Sabga award thrills Dieffenthaller

VETERAN television writer, producer and director Danielle Dieffenthaller says she is humbled to be named as one of the four winners of the Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence 2019.

"I am really thrilled and happy to be recognised after screaming in the wilderness for all these years. It is really humbling to be honoured in such a manner," she told Sunday Newsday on Friday.

She said this was the second time she had been nominated for the award and was stunned when she heard she had won.

"When I heard I was numb at first and now it is kind of dawning on me what it all means. I was stunned and then really happy and grateful."

She said her text messages have been "blowing up" with congratulations, and added she suffered a massive health setback in the last two months and the win was a welcome surprise.

"I needed that little boost, and it came."

Dieffenthaller, known for creating the long-running local soap opera Westwood Park (1997-2004), which continues in syndication in the US, UK, and worldwide, has been pitching a crime drama series called Plain Sight and working with the Filmmakers Collaborative of TT (Filmco), of which she is a founder. For the past 25 years, she has produced ground-breaking television series, documentaries, reality television, corporate and music videos and has been a passionate advocate for a strong Caribbean film industry.

A release on Friday announced that Dieffenthaller will be awarded in the arts and letters category at the Caribbean Awards for Excellence, ceremony which will be held in Barbados on March 30, 2019. The other laureates are: media entrepreneur Kimala Bennett from Jamaica, for entrepreneurship: civic activist Corey Lane from Barbados, for public and civic contributions; and climate scientist Prof Michael Taylor from Jamaica for science and technology.

The Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards rewards outstanding nominees in the categories of arts and letters, public and civic contributions, science and technology, and entrepreneurship. The prize has been in existence since 2005. The prizes are worth $500,000 each, and each laureate receives a medal and citation at the awards ceremony.