Paramount New Stories Award

The first-ever Paramount New Stories Award is designed to honor projects that champion diversity, equity, and inclusion while also having the potential to make a significant social impact, both locally and globally. With this award, Paramount and MIA aim to celebrate and recognize fresh, underrepresented voices, break barriers, and reflect a wide range of perspectives.

Chosen from the titles selected for the MIA Co-Production Market & Pitching Forum 2024, the eligible projects embrace an inclusive approach, with creative teams representing a diverse spectrum of voices—including those from underrepresented ethnic, geographic, cultural, physical, or gender-based groups.

The prize was awarded to AYA IN THE DESERT, directed by Julia Horrillo and produced by Norbert Llaràs for Alhena Production (Spain).

“A story that has been able to reflect, through a unique, new and international language, the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and representation, and which has the potential to have a social impact on the community of reference and on a global audience. The story is that of Aya, a 13-year-old Ivorian girl who arrives on the coast of Cadiz disguised as a boy. She crossed the Strait of Gibraltar together with Nadima, a pregnant Senegalese woman, and a small group of migrants. To distract herself, the girl begins to imagine the adventures of Akwa Boni, a legendary Ivorian queen who was one of the two founders of the kingdom to which she and her mother belong, the Baulè. This is how she faces the most difficult moments and keeps the memory of her mother alive, hoping to see her again”

The Jury is composed of 9 members, 5 between international Talents, Producers and Institutions chosen by MIA and 4 International leaders of Paramount Group.

They are:

FAITH ABAY | Diversity&Inclusion Officer, European Film Academy

MOUNIA ARAM | Founder and President, Mounia Aram Company

LEONARDO BARRILE | CEO and Founder, Samarcanda Film

ALBERTO CARROZZO | VP, Country Manager Italy, Paramount

WINCIE KNIGHT | SVP, Office of Global Inclusion, International Markets, Paramount

CLAUDIA LODA | SVP, Corporate & Streaming Communications, International Markets, Paramount

CECILIA PADULA | VP, Head of Nick Brands, South East, Middle East & Africa, Paramount

IRIS PEYNADO | Actress and Activist

The Paramount New Stories Award grants a €10,000 prize to a project across all divisions of MIA | Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo: Film, Drama, Documentary, and Animation.

As a global media company, Paramount recognizes the importance of reflecting and celebrating the diversity of the world around us, both on-screen and behind the scenes. For this reason, the group implements strategies that promote diversity and inclusion in every aspect of its operations: from content creation and distribution, to empowering its team, and through meaningful social initiatives in the regions where it operates.

Join us in celebrating these groundbreaking stories and the remarkable talents behind them.