‘The Diplomat’ Creator Debora Cahn to Receive ‘Impact of Storytelling’ Honor at ATX TV Festival
“The Diplomat” isn’t just a thrilling ode to the delicate work done by international ambassadors (with an incredible star turn by Keri Russell); it’s an emissary, much like its subjects, for “humanity, dignity, and equality” around the world.
So say the ATX TV Festival and Human Rights Watch, who are partnering to present creator, showrunner, and writer Debora Cahn with the “Impact of Storytelling” award at this year’s Austin-based event. Cahn will be the inaugural recipient of the honor, which celebrates “a creative and/or series that has highlighted socially relevant issues through scripted or unscripted episodic storytelling, and foregrounded narratives that advocate for humanity, dignity, and equality.”
Taking place May 29 – June 1, the ATX TV Festival will host a one-on-one conversation with Cahn as part of the award presentation. Cahn will discuss Netflix’s hit drama series, the nuances of crafting narratives about diplomacy and international relations, the impact of reuniting with fellow ‘West Wing’ alum Allison Janney, and much more.
Cahn will also participate in a separate panel titled “Showrunner State of the Union,” an annual conversation at ATX where TV showrunners discuss the current and future state of television, production, and leadership within the industry. Joining Cahn will be Raamla Mohamed (“Reasonable Doubt”), Hank Steinberg (“Doc”), and Saladin K. Patterson (“King of the Hill”).
From her previous work on “Homeland,” “The West Wing,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and more, Cahn is a two-time Emmy nominee, a PGA nominee, and an eight-time WGA Award nominee who took home the trophy in 2020 for her work on “Fosse/Verdon.” In its first two seasons, “The Diplomat” has already earned honors from the Emmys, DGA Awards, SAG Awards, WGA Awards, Casting Society of America, American Society of Cinematographers, and the Golden Globes.
This year’s ATX TV Festival sports an impressive overall lineup, including an in-depth, opening night discussion with Seth Meyers on “Late Night,” a “Man Men” retrospective with Jon Hamm, a sneak peak at the “King of the Hill” revival, an “Andor” conversation between creator Tony Gilroy and writer Beau Willimon, and a reunion of “The Leftovers” cast and creators featuring Damon Lindelof, Tom Perrotta, and Carrie Coon.
Perrotta and Lindelof will also join a newly announced panel titled “Authors & Showrunners,” which will delve into the unique collaborations between novel and TV writers. Joining “The Leftovers” scribes will be the team behind Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming series adaptation of “We Were Liars,” including executive producer and author E. Lockhart as well as co-showrunners Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie.
For tickets and the full festival lineup, visit ATX TV Festival’s official site.
