The Universum History documentary “Pirates of the Mediterranean – A Game of Greed and Power” has received a Bronze Award at the internationally renowned Telly Awards.

AUSTRIA/USA – ORF-Enterprise announces that “Pirates of the Mediterranean – A Game of Greed and Power” has been awarded Bronze in the category General – History at the 2026 Telly Awards. The Telly Awards are among the most respected global competitions for video and television, celebrating outstanding storytelling and craftsmanship across broadcast and digital platforms.

Written and directed by Danielle Proskar, the documentary is a co-production by ORF, ARTE, e&a film, and Urban Canyons. 

Caroline Haidacher, Head of Universum History at ORF, says: "It is a gripping film with breathtaking visuals that tells a deeply human story and places it within a broader geopolitical context. We congratulate the filmmakers on this award, which shows that the history genre remains timelessly relevant and popular.“

As part of the renowned ORF Universum History brand, “Pirates of the Mediterranean – A Game of Greed and Power” sheds light on a largely overlooked chapter of European history, examining piracy and slavery as legally governed instruments of power and personal enrichment in the 16^th-century Mediterranean.

The documentary follows Balthasar Stürmer, a German merchant’s son who joins a Christian corsair ship hunting Ottoman merchant vessels, only to be captured by Ottoman corsairs himself and sold into slavery in North Africa. This historical narrative is interwoven with contemporary research, as marine archaeologist Timmy Gambin and his team from the University of Malta uncover a 16^th-century shipwreck at a depth of 126 meters. Using advanced underwater robotics, the discovery provides rare visual evidence that deepens the understanding of piracy, trade, and human trafficking during the early modern period.

The documentary is distributed worldwide by ORF-Enterprise.

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