The 2009 Reel Asian International Film Festival came to a close this past Sunday. It was five days filled with film screenings and industry series. This year’s award winners showcase the vast talent this festival brings to us. Congratulations to all!!!
NOW AUDIENCE AWARD
The favourite feature film was chosen by the audience by secret ballot. (a $500 cash prize)
The NOW Audience Award goes to Yoshihiro Nakamura for FISH STORY (Japan 2009).
An independent jury comprised of distinguished members of the media arts community Michael Fukushima, Kathleen Mullen and Louise Noguchi selected the award winners for the following:
NFB BEST CANADIAN FILM OR VIDEO AWARD
($2,500 production budget prize towards the development of winner’s next project)
For the artful mining of archival material, for great cast and production, and for the inspired multi-Pov structure that looks at how history is interpreted and then re-interpreted. The NFB BEST CANADIAN FILM OR VIDEO AWARD goes to Richard Fung, John Greyson and Ali Kazimi for REX VS. SINGH.
KIM ORR BARRISTERS P.C. BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE FILM OR VIDEO AWARD
All narrative feature works are eligible for this prize. ($1,000 cash prize)
A transformative, visually stunning and heart-rending portrayal of a family’s struggle to survive with their traditional farm in these globalized times, the KIM ORR BARRISTERS P.C. BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE FILM OR VIDEO AWARD goes to Uruphong Raksasad for AGRARIAN UTOPIA.
Jury honourable mention for BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE FILM OR VIDEO AWARD goes to Yoshihiro Nakamura for FISH STORY, because it was both quirkily funny and poignant, and masterfully constructed.
ANIMASIAN AWARD
All animated films and videos are eligible for this prize. Reel Asian thanks Prospero Entertainment Corporation for its continuing support of this award.($500 cash prize)
An innovative performance, using mixed media, overhead projection, video and live sound to create a humorous and heartfelt take on what our elders leave to us, for better or for worse, the ANIMASIAN AWARD goes to Lesley Loksi Chan and Serena Lee for LIVE LONG AND PROSPER.
CENTENNIAL COLLEGE @ WALLACE STUDIOS MOST INNOVATIVE FILM PRODUCTION AWARD
($2,000 in studio time, $300 cash prize towards completion of next work)
Brilliantly shot, with a potent and evocative integration of music and sound with image, the CENTENNIAL COLLEGE @ WALLACE STUDIOS MOST INNOVATIVE FILM PRODUCTION AWARD goes to Randall Lloyd Okita for FISH IN BARREL.
LIFT AND FUJI BEST FILM AWARD
All films made by GTA-based artists are eligible. $280 in LIFT membership dues and services. $500 credit towards LIFT workshops and/or equipment. 2400 feet of Fuji 16mm 64D film.
For its cleverness, great cast and performances, and for its use of humour to examine a young man’s struggle with alcoholism and anger, theLIFT AND FUJI BEST GTA FILM AWARD goes to Mio Adilman for UNLOCKED.
TRINITY SQUARE VIDEO VISIONARY VIDEO AWARD
($650 in TSV membership dues and services, $100 cash prize upon completion of new work All videos made by GTA-based artists are eligible for this prize.
$650 in TSV membership dues and services
$100 cash prize upon completion of new work made at Trinity Square Video
For being a memoir film done exceptionally well and for its haunting poetry by Souvankham Thammavongsa, the TSV VISIONARY VIDEO AWARD goes to Parimita Nath for FOUND.
THE SO YOU THINK YOU CAN PITCH? AWARDS
This year’s pitch competition was a public event hosted by local artist Keith Cole. An audience of over 100 watched as 7 teams competed for more than $28,000 in services from Charles Street Video. The winners were chosen by a panel of jurors, Nobu Adilman, Eileen Arandiga, and Lila Karim.
The CHARLES STREET VIDEO AND REEL ASIAN PITCH PROFESSIONAL ARTIST AWARD goes to Jonathan Ng for REQUIEM FOR ROMANCE.Award has a $5,000 in-kind value (equivalent to $18,000 at industry rental rates).
Breaking up is never easy but when it looks and sounds as good as the pitch presented to us yesterday, we can’t help but want to see more. Fusing together an emotional phone conversation between a couple at the end of their relationship, with a highly stylized animated world,Jonathan Ng’s REQUIEM FOR ROMANCE wins the established pitch award.”
The CHARLES STREET VIDEO AND REEL ASIAN PITCH EMERGING ARTIST AWARD
Award has a $3,000 value (equivalent to $10,000 at Industry rental rates).
For its proposed playful use of multimedia, expanding cinematic vocabulary by transforming theatrical conventions and telling a campy yet emotional tale of forbidden love between two drag queens, we present the emerging pitch award to Sonia Hong, Claire Lowery and Olga Barsky for A DRAGGED OUT AFFAIR.
