Ground-breaking South Australian children’s series First Day continues to be recognised on the global stage, scoring a nomination in the 2021 International Emmy Awards.  

The series will compete in the Kids: Live Action category of the awards which feature nominees from Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, the Philippines, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

Created and written by Julie Kalceff, produced by South Australia’s Kirsty Stark of Epic Films, and Kate Croser, and co-produced by Kate Butler of KOJO the award-winning series follows transgender teen Hannah Bradford as she grapples with her first year of high school.

The International Emmy nomination comes off the back of a raft of success for First Day which has won multiple international awards including the 2021 BANFF World Media Festival Rockie Award for Best Live Action Series (Children 0-10), the 2021 Kidscreen Award for Best Live-Action Series, and a 2021 GLAAD Media Award for Most Outstanding Kids and Family Programming, for which it was the only non-US entry in its selected category, and the only Australian production to win a GLAAD Award this year.

In 2020, the series won its category at the prestigious 59th Rose d’Or Awards, First Prize in the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival Live Action Television Category, the ATOM Award for Best Children’s Television Program and was a Finalist in the in the Primary Division of The Japan Prize. In Australia the series was nominated for two AACTA Awards (Australian Academy Awards) for Best Children’s Program and for Best Screenplay in Television.

The series is set to break further ground in the US market with premium streamer Hulu coming on board for season 2. The return season of the multi award-winning series wrapped filming in August  in Adelaide, South Australia  where screen production has been able to continue safely through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Featured Image: First Day