Another successful Yorkton Film Festival has wrapped up after the city played host to film buffs from near an far, culminating with the Golden Sheaf Awards Gala on Saturday evening.
"Each year Yorkton becomes the hotspot for highlighting the best of Canadian short cinema and this year was no exception," says the festival's director Randy Goulden. "The calibre of this year's submissions was truly astonishing and we're glad we were able to recognize not just the winners, but all of the nominees as well. There is an amazing amount of talent in our country. We're anxiously looking forward to great films for next year's festival."
Taking top honours at this year's event was a film called Jingle Bell Rocks, which went home with the Best of the Festival Award.
The film explores the emerging world of alternative based Christmas music and the people who produce and enjoy it. Director Mitchell Kezin, who was on hand to accept the award, also won the Emerging Film Maker Award and was nominated for the Research and Director (Non-Fiction) Award.
"I had no idea I was even eligible for this award (Best of Festival) said Kezin following the ceremony. "So I'm flabbergasted and kind of overwhelmed. It's such a shock. This is one of the most important festivals in North America, definitely in Canada, so I'm deeply honoured."
Also the recipient of the emerging film maker award, Kezin says he's actually not that new to the business, rather this was his first feature length film. It's just taken awhile to get here.
"It's kind of an odd pairing - emerging film maker and best of fest. but it doesn't get any better than that."
An avid record collector himself, with a collection of more than 5,000, Kezin says Jingle Bell Rocks is about alternative underground Christmas music.
"We released in Canada last Christmas, in theatres across Canada and it's opening in the US this Christmas."
He adds, the boost in Yorkton should help get the film re-released in Canada this December also. He says the Yorkton Film Festival is a big boon for anyone receiving an award.
"First of all it's because of the longevity of it (the festival)... that's an incredible achievement. They honour the best of our country and I think the competition is fierce, so for me to win is amazing."
Not your ordinary film topic Kezin says he was inspired for the idea as a collector who has amassed a quirky combination of albums over the past 25 years.
"I know every year people complain ad nauseam hearing the standard, same Christmas songs so every year I make a mix called Mitchell's mix that I give out as Christmas gifts... this was sort of a natural extension... there's a lot of really cool stuff out there. This film celebrates that community and a lot of amazing artists who are relatively almost completely unknown."
Following is a list of additional
award winners:
Best of Saskatchewan Ruth Shaw Award
Her Father's Land: Producer(s) Tiffany Cassidy; Director(s) Derek Cornet; Production Company University of Regina School of Journalism
Best Aboriginal Award
Timuti: Producer(s) Kat Baulu; Director(s) Jobie Weetaluktuk; Production Company National Film Board of Canada
Category Awards
Animation - Gloria Victoria: Producer(s) Marc Bertrand; Director(s) Theodore Ushev; Production Company National Film Board of Canada.
Children's and Youth Production - Le rideau: Producer(s) Christine Falco; Director(s) Frédéric Desager; Production Company Les Films Camera Oscura.
Comedy - A Mile In These Hooves: Producer(s) James Bry-lowski; Director(s) James Brylowski; Production Company Solid Porcupine Inc..
CommunityTelevision Production - Neville in my Backyard: Producer(s) Sarah Martin, Sean Liliani; Director(s) Sarah Martin, Sean Liliani; Production Company.
Digital Media
Documentary Arts & Culture - Mugshot: Producer(s) Dennis Mohr, Charlotte Engel; Director(s) Dennis Mohr; Production Company Public Pictures, Rock Yenta Productions.
Documentary History & Biography - Once Were Enemies: Producer(s) Eva Wunderman, Patti Poskitt; Director(s) Eva Wunderman; Production Company Wunderman Film.
Documentary POV (Point of View) - Living Dolls: Producer(s) Maureen Judge; Director(s) Maureen Judge; Production Company Makin' Movies Inc..
Documentary Science/Nature/Technology - Oil Sands Karaoke: Producer(s) Charles Wilkinson, Tina Schliessler, Kevin Eastwood (Executive), Murray Battle (Executive); Director(s) Charles Wilkinson; Production Company Shore Films.
Documentary Series - The Medicine Line: Producer(s) Dave Gaudet, Scott R. Leary, Kyle Bornais; Director(s) John Barnard; Production Company Farpoint Films.
Documentary Social/Political - Tales From The Organ Trade: Producer(s) Ric Esther Bienstock, Simcha Jacobovici, Felix Golubev; Director(s) Ric Esther Bienstock; Production Company Associated Producers.
Drama - Thomas: Producer(s) Lynda Beaulieu, Johanne Bergeron; Director(s) Pedro Pires, Robert Lepage; Production Company Les Productions du 8e Art in co-production with National Film Board of Canada.
Experimental - y2o: Producer(s) dominique t skoltz; Director(s) dominique t skoltz; Production Company SKOLTZ INC.
Lifestyle - Episode 12 - Never Ever Do This At Home: Producer(s) Lindsay Cox, Chris Chilco, Sarah Pyne, John Brunton (Executive), Barbara Bowlby (Executive); Director(s) Chris Chilco, Reuben A Denty (Dir Photog); Production Company Insight Production Company Ltd.
Multicultural
Performing Arts & Entertainment - LIVE FROM THE HUNDRED YEARS CAFÉ - Episode One, Jazz: Producer(s) Gregory Coyes, Ken Malestyn; Director(s) Gregory Coyes; Production Company THE MIX 3 PRODUCTIONS LTD.
Short Subject - Mémorable moi: Producer(s) Jean-François Asselin; Director(s) Jean-François Asselin; Production Company Les Productions Jean-François Asselin inc..
Student Production - A Grand Canal: Producer(s) Sarah Stallard, Jie Chen; Director(s) Johnny Ma; Production Company Columbia University.
Craft Awards
Best Director (Fiction) - Thomas: Producer(s) Lynda Beaulieu, Johanne Bergeron; Director(s) Pedro Pires, Robert Lepage; Production Company Les Productions du 8e Art in co-production with National Film Board of Canada
Best Director (Non-Fiction) - Oil Sands Karaoke: Producer(s) Charles Wilkinson, Tina Schliessler, Kevin Eastwood (Executive), Murray Battle (Executive); Director(s) Charles Wilkinson; Production Company Shore Films
Best Research - CBC News: the fifth estate: Made in Bangladesh: Producer(s) Lysanne Louter; Director(s) Lysanne Louter; Production Company CBC
Special Awards
SCIC Global Issues Award Emerging Filmmaker Award - Jingle Bell Rocks!: Producer(s) Mitchell Kezin, Mila Aung-Thwin, Bob Moore; Director(s) Mitchell Kezin; Production Company mabooshi film company & EyeSteelFilm Inc..
Founder's Award - 28 HEROES: Producer(s) Maragret O'Brian, Michael Kot, Pim van der Toorn, Paul Kilback; Director(s) Paul Kilback; Production Company Entertainment One Television
For more details visit: www.goldensheafawards.com.
