from gat

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival came to a close this evening at a closing night party where filmmakers, musicians, artists, media and industry alike celebrated, and where a number of awards were handed out. The awards reception took place at The Mod Club, hosted by award-winning actor Billy Merasty.

Once again the festival witnessed impressive audience numbers including the Opening Night screening of BOY which sold out the Bloor Cinema with over 840 people in attendance. The World Premiere of Zacharias Kunuk’s Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change generated intense national media coverage and sold out the Al Green Theatre. Attendance throughout the festival screenings and events continued an upward trend for imagineNATIVE.

“On behalf of everyone at imagineNATIVE I congratulate this year’s winners,” says the festival’s Executive Director, Jason Ryle. “They embody the excellence and diversity of works presented at the festival. I am consistently impressed by the ingenuity and creativity of Indigenous artists worldwide and I look forward to future work from the recipients. I also thank the independent, volunteer Jury members who selected this year’s winners.”

The Following Awards Were Handed Out Last Night in Toronto:

BEST DRAMATIC FEATURE

BOY directed by Taika Waititi

BEST CANADIAN SHORT DRAMA

LUMAAJUUQ directed by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril

BEST SHORT DRAMA

REDEMPTION directed by Katie Wolfe

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY

NE LE DIS PAS (DO NOT TELL) directed by Jani Bellefleur-Kaltush

THE ALANIS OBOMSAWIN BEST DOCUMENTARY AWARD

Y EL RΊO SIGUE CORRIENDO (AND THE RIVER FLOWS ON) directed by Carlos Pérez Rojas

BEST EXPERIMENTAL

BURNT directed by Alejandro Valbuena

BEST RADIO

ReVision Quest: “Humour: What’s so Funny About Being Native?” produced by Kim Ziervogel

BEST NEW MEDIA

Otsì:! Rise of the Kanien’kehá:ka Legends
ARTIST: Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace (AbTeC)

THE CYNTHIA-LICKERS SAGE AWARD FOR EMERGING TALENT

Katie Wolfe director of REDEMPTION

Honourable Mention

Kris Happyjack-McKenzie director of WINDIGO

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE PRODUCTION AWARD

FILE UNDER MISCELLANEOUS directed by Jeff Barnaby

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

HAUNTED written by Shane Ghostkeeper

CANWEST MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Awarded to Ervin Chartrand

DRAMA PITCH PRIZE

Awarded to Marcel Balfour and Darryl Nepinak for their pitch The Band Office

DOCUMENTARY PITCH PRIZE

Awarded to Candace Mae Maracle for her pitch The Creator’s Game

THE ELLEN MONAGUE AWARD FOR BEST YOUTH WORK

Kurt-E: In My Blood directed by Kurt Filiga

For info on imagineNATIVE please visit: http://imaginenative.org