1O AWARDS AND $60,000+ IN CASH PRIZES ANNOUNCED
Toronto. Hosted by the CBC’s Jian Ghomeshi, the 2009 Hot Docs Awards Presentation took place on Friday, May 8, at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto. Ten awards, including those for Festival films in competition and those recognizing emerging and established filmmakers, were presented and over $60,000 in cash prizes was bestowed.
The Best International Feature Award was presented to THE ONE MAN VILLAGE (D: Simon El Habre; P: Simon El Habre, Jad Abi-Khalil, Irit Neidhardt; Lebanon), which looks at the last inhabitant of a Lebanese village that was destroyed and deserted after the civil war and reflects on that country’s problematic past and present. Jury statement:“Exceptional clarity in the filmic storytelling of a simple man in the Lebanese highlands, told with great empathy and even more skill. This film is an enchanting and gripping film and at once a pleasant and powerful experience.” The Best International Feature Award is sponsored by A&E and comes with a $10,000 cash prize, courtesy of Hot Docs.
The Special Jury Prize – International Feature was presented to COOKING HISTORY (D: Peter Kerekes; P: Peter Kerekes, Georg Misch, Ralph Wieser, Pavel Strnad; Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia), in which military cooks share their unique perspectives on the battles and survival strategies of the 20th century’s major conflicts. Jury statement: “The jury recognizes the format and inventiveness of this highly original history of 20thcentury European wars, as told through army cooks and their recipes. Wryly hilarious and surprisingly moving, the brilliantly staged sequences make us see our wars and our hungers with new eyes.” The Special Jury Prize – International Feature is sponsored by the OMDC.
In this photo (from L to R): Kendell Campbell, Ainsworth Morgan and Michael Lewin from Invisible City.The Best Mid-Length Documentary Award was presented to RABBIT À LA BERLIN (D: Bartek Konopka; P: Anna Wydra; Germany, Poland), which wryly tells the story of the wild rabbits that lived comfortably between the Berlin Walls and how they, like Eastern Europeans, are still adjusting to the free world. Jury statement:“Audaciously weaving a wealth of archival footage, this film aptly plies the perfect metaphor to narrate the grand history of the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, from the point of view of the humans and rabbits trapped by its walls.” The Best Mid-Length Documentary Award is sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts.
The Best Short Documentary Award was presented to THE DELIAN MODE (D: Kara Blake; P: Kara Blake, Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre; Canada), an illuminating look at the life of Delia Derbyshire, one of the world’s most influential electronic music pioneers. Jury statement: “This film is an elegantly structured visual and sonic excavation of the birth of electronic music told through the history of its brilliant, idiosyncratic female founder Delia Derbyshire who ‘could make music out of anything.’” The Best Short Documentary Award is sponsored by Playback.
The HBO Emerging Artist Award was presented to Chung-ryoul Lee, director of OLD PARTNER (South Korea), a funny and tender tale of an elderly Korean farmer, his wife, and the ox that has been with them – and between them – for thirty years. Jury statement:“This film has the charm of the classic fairy tale. Conveying the universal rhythms of life, death and rebirth with simplicity and dignity. In the story of a farmer, his wife, and the ox they depend on, the filmmaker has found a universal tale told in the most intimate fashion.” The HBO Emerging Artist Award is sponsored by HBO Documentary Films.
Hot Docs Board of Directors presented this year’s Outstanding Achievement Award to Alanis Obomsawin. Obomsawin’s latest film, PROFESSOR NORMAN CORNETT – “SINCE WHEN DO WE DIVORCE THE RIGHT ANSWER FROM AN HONEST ANSWER?” had its world premiere later that evening.
documentary’s Don Haig Award, presented annually to an emerging Canadian documentary filmmaker, was awarded to Montreal’s Brett Gaylor (RiP!: A REMIX MANIFESTO). The Don Haig Jury also named Montreal’s Tracey Deer(CLUB NATIVE) a runner up for the Award. Each filmmaker received a $10,000 cash prize.
The Lindalee Tracey Award, which honours an emerging Canadian filmmaker with a passionate point of view, a strong sense of social justice and a sense of humour, was presented to two filmmakers who were determined to be equally deserving of the Award:Montreal’s Laura Bari and Ottawa’s Will Inrig. Each filmmaker received a cash prize of $3000 from the Lindalee Tracey Long-Term Fund and $1500 in film stock, courtesy of Kodak Canada.
The Hot Docs Festival Jury, which decided on films in competition, were:
Canadian Features: Nahid Persson Sarvestani, filmmaker; Sky Sitney, director of programming, SILVERDOCS; Geoff Pevere, columnist, The Toronto Star.
International Features: John Greyson, filmmaker; Cara Mertes, director of the Documentary Film Program, Sundance Institute; Esther van Messel, CEO, First Hand Films.
Short and Mid-Length Films: Sara Diamond, president, Ontario College of Art and Design; Marie-Anne Raulet, director, Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal; Jean Marie Téno, filmmaker.
An additional award, the Hot Docs Audience Award, along with Hot Docs top ten audience favourites, will be announced on Monday, May 11.
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Hye! Note:
As you can see, the selections at Hot Docs this year showcase great stories and great talent from all over. My shout outs to Invisible City by Hubert Davis for being the recipient of the Best Canadian Feature Award… It was one of my top five this year… You can read my review of this film at alternavox.net in the Box Office section.
I am glad the jury liked it as well. There are two repeat screenings this weekend: Saturday, May 9th at 3:30pm at the Cumberland and Sunday, May 10th at 9:45pm at the Isabel Bader Theatre. They are both RUSH but if you have time, you may want to take a chance at the Bader screening… it’s the larger venue and you may have a better chance at getting in last minute. For more info go to www.hotdocs.ca
A BIG THANK YOU to VKPR for sending me the update on the award winners and to GAT for providing the photo for this post.
