International Emmys go to six countries

NEW YORK - THe Associated Press

Producer and director JJ Abrams poses with the honorary International Emmy Founders Award’ at the 2013 International Emmy Awards held Nov 25. AP photo

Britain’s Sean Bean and Brazil’s Fernanda Montenegro took the top acting honors on Nov. 25 at the 41st International Emmy Awards in which the statues were spread among TV productions from six countries.

The highlight of the awards ceremony came when Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock in the latest “Star Trek” film, presented the honorary International Emmy Founders Award to writer-director-producer J.J. Abrams, who took a break from pre-production work on the new “Star Wars.”
Britain garnered three International Emmys at the ceremony at the Hilton New York hosted by British comedian John Oliver.

Brazil and France had two apiece, while Australia, South Korea and Germany each got one award. Bean, best known for his roles in “The Lord of the Rings” and “Game of Thrones,” won the best actor award for his role in an episode of the crime anthology series “Accused.”

Bean portrayed a shy English literature teacher with a secret alter-ego of a flamboyant transvestite who gets involved in an affair with a married man that leads to a brutal crime of passion.

Britain’s “Moone Boy” won in the comedy category. Montenegro, who received an Oscar nomination for the 1998 film “Central Station,” was chosen best actress for her role in “Doce de Mae” (Sweet Mother) in which she plays an 85-year-old woman who wishes to live independently.

Best drama

The Emmy for best drama series went to France’s “Les Revenants” (“The Returned”), about a small alpine village that is rocked when several people who are presumed dead suddenly reappear at their homes as ghostly characters in human form.