The Monte-Carlo Television Festival, an event dedicated to international television series, is ready for its 58th edition this year. The Golden Nymph Awards are awarded every year during the festival of which Prince Albert II of Monaco is the chairman. These awards crown the best actors and international series of the moment.
Lynn Van Royen, who played the role of the murdered Kato Hoeven, was crowned Best Actress for her portrayal. She was up against Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife) and Joanne Froggatt (Downtown Abbey, Liar).
Lynn: “I had a great time portraying Kato and it’s amazing that the character I like a lot receives so much love, even across the Belgian borders. I’m so grateful and proud that our choice to stay away from the clichés, to go for a strong female protagonist and to create an extra dimension, is hailed with so much positive attention.”
In the glamorous Monaco Nathalie Basteyns, Kaat Beels, Sanne Nuyens and Lynn Van Royen defended the series’ honour, also in the category Best Drama Series.
Directors Nathalie Basteyns and Kaat Beels: ‘We’re honoured that Hotel Beau Sejour was nominated here in Monte-Carlo and we’re so proud of Lynn’s victory. For us as female directors it stays very important to tell stories with strong female protagonists like Kato. When that’s appreciated by a worldwide audience, we can only be grateful for it.”
Screenwriter Sanne Nuyens: “This is truly amazing! I hope as a screenwriter we can keep on creating series in our Flemish way that are popular with the international audience as we have proven once again with Hotel Beau Sejour.”
That future is already happening, because at this moment the same team is working on a script for the second season of Hotel Beau Sejour. The shooting will start in May 2019 and the series will be broadcasted later on Eén.
Earlier this week The New York Times praised Hotel Beau Sejour as one of the 8 must-see series that exposes violence against women (https://nyti.ms/2JTKqFV).
