) poses in the press room with actress Sofia Helin (left) and producer Silje Hopland Eik (right) at the 49th International Emmy Awards at Casa Cipriani on Nov. 22 n New York City.
NTB / LORI ANN REINHALL
Atlantic Crossing was awarded the 2021 International Emmy Award for the catgory “Best TV movie or miniseries.”
The eight-part series won in competition with the British series Des, South Korean It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, Todas As Mulheres do Mundo (All the Women in the World) from Brazil.
Atlantic Crossing was produced by Cinenord for NRK and was aired in North America by PBS Masterpiece.
The mini series was filmed in Norway and the Czech Republic from December 2018 to June 2019. It was first broadcast in Norway by NRK from October to December 2020.
Alexander Eik and Linda May Kallestein wrote the manuscript for the series, which was also directed by Eik. It was produced by Silje Hopland Eik.
Sofia Helin and Tobias Santelmann play Crown Princess Märtha and Crown Prince Olav in the series.
The story is set during World War II and tells the story of the Norwegian royal family’s exile in the United States under the protection of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Awards ceremony in New York
The award ceremony took place in New York City on Nov. 22.
“This is Christmas Eve, a birthday, and winning the Olympics at the same time,” said Eik. “It almost feels a little unreal. I have worked with Atlantic Crossing for nine years and will not hide that it has been demanding. It feels good to get this recognition,” he said.
“This is the biggest thing you can achieve in TV drama. That something like this could happen is something you have hardly dared to hope for,” he added.
In conversation with The Norwegian American the next morning, Kallestein, Eik’s collaborator on the screenplay, said “It’s amazing and unbelievable. I can barely take it in.”
Large delegation
About 20 people who worked on the series were present in New York. The Atlantic Crossing delegation was among the largest at the awards ceremony.
“It feels extra good to have the gang around,” said Eik.
After the awards ceremony, a large after-party was thrown by the organizers.
“Then I will finally dare to have a drink, because up until now, I’ve been drinking water all night,” said the director .
“With every Norwegian success abroad, the spotlight is also on the Norwegian drama industry,” said Eik.
“And I hope that this award will inspire colleagues and young filmmakers to dare to dream big. For this shows that everything is possible from little Norway,” he said.
Hot topic of discussion
The series has had strong viewership in Norway as well as in the United States, where it was first broadcast PBS, and then available for streaming at both PBS and Amazon Prime.
In Norway, Atlantic Crossing has also been the center of discussions about TV series and films that are based on real people and historical facts but also mix fiction and fact for dramatic purposes.
Recently, the series won the jury’s special award at the Golden Bird Prize ceremony in the South Korean capital, Seoul.
Click here for our exclusive coverage of Atlantic Crossing and the life of Crown Princess Märtha.
