from pif

TORONTO – After five days full of environmental film screenings in the city of Toronto, the Planet in Focus International Environmental Film & Video Festival wrapped up on Sunday night on a positive note with the closing night film Climate of Change at The Royal Cinema on College Street. As one of the children in the film said, “because we should never ever forget, we are the renters of this world. We are not its masters.”

Executive Director Sarah Margolius and the Chair of the Planet in Focus Board of Directors Aaron Schwartz presented internationally celebrated artist Robert Bateman the International Eco Hero award for his ongoing commitment to the environment.

“People ask me why do I paint animals?[..] In essence, it’s simple. It’s a matter of the heart, ” said Bateman, upon acceptance of his award.

Director of Programming Kathleen Mullen presented the 2010 Competition Jury which included Allen Braude (Independent Film Programmer), Suzanne Farkas (Environmental Health Scientist/SEF Consulting) and Joan Jenkinson (Director of Independent Production, ZoomerMedia.) The jury then announced six award winners for this year’s festival.

2010 IMAGES FESTIVAL AWARDS:

Best Canadian Feature Film Award is presented annually to a Canadian film/videomaker for outstanding work on a feature film (doc and fiction over 50 mins) with an environmental focus.

WINNER: Water on the Table. Director: Liz Marshall.
Honourable Mention: Land of Destiny. Director: Brett Story

Best Canadian Short Film Award is presented annually to a Canadian film/videomaker for a commendable short film (under 50 min.) with an environmental focus.

WINNER: Life in the Fast Lane. Director: Almerinda Travassos.
Honourable Mention: Kitakinan – The Land of Everybody Director: Serge Bordeleau.

Best International Feature Film Award is presented annually to an international film/videomaker for outstanding work on a feature film (doc and fiction over 50 mins) with an environmental focus.

WINNER: Sweet Crude. Director: Sandi Cioffi. (USA/Nigeria)
Honourable Mention: Queen of the Sun. Director: Taggart Siegel (USA)

Best International Short Film Award is presented annually to an international film/videomaker for a commendable short film (under 50 mins) with an environmental focus.

WINNER: Sink. Director: Kirsten Tan. (Singapore/Thailand)
Honourable Mention: Paradise Later. Director: Ascan Breuer (Austria/Germany/Indonesia.)

The Mark Haslam Award given to a film that gives voice to individuals, communities, struggles or stories that are under-represented in the media and, made by a filmmaker who is a member or participant in that community, struggle or story.

WINNER: Save the Farm, Michael Kuehnert (USA)

In addition to the closing night awards, the 2010 Green Pitch winner was selected at a sold-out Industry Day of workshops and networking at Planet In Focus on Friday, October 15. The Green Pitch winner is Katarina Soukup, producer of the documentary, Under The City, which explores rivers that have vanished beneath the world’s great cities. Soukup wins $5,000 in cash and services from Precision Transfer Technologies, Wallace Studios, The Canadian Environmental Network and CBC’s “The Nature of Things with David Suzuki.” The judges, F.M. Morrison (Nature of Things), Lea Marin (National Film Board) and Jane Jankovic (TVO), all agreed that it was difficult selecting one winner from the six pitches.

For more info please visit: http://planetinfocus.org.