Editor

The Hugo Television Awards is proud to announce Smuggler as this year’s honoree for Commitment to Excellence in Television Commercials and Kartemquin Films as this year’s for Commitment to Excellence in Television Productions.
Smuggler was founded by partners Brian Carmody and Patrick Milling Smith in 2002. Since its inception, Smuggler has garnered a reputation for producing groundbreaking and diverse commercial spots, campaigns, and music videos. Smuggler’s work, which includes productions for Nike, Dell, BMW, Burger King, Sprint, Geico, and Ebay to name a few, has received numerous awards at the AICP Show, the DGA Awards, and the CLIO Awards. Smuggler was named Production Company of the year by Creativity Magazine and Boards Magazine in 2007. Smuggler’s short film Force 1, directed by Randy Krallman was an official selection at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. In 2007, Smuggler was awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Lion Advertising Festival.
Kartemquin Films was founded in 1966 by Gordon Quinn, Jerry Temaner and Stan Karter. Since then, Kartemquin Films has consistently produced influential and inspiring documentaries for television and cinema. Hoop Dreams was one of the highest-rated documentaries to ever broadcast on PBS, and earned Kartemquin Films an Academy Award® nomination. Vietnam, Long Time Coming earned Kartemquin Films an Emmy award following a prime time NBC broadcast. In 2004, Kartemquin Films produced the groundbreaking seven-hour miniseries, The New Americans, which aired to wide critical acclaim on PBS. Its films have reached countless viewers on channels including The Independent Film Channel, NBC, Cinemax, The Sundance Channel, PBS and The Learning Channel. With four films slated for national broadcast in 2008, Kartemquin Films is continuing its legacy with a new generation of filmmakers.
Hugo Television Awards Founder & Artistic Director Michael Kutza commented, “We are truly honored to present these two fantastic companies with Commitment to Excellence Awards at this year’s Hugo Television Awards. Over the past several years, Smuggler has grown to become one of the most well respected Production Companies in the advertising community. Always inventive and imaginative, their work stands among the best in commercial production across the globe. Kartemquin Films has produced some of the most memorable documentaries in television and cinema, transforming the mediums of television and film into tools for inspiring social progress.”
Hugo Television Awards Competitions Coordinator Jesse Berkowitz remarked, “Both Smuggler and Kartemquin Films have made such extraordinary contributions to their respective fields. We look forward to celebrating their work at the Hugo Television Awards presentation on May 1st at the Chicago Cultural Center.”
The Hugo Television Awards, now in its 44th year, honor the best and most innovative in television production and commercials from around the world and pay tribute to the individuals and companies that have been industry leaders through the years.
The Hugo Television Awards is presented by Cinema/Chicago and the Chicago International Film Festival, an international competition with prestige across the globe. For ticket information for the Hugo Television Awards Ceremony please contact Vivian Teng at vteng@chicagofilmfestival.com or 312-683-0121, x154