2026 Radio Drama Finalists

02 settembre 2026 ore 11:19

FINALISTS  |  SHORTLIST: R ·  T ·  D  |  2026 COMPETITION

⧉  The Jury

Elisabeth Weilenmann (ORF, Austria), Perrine Kervran (ARTE FRANCE, France), Elena Zieser (ARD, Germany), Lorenzo Pavolini (RAI, Italy), Ali Fuat Gülmez (TRT, Türkiye), Alison Hindell (BBC, United Kingdom).

The President: Alison Hindell (BBC, United Kingdom).

 

 

The Finalists


Czech Republic
ČR Český Rozhlas

Matko Boží, vyžen Putina (Mother of God, Banish Putin)

Author, Direction: Jiří Adámek Austerlitz. Narrating Voices: Kateřina Císařová, Vendula Holičková, Bára Mišíková. Actors: Kateřina Císařová, Vendula Holičková, Bára Mišíková. Sound: Ladislav Železný (Sound Design); Jiří Adámek Austerlitz, Ladislav Železný, Pavel Šnajdr, Brno Contemporary Orchestra (music). Producer: Renata Venclová

Playwright and director Jiří Adámek Austerlitz decided to render the context of this well-known protest in an original radio form. His composition, "Mother of God, Banish Putin", features three gentle female voices in a varied stream of litanies, statements, quotations and singing. They ask why Russian society is so attached to the dictator, Vladimir Putin, and why it is so difficult to banish him from Russian hearts and minds. Who actually blasphemed in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow? And against what?

Presented by: Vojtěch Bohuslav, Spoken Word Dramaturg, Drama and Literature Dept., Czech Radio

Vojtěch Bohuslav studied screenwriting and dramaturgy at FAMU in Prague. He works as a dramaturg for Czech Radio, where he develops radio plays and audiobooks. He is also active as a writer, working across radio, film and television.

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Finland
YLE Yleisradio/ The Finnish Broadcasting Company

Maitotyttö (Milkmaid)

Authors: Laura Gustafsson, Hilja Kerimäki. Dramaturgy: Paula Salminen. Direction: Laura Gustafsson. Actors: Eeva Mäkinen, Leea Klemola, Jarkko Lahti, Arttu Kurttila, Tarja Keinänen, Nicklas Pohjola, Anna Airola, Jouko Puolanto, Eeva Soivio, Satu Tuuli Karhu. Sound Track: Tuomas Hautala. Sound Designer: Hanna-Helena Kinnunen. Producers: Pekka Savolainen, Matti Kajander (Executive Producer). Producing Organisation: Yle

Working on Finnish dairy and meat farms is far from what animal-loving dairy farm daughter Hilja dreamed of as a child. "Milkmaid" explores the relationships between humans and other animals and the emotions associated with them: exploitation, dependency and guilt – but also care and love. The prospects for rural areas are at times bleak, the farmers' lives heavy and the farmhand's work gruelling. Adding to Hilja's ordeals are her immature alcoholic parents and a boyfriend who drinks. Based on the life story of a former farmer's stand-in, "Milkmaid" reveals what adverts fail to mention about livestock farming.

Presented by: Laura Gustafsson, Author, Director

Laura Gustafsson is a novelist and playwright. A recurring focus of her work is the question of the animal. In her writing she examines interspecies relationships and challenges the myths upon which anthropocentric worldviews are built. Two of her novels have been nominated for the Finlandia Prize, the most prestigious literary prize in Finland. Milkmaid is her debut as a director. Gustafsson's praxis also extends into the field of contemporary art. Since 2012, she has collaborated with visual artist Terike Haapoja. Their works have been presented in museums, galleries and biennials across Europe and Asia, for instance in Santarcangelo Festival. Their collaboration received the Finnish State Prize for Media Art in 2016. Gustafsson lives and works in Helsinki.


Romania
SRR Societatea Română de Radiodifuziune

Vinovații (Culprits)

Author, Direction: Ilinca Stihi. Actors: Katia Pascariu, Mirela Popescu, Olimpia Mălai, Voicu Hetel, Cristina Bordeanu, Andrei Ostrowski, Dragoș Uretyan, Traian Olteanu, Teodor Ștefănescu, Mădălin Cristescu, Horia Cristescu. Sound: Andrei Miricescu (music); Tom Brânduș (sound design). Editors: Irina Zlotea, Oana Cristea Grigorescu. Other Participants: Janina Tudor, Tom Brânduș. Producer: Raducu Croitoru

Ilinca Stihi's audio drama "Culprits" is inspired by a real-life case that shook Romanian society. The murder of a teenager by his peers in a Romanian village on 19 January 2026 invites us to examine the causes of extreme adolescent violence and to reflect on the social transformations and ethical distortions generated by social media interactions and gaming addiction. Through this exploration of radical emotions, Ilinca Stihi positions herself as an observer of the parallel worlds brought to light by the teenagers' extreme act. A world of children and adolescents organised within virtual spaces emerges, governed by rules, hierarchies and dynamics seemingly foreign to the adult world. Adults, in turn, lead their own parallel existence on social media, with increasingly limited contact with their children.

Presented by: Ilinca Stihi, Director at Radio Drama Department Radio Romania

Ilinca Stihi is a graduate of the Bucharest University of Theatre and Film, specializing in film directing. She has long been a director at the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation. She is also a Doctor in Cinema and Media at the National University of Theatre and Film in Bucharest. Her doctoral research focuses on the Extension of Cinematographic Aesthetics in the Digital Networks and AI, and she has also been a doctoral scholar at Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris. Aa a director and scriptwriter of original audio dramas she have received major international awards, including Prix Italia (Special Mention), Prix Marulić, New York Festival, Prix Ex Aequo, and Premios Ondas. She has also directed radio productions for Radio Sweden, France Culture, and Czech Radio. As a stage director, she has worked on productions for adults and children, including multimedia performances. In 2013, she co-founded the Grand Prix Nova International Radio Drama Festival She has conducted workshops internationally for radio institutions, universities, and cultural organizations.

 

 

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