Vancouver VIFF 2011 Award Winners

The 30th annual Vancouver International Film Festival concluded its 16-day run on Friday, October 14th. The winners of two juried awards, and five audience awards were announced prior to the screening of The Kid With a Bike by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne at the Visa Screening Room at The Vogue. The Dragons and Tigers Award was announced previously.
 
JURIED AWARDS   
 
The Canadian Images jury announced two awards. The jury included Beth Barrett, program manager of the Seattle International Film Festival; photographer, filmmaker and educator Dana Claxton; and filmmaker and chinlone (the national sport of Myanmar) expert Greg Hamilton.
 
The Shaw Media Award for Best Canadian Feature Film
 
The Shaw Media Award for Best Canadian Feature Film--this year for feature directorial debuts--and its $20,000 cash prize goes to Anne Émond of Quebec for Nuit #1. The jury selected this film "for its unflinching intimacy and atmosphere of containment with candour and lucidity." ET Canada correspondent, Erin Cebula, presented the award on behalf of Shaw Media.
 
Honourable Mention for Canadian Feature Film
Wetlands, directed by Guy Édoin (Quebec) 
 
The jury noted that VIFF presents one of the largest showcases of Quebec films outside of Quebec.
 
Most Promising Director of a Canadian Short Film Award
 
The Canadian Images jury, represented by Dana Claxton, has awarded a $2,000 cash award from an anonymous donor to Andrew Cividino of Ontario for We Ate the Children Last. The jury selected this film "for its creation of an apocalyptic, yet fully believable world."
 
AUDIENCE AWARDS
 
Rogers People's Choice Award
 
A Separation, directed by Asghar Farhadi has won the Rogers People's Choice Award. All of the festival's 375 films - dramas and nonfiction, short, mid- and feature length - were eligible, and festival-goers chose the most popular film by rating every film they saw on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). Lisa Wu, reporter for OMNI TV, presented the award on behalf of Rogers.
 
VIFF Most Popular Nonfiction Film Award
 
The audience chose Sing Your Song, directed by Susanne Rostock for the VIFF most popular Nonfiction Film Award, presented by Festival Director, Alan Franey.
 
VIFF Most Popular Canadian Film Award
 
Starbuck, directed by Ken Scott, won the VIFF Most Popular Canadian Film Award. The award was announced by Canadian Images programmer Terry McEvoy.
 
NFB Most Popular Canadian Documentary Award
 
Peace Out, directed by Charles Wilkinson, won the NFB's Most Popular Canadian Documentary award and a prize of $2,500 in NFB technical services toward their next film from the Filmmaker Assistance Program.The award was presented by Tracey Friesen, executive producer at the National Film Board of Canada's Pacific and Yukon Centre.
 
VIFF Environmental Film Audience Award  
 
People of a Feather, directed by Joel Heath, won the VIFF Environmental Film Audience Award. The award was announced by festival director, Alan Franey.
 
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED AWARDS
 
Dragons & Tigers Award for Young Cinema

The $10,000 Dragons & Tigers Award for Young Cinema, which is generously supported by donors Brad Birarda and Robert Sali, went to Tibetan director Sonthar GYAL of China for The Sun-Beaten Path. Presented to the director of a creative and innovative film from East Asia that has not yet won significant international recognition, the award was previously announced on October 6th. The distinguished jury was comprised of Ann HUI, the world-famous director whose latest film, the Venice-prize-winning A Simple Life, was screened in VIFF this year; Simon FIELD, former Head of Cinema at the ICA in London and former director of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, who is currently a consultant to the Dubai Film Festival and was co-producer of the 2010 Palme d'Or winner in Cannes, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives; and actor/director YANG Ikjune, whose feature Breathless has won many domestic and international prizes. They considered eight films in competition.
 
A more comprehensive release will be issued post-festival.
 
The Vancouver International Film Festival acknowledges the generous support of Telefilm Canada. Major corporate partners are Rogers Communications and Visa Canada. A complete list of sponsors and donors is available at viff.org.