Film Festival presents awards

From among the 118 films nominated for awards at this year's Yorkton Film Festival one, 'Let the Daylight Into the Swamp' walked away with the night's big prize, the Best of Festival Golden Sheaf Award.

Let the Daylight Into the Swamp was directed by Jeffrey St. Jules and produced by Anita Lee.

"In Let the Daylight into the Swamp, filmmaker Jeffery St. Jules reconstructs the dramatic story of his grandparents and their rugged frontier life in the logging towns of northern Ontario. St. Jules' tale unfolds on the bumpy back roads of life, where ultimately his family was dislodged," detailed the Festival program.

Brendon Sawatsky, producer Northwest Centre of the National Film Board (NFB) accepted the award. He said the film's director "is an exceptionally talented individual," and it showed in the film.

'Let the Daylight Into the Swamp' is an experimental film,


having also won the Golden Sheaf in that category. It combines both two-and three-D film techniques, said Sawatsky, who added in spite of the unique approach the film is a deeply personal one for the director too.

"It's really a film about his father," said Sawatsky.

'Let the Daylight Into the Swamp' is a film which fits well with the mandates of the NFB, "to find new talented filmmakers and help them explore," said Sawatsky. He added the NFB is also willing to take chances on less traditionally produced films, which this year's winner is a fine example.

As for being part of the Yorkton Festival, Sawatsky said "it is such a well-known festival. Where I go, if I mention the Yorkton Film Festival people know it." He also noted attending regional festivals like the YFF is a good way for the NFB to share their films with people across the country.

The Ruth Shaw Best of Saskatchewan Award went to the short film 'The First Days', by director Mauricio Carvajal and producers Ryan Lockwood and Stephen Huszar.

"An immigrant arrives to a foreign land. Unable to speak the local dialect, he enters the shabby cardboard city with his cat and a suitcase full of dreams. His hopes turns to isolation and loneliness as his inability to communicate allows others to take advantage of him, eventually ending in tragedy," detailed the Festival program.

Lockwood attended the awards presentation and accepted the Best of Saskatchewan Golden Sheaf.

"This project was a really tough project It took us a couple of years to make," he said. " It really was a labour of love."

After a photo session with the Golden Sheaf Lockwood said "it's an honour to get it," especially as someone who was raised in Saskatchewan. " I was delighted, and a little surprised."

In terms of surprise, Lockwood said after working on the project for several years, you are never sure what others will think.

"You work on it in the edit suite, you don't know how people will respond to it," he said.

But being from here, the Best of Saskatchewan award was also bittersweet for Lockwood, who three years ago left for Vancouver recognizing the industry was losing ground here, culminating in the loss of the provincial film tax credit in 2012.

Lockwood said film productions rely on infrastructure, from tax credits, to quality crew and facilities.

"All those pieces of the puzzle have been picked apart," he said, adding most have moved elsewhere.

The loss of the tax credit was the final blow for the industry in Saskatchewan, said Lockwood, who when asked if The Last Days could be made here now, replied "no films are going to get made." He said their film was already funded before the government's announcement last year.

Lockwood did temper the comment with a suggestion some small budget productions will still be filmed in Saskatchewan, but added, "There will be a drop-off in productions.

As for the winning film, Lockwood said it was also a deeply personal story for director Carvajal, who immigrated to Canada from Columbia.

"He didn't speak a word of English," said Lockwood, adding he would learn the language and eventually take film at the University of Regina.

In that respect The First Days is reflection of Carvajal's own experience. In the film there is no English. In fact the dialogue is a made up gibberish, said Lockwood, leaving the visual imagery of the film to get the story across.