Four B.C. Filmmakers Win $5,000 Commissions to Create Short Films

The Whistler Film Festival is pleased to announce this year’s group of B.C. filmmakers to win the Whistler Stories Short Film Commission Competition. Whistler Stories is a legacy program for the Whistler area in advance of the 2010 Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Games. Slated to run annually until 2010, a jury selects up to four projects per year to receive a commission of $5,000 to create a short film (five minutes in length) based on stories from Whistler and surrounding area. Successful projects must also celebrate at least one of the Olympic pillars of culture, environment, education and/or sport. The four winning filmmakers will start pre-production on their scripts immediately and completed films will receive their world premiere screenings at the 2008 Whistler Film Festival, taking place December 4 to 7.

“We are very proud to have created this program, and to have helped twelve filmmakers create some truly memorable films over the past three years,” says Whistler Film Festival Director of Programming Bill Evans. “In 2008 we received another great crop of proposals, and we had a difficult time choosing the winners. I look forward to seeing the results!”

The 2008 Whistler Stories winning filmmakers are:
Ace Mackay Smith (Whistler resident) with "THE GONDOLA STORIES," which delves into the mysteries of Whistler’s Gondolas. Combining interviews with locals and visitors alike, the film will document the myriad activities that transpire within.
Laura James (Pemberton resident) with "BEHIND THE CUP," an account of the Whistler Cup – how it began, the people who run it, how it has grown and its Olympic relevance.

Angela Nolan (Whistler resident) with "WHOLE LOTTA HAIR," a profile of Whistler's Hair Farmers - Guitar Doug and Grateful Greg. A Day on the Hill is not complete without aprés, but a true aprés is not complete without a little Hairfarming!

Ivan Hughes (Squamish resident) with "SPEEDBUMPS," which looks at the hurdles overcome by four of Whistler’s Olympic heroes in their quest for glory at the winter Olympic and Paralympic games, from 1968 to the present.

Priority consideration is given to films that demonstrate a creative approach to their subject. Filmmakers must be British Columbia residents in order to apply. Projects will be completed under the supervision of the Whistler Film Festival’s Director of Programming and Whistler Film Festival will retain all rights over the films. More information on Whistler Stories guidelines is available at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.

Past Whistler Stories winner "Heart of Whistler" (WS 2006, Director: Ken Hegan) was selected to play at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, and WS 2007 winner "Binty" (Director: Armen Evrensel) recently won the (RED) Vision Award at the Vail Film Festival.

The Whistler Film Festival Society (WFFS) is a charitable, not for profit cultural and educational organization committed to promoting, developing and celebrating a strong film industry in Western Canada, and to showcasing the best films from Canada and around the world. WFFS produces one of Canada’s leading film festivals, and plays a leadership role in offering professional development programs and opportunities for filmmakers. WFFS offers two main programs for the international community to discover Canadian filmmakers and do business with the Canadian film industry: the Whistler Film Festival presented by American Express (December 4-7, 2008), and the Whistler Filmmaker Forum, Western Canada’s premier industry event (December 3-6, 2008). For more information, please visit: www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.

Over $42,000 in cash prizes and commissions available to filmmakers

The Whistler Film Festival is seeking submissions for its eighth annual edition, which runs from December 4 to 7, 2008. Canadian and International filmmakers are invited to submit by the following deadlines: July 4 for early film submissions (discount on application); July 18 for short films; and August 15 for feature films.

“Every year the quality of submissions we receive increases exponentially,” says Bill Evans, Whistler Film Festival Director of Programming. “We are looking forward to presenting the work of some very talented filmmakers in our competitions, especially in the Borsos Competition for Best New Canadian Film.”

Filmmakers are invited to submit films of all lengths and genres including drama, documentary, mountain culture and animated films. The Whistler Film Festival is a competitive festival with five distinct awards: the $15,000 Borsos Award for Best New Canadian Feature, the Audience Award for Best Feature, the $5,000 Best Documentary Award, the $1,000 Best Short Film Award, and the $500 Best Mountain Culture Film Award. Applicants must choose only one category in which to compete.

The $15,000 Borsos Award for Best New Canadian Feature Film presented by the Director’s Guild of Canada, British Columbia District Council (DGC BC) is the largest cash prize for a Canadian film in Western Canada. The award is named for legendary Canadian filmmaker Phillip Borsos, best known for his film The Grey Fox, and recognizes films, which embody the spirit of independent filmmaking in Canada. Borsos Award competition entries must be Canadian dramatic features receiving their B.C. premiere at the Festival. Priority will be given to entries receiving their Canadian or World premieres at the Festival. The Borsos Award competition filmmakers will also receive special access to industry programs and senior industry delegates at the Whistler Filmmaker Forum.

Film submission guidelines and forms are available at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com

The 2007 Whistler Film Festival presented a four-day program of 92 films: 37 features and mid-lengths, including four world premieres, two Canadian premieres, and twenty British Columbia premieres, as well as 55 short films, and awarded more than $42,000 in prizes and commissions. The Festival attracted a record number of 684 delegates to the Filmmaker Forum, and over 7,000 attendees to festival, an increase of 15% over 2006.

The Whistler Film Festival Society (WFFS) is a charitable, not for profit cultural and educational organization committed to promoting, developing and celebrating a strong film industry in Western Canada, and to showcasing the best films from Canada and around the world. WFFS produces one of Canada’s leading film festivals, and plays a leadership role in offering professional development programs and opportunities for filmmakers. WFFS offers two main programs for the international community to discover Canadian filmmakers and do business with the Canadian film industry: the Whistler Film Festival presented by American Express (December 4-7, 2008), and the Whistler Filmmaker Forum, Western Canada’s premier industry event (December 3-6, 2008). For more information, please visit: www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.

Borsos Award for Best New Canadian Feature Film: "Continental, a Film Without Guns,"
by Stephane Lafleur,
Prize: $15,000
A bittersweet black comedy, Continental takes a fresh look at the vulnerability of individuals and the fragile link that unites us to one another.
“The jury presents the Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature Film to Continental, "A Film Without Guns" for its masterful harnessing of compelling performances, adventurous structure, exquisite cinematography and sound design, in communicating a profoundly human examination of loneliness and the possibility of solace” stated the jury in making the announcement.

The other 2007 Borsos Competition finalists, all B.C. premieres, were: Mark Wihak’s "River;" Matthew Miller, "Sascha Drews and Ezra Krybus’ Portage;" Richie Mehta’s "Amal;" and Robert Cuffley’s "Walk All Over Me;" Helene Klodawsky’s "Family Motel."

The $500 awards for Best Actor and Best Actress in the Borsos Competition went to Rupinder Nagra for his portrayal of a humble rickshaw driver in "Amal" and Maya Batten- Young for her portrayal of an aspiring artist and writer trapped in a dead-end office cleaning job in "River."
“In awarding these prizes the jury would like to underline the role of new technologies in composing and framing the spontaneity and originality of these performances,” said a jury spokesperson.

The $5,000 Best Documentary Award, presented by CBC Newsworld, was awarded to "We Are Together" (Thina Simunye), directed by Paul Taylor, and featuring the Children of Agape.
The jury singled out the film's beauty and craftsmanship, and also cited “the skill and compassion with which the film treated a very difficult subject matter, choosing to
celebrate the human spirit in the face of adversity.”

The Best Mountain Culture Film Award went to "Steep" by Mark Obenhaus.
The Jury statement said: “Transcending the typical ski film, Steep contains all the elements of a great film - a sweeping story arc, empathetic character development,
spectacular filming and visceral, unbelievable shots - while telling the story of the evolution of extreme skiing.

Honourable Mention went to "Dog Gone Addiction" by Becky Bristow, which ‘leaves viewers chilled to the bone but warmed to their hearts.”

The Best Mountain Culture Film Award, presented by Whistler Blackcomb, recognizes a film that celebrates mountain experiences, mountain places and mountain people.
The $1,000 Best Short Film Award, presented by Movieola - The Short film Channel, was awarded to "The Colony" by Jeff Barnaby (BC Premiere) for what the jury said was its “outstanding accomplishment in every aspect of filmmaking: from its stunning visual presentation, gritty story, and remarkably engaging performances, as well as for its fresh direction that challenges what Canadian filmmaking can be.”

MPPIA Short Film Award went to Marshall Axani, director/writer of "The Light of the Family Burnham." Newly established this year, the MPPIA Short Film Award is an annual industry endowment that supports the career development of emerging BC filmmakers.
Founded by MPPIA in partnership with BC Film and the Whistler Film Festival, the prestigious award is comprised of $15,000 in cash plus in-kind service contributions of up to $100,000 for the production of a short film.