Kim Cattrall will receive the NBC Universal Award of Distinction at the 29th edition of the Banff World Television Festival, which takes place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Canada, June 8 – 11, 2008.

The NBC Universal Award of Distinction acknowledges an individual's outstanding career in the broadcast industry. The award will be presented to Ms. Cattrall on Monday June 9th at the Banff World Television Awards. On Tuesday June 10th, Ms. Cattrall will sit down with Bill Carter of the New York Times to discuss her life and career.

Cattrall was a leading force in turning the ground-breaking HBO series Sex and the City into a global phenomenon. Portraying femme fatale Samantha, Cattrall won over the hearts of every woman, by playing it honest and impulsive, bringing out the inner vamp in us all. Cattrall has been highly praised by the critics and recognized with a Golden Globe and 2 Screen Actors Guild awards, plus 5 additional Golden Globe, 4 Emmy and 3 Screen Actors' Guild nominations. With the worldwide syndication of Sex and the City, her portrayal of Samantha is known around the globe.

Cattrall will be seen this summer in John Boorman's The Tiger's Tail with Brenden Gleeson for Sony Classics. Most recently Kim starred in "My Boy Jack," opposite Daniel Radcliffe and David Haig. The film, which aired in the U.K. on ITV, was highly praised by critics and will be airing in the U.S. on April 20th on PBS Masterpiece Theater. She is currently reprising her role as the infamous Samantha Jones, in "Sex and the City: The Movie," which will be released by New Line in May.

"It is with great pleasure that we bestow the NBC Universal Award of Distinction on Kim Cattrall," says Ron Suter, Senior Vice President and General Manager, NBC Universal Television Distribution, Canada. "Having grown up in Vancouver and starred in many films and television programs that have originated in Canada, Kim's distinguished acting career is a prime example of what this award was meant to stand for."

“Ms. Cattrall has an incredibly prolific and successful career in both films and television,” says Jennifer Harkness, Executive Director, BANFF. “It’s a thrill to welcome her to this festival that celebrates the best in the industry.”

The Banff World Television Festival is a not-for-profit event produced by Achilles Media Ltd., an international events management company serving the television and digital media industries. Achilles Media Ltd. events include: History Makers: International Summit of History & Current Affairs Producers, nextMEDIA events, Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX) and NATPE Mobile++. For more information, visit http://www.achillesmedia.com. The Banff World Television Festival takes place June 8-11 amid the spectacular Canadian Rockies at the Fairmont Banff Springs in Alberta, Canada. To register, please visit www.banff2008.com

Winners were announced at the 2007 Banff Mountain Film Festival awards program on November 4.

The 2007 Banff Mountain Film Festival jury included Julie Tait, co-director of England’s Kendal Mountain Film Festival, as well as China-based mountaineering journalist and filmmaker Charlie Buffet, American climber and filmmaker Rob Frost, Canadian film producer Kerrie Long, and Canadian mountaineer, photographer, and filmmaker Pat Morrow.

Grand Prize: "Death on Nanga Parbat" (Tod am Nanga Parbat — Die Messner-Tragödie)
Directed by: Ludwig Ott
Prize Sponsored by Mountain Equipment Co-op ($4000)
“For the Grand Prize, we looked to a film that transcends category,” says jury member Julie Tait. “In giving us fresh insight into a historic event and the cult of hero, Death on Nanga Parbat offers the viewer a depth of experience that underlines the power of the medium. It’s a triumph of substance over style.”

Best Short Mountain Film: "The Western Lands — Hoy"
Directed and Produced by Grant Gee
Prize Sponsored by Mountain Hardwear ($2000)
“The filmmaker creates a rich and beautiful canvas on which this story is told,” says jury member Julie Tait. “This is a sensual film with an experimental treatment, a story of life, love and loss.” “It’s sex mixed up with climbing,” adds jury member Pat Morrow.

Best Film on Mountain Environment: "Badgered"
Directed by Sharon Colman
Prize Sponsored by Patagonia ($2000)
“Director Sharon Colman has given us a refreshing look at the resilience of the natural world in the face of human impact. She’s creatively delivered a serious subject in a light-hearted and humorous way,” says jury member Rob Frost.

Alpine Club of Canada Award for Best Film on Climbing: "King Lines"
Directed and Produced by Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer
Prize Sponsored by the Alpine Club of Canada ($2000)
“He has everything,” says jury member Kerrie Long. “He’s young, talented, beautiful and articulate. And yet, this is a gritty story of persistence and determination — he’s always reaching for the route he might not be able to do.”

Best Feature-length Mountain Film: "Loop"
Directed and Produced by Sjur Paulsen
Prize Sponsored by Camper’s Village ($2000)
“It’s very difficult to deal with the philosophical approach to life in the mountains, and do it visually, not just with words,” says jury member Pat Morrow. “This film does that, with its strong synergy among visuals, narration and dialogue.”

Best Film on Mountain Sports: "20 Seconds of Joy"
Directed by Jens Hoffmann
Prize Sponsored by Big Rock Brewery ($2000)

People’s Choice Award: "20 Seconds of Joy"
Directed by Jens Hoffmann
Prize Sponsored by Ortovox ($2000)
“We get to know the central character over time, and the film combines precipitous physical locations with insight into the deepest recesses of this athlete’s mind,” says jury member Pat Morrow. This film was also voted the favourite of 53 finalists by festival attendees.

Best Film on Mountain Culture: "Nine Winters Old"
Directed by Bill Heath
Prize Sponsored by Petzl ($2000)
“Mountain culture is not just about folkloric traditions,” says jury member Charlie Buffet. “It’s the way people live and dream their mountain experience. There was a sense of surprise, of playful curiosity, that carried me through this film.”

Special Jury Award: "The Beckoning Silence"
Directed and Produced by Louise Osmond
“High quality re-enactment, spectacular production values,” says jury member Charlie Buffet.

Special Jury Award: "Becoming a Woman in Zanskar"
Directed by Jean-Michel Corillion
“Gives voices to two women from a remote and relatively closed culture,” says jury member Kerrie Long. “It moved me to tears.”

Special Jury Award: "Into the Wild"
Directed by Sean Penn
“Rarely does Hollywood treat a delicate story with this level of integrity,” says jury member Rob Frost. “We hope that Penn’s work will lead the way for other Hollywood directors, and develop a taste for truth in their audience.”

People’s Choice Award for Radical Reels: "Trial & Error"
Directed by Bjørn Enga
Prize Sponsored by Fido ($350 plus a selection of prizes)
Voted most radical of the high adrenaline films screened at Radical Reels on Tuesday, October 30.