The 2016 Gimli Film Festival Closing Reception & Awards

Numerous awards were handed out at 2016 Gimli Film Festival’s Closing Reception on Saturday, July 23 at the Lakeview Resort Conference Centre.

ALDA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN CIRCUMPOLAR FILMMAKING 

Festival founder Janis Gudrun Johnson presented the Alda Award to Tantoo Cardinal at yesterday’s closing ceremonies.  Accepting the award on behalf of Cardinal was Tina Keeper (Cree activist, producer and actress).

Arguably the most widely recognized native actress, Tantoo Cardinal is a passionate women’s advocate and environmentalist who has appeared in over 50 films, including Legends of the Fall, Dances With Wolves, Black Robe, Loyalties, Luna, Spirit of the Whale, Unnatural & Accidental, Marie-Anne, Sioux City, Silent Tongue and Mother’s & Daughter’s. Her impressive television credits include recurring roles on the series: Blackstone, Arctic Air, The Guard, North of 60 and Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman.  Tantoo has received the Outstanding Achievement Award from Toronto Women in Film and Television as well as an International Women in Film Award for her lasting contribution to the arts.  She was inducted into the CBC/Playback Hall of Fame, received the Sir Peter Ustinov Award with the Banff Television Festival, and received The Sun Hill Award for Excellence in Native American Filmmaking. Additionally, Cardinal was made a Member of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honours, recognizing her contributions to the growth and development of Aboriginal performing arts in Canada.

At last night’s awards, Cardinal was described as “deeply honest… an incredible leader who has pushed many boundaries often as a lone trailblazer establishing and developing opportunities for Indigenous women.”  Now, Cardinal will add the Gimli Film Festival’s Alda Award to her long list of recognitions.

The Alda Award –a word which means ‘wave’ in Icelandic is awarded annually in celebration of outstanding filmmakers from the circumpolar nations (including Canada, the United States, Russia, the Baltics and all four Nordic countries). The Alda symbolizes the close relationship which has evolved between GFF and the circumpolar world.

“LIVIN’ THE DREAM” JACK CLEMENTS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Jack Clements “Livin’ the Dream” award, established in 2015 to recognize Clements’ huge contribution to the rich history of film in Manitoba, was awarded to Claude Forest at last night’s closing ceremonies.

Claude Forest’s company Multimedia Risk has been serving the film community since 1990.  He co-founded the Manitoba Motion picture Industry association and was a founding member of the Canadian Film and Television producers Association. 
He was also co-founder of the Winnipeg chapter of the Documentary Organization of Canada.

This year’s “Livin’ the Dream” Jack Clements Lifetime Achievement Award was presented by Norma Bailey, GFF board member, to Forest whose family was in attendance at the reception.  Forest’s acceptance speech described the birth and evolution of Multimedia Risk, and the essential role it has played in the Manitoba film industry for over two and a half decades.

RBC $10,000 EMERGING FILMMAKERS COMPETITION AWARD

Solmund MacPherson and Allegra Chiarella won yesterday’s RBC $10,000 Filmmaker’s Competition for their film pitch on “The Debut”, an intriguing animated short film about colours and ‘being blinded by a passion for music’. Thanks to RBC’s Emerging Artists program, MacPherson and Chiarella will now have the chance to bring their filmmaking vision to life.

48 HOUR FILM CONTEST, WINNIPEG FILM GROUP: 

This year’s 48 Hour Film Contest, organized by Winnipeg Film Group, played to a sold-out audience and packed Gimli Theatre yesterday afternoon!  Winners were as follows:

Best Film:  Julie Epp, Contents of the Heart

Best Director: BJ Verot, Flashkick: A Kumite Revenge Story

Best Cinematography:  Vincent Allen, Cut

Best Sound:  Lasha Mowchun, Quilted Windowpane Pantyhose

Best Score:  Julie Epp, Contents of the Heart

Best Actor:  Skye Pelletier, Remotion

Best Actress:  Lasha Mowchun, Quilted Windowpane Pantyhose

Audience Choice: BJ Verot, Flashkick: A Kumite Revenge Story

PRIZE DRAWS 

A number of fabulous raffle prizes were also drawn at last night’s reception.

•   Icelandair: two return airline tickets from anywhere Icelandair flies was won by Ross Bailey
•  A Deluxe BBQ courtesy of RONA Gimli was won by Sarah Goodman
•  A two night stay at Hecla Resort courtesy of Lakeview Resorts was won by Louise Evans
•  A lake tour with Lake Winnipeg Adventures was won by Doug Kozlowski
•  A 2017 Gimli Film Festival Package was won by David Churko
•  A day trip to Sand Hills Casino with Exclusive Bus Lines was won by Jaelee Guenther

Sunday –the final day of the 16th Annual Gimli Film Festival—promises to be excellent day in Gimli with cooler temperatures and a full slate of films on the agenda, including a re-screening of the Best of Fest pick (to be announced later today), and the final RBC Sunset Screening, The Goonies!, on the beach at 10pm.