Film patrons fête First Nations

Received this piece of good news from the good folk at GAT (http://www.gat.ca/) worth passing along - with some flick links added - regarding the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival (http://www.imaginenative.org/) held recently:

12th Annual imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival

Presenting Sponsor: Bell Media

October 19-23, 2011

imagineNATIVE Closes Out #12 - 

The Most Successful Year To Date For The Festival

Filmmakers Honoured With Esteemed Awards  

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival came to a close tonight making it the most successful year the Festival has seen in its 12 year history. "I'm happy beyond words with this year's imagineNATIVE," an elated Jason Ryle, Executive Director of imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival said. "It was our largest Festival ever and I'm so touched by the level of community support. Feedback for our programming and new venue has been immensely positive and I thank everyone for coming out and making this the most successful imagineNATIVE to date." The Awards presentation was held at the Mod Club, and hosted by the effervescent Billy Merasty. BEST DRAMATIC FEATURE presented by Bell Media ($1,500 cash award) HERE I AM directed by Beck Cole http://www.hereiamfilm.com/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1764358/ BEST CANADIAN SHORT DRAMA presented by Isuma TV ($1,000 cash award) AMAQQUT NUNAAT  (The Country of Wolves) directed by Neil Christopher, produced by Louise Flaherty http://countryofwolves.weebly.com/ HONOURABLE MENTION EAGLE VS. SPARROW directed by Michelle Derosier http://www.thunderstonepictures.com/tales-our-granfathers-told-us/ BEST SHORT DRAMA presented by TVO ($1,000 cash award) SALAR  directed by Nicholas Greene http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1651083/ BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY presented by CBC ($1,000 cash award) SPIRIT OF THE BLUEBIRD directed by Jesse Gouchey, co-director Xstine Cook http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839610/ THE ALANIS OBOMSAWIN BEST DOCUMENTARY AWARD presented by Alanis Obomsawin on behalf of the National Film Board ($1,500 cash award) THE TALL MAN directed by Tony Krawitz http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1864549/ BEST EXPERIMENTAL presented by Images Festival ($1,000 cash award) THE GIFT directed by Terril Calder http://www.imaginenative.org/filmpreview.php?id=555 BEST RADIO presented by Astral ($1,000 cash award) BRING YOUR DRUM produced and hosted by Janet Rogers BEST NEW MEDIA presented by VTape ($1,000 cash award)  GOD'S LAKE NARROWS co-created and written by Kevin Lee Burton THE CYNTHIA-LICKERS SAGE AWARD FOR EMERGING TALENT presented by Cynthia-Lickers Sage on behalf of VTape ($1,000 cash award) AMAQQUT NUNAAT(The Country of Wolves) directed by Neil Christopher, produced by Louise Flaherty BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE PRODUCTION AWARD presented by the Canada Media Fun ($1,000 cash award) SAMSON & DELILAH directed by Warwick Thornton BEST MUSIC VIDEO presented by Slaight Music ($1,000 cash award) I LOST MY SHADOW directed by Nanobah Becker SHAW MEDIA MENTORSHIP PROGRAM 2011 Mentee Introduction by Karen King, Production Executive (mentor) Awarded to  Zoe Leigh Hopkins    DRAMA PITCH PRIZE presented by Aboriginal People's Television Network (APTN) Supported by William F. White and Technicolor ($5,000 development deal with APTN; $2,000 voucher for services at William F. White; and $500 in services from Technicolor Awarded to Jeff Barnhart for his pitch The Flying Man DOCUMENTARY PITCH PRIZE presented by CBC Network Supported by William F. White and Technicolor ($500 cash prive from CBC; $2,000 voucher for services at William F. White; and $500 in services from Technicolor Awarded to Angie Pepper O'bomsawin for her pitch The Wrong Kind of Indian THE ELLEN MONAGUE AWARD FOR BEST YOUTH WORK presented by RBC ($1,000 cash award) THE DIMMING directed by Ippiksaut Friesen

About imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival

imagineNATIVE is an international festival that celebrates the latest works by Indigenous peoples at the forefront of innovation in film, video, radio, and new media. Each October, the Festival presents a selection of the most compelling and distinctive Indigenous works from around the globe. The Festival's screenings, Industry Series, and cultural and social events attract and connect filmmakers, media artists, programmers, buyers, and industry professionals. The works accepted reflect the diversity of the world's Indigenous nations and illustrate the vitality and excellence of our art and culture in contemporary media.

2011 Sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor: Bell Media

Gold: Aboriginal Peoples Television Network * Astral Radio * Deluxe * Slaight Music

Silver: Canada Media Fund * Casino Rama * Global Toronto * RBC Royal Bank

Bronze: Astral's Harold Greenberg Fund * CBC * IsumaTV * TD Bank * Thunderbird Centre * TVO

Media: NAPT * NOW Magazine * SAY Magazine * Aboriginal Voices Radio 106.5FM * Xtra!

Public Funders: Canada Council for the Arts * Canadian Heritage * Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training * Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture * Ontario Arts Council * Telefilm Canada * Toronto Arts Council

Community Partners: A Space Gallery * ACTRA Toronto * Beehive Design * Charles Street Video * Edward Day Gallery * Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto * Native Canadian Centre of Toronto * National Film Board of Canada * V tape * William F. White * WIFT-Toronto * York University

Hospitality: Hilton Garden Inn * Joe Mamas * Keriwa Café

Friends: Air Creebec * DHL * SABAR * Technicolor

Foundations: Dreamcatcher Fund * The MacLean Foundation * Metcalf Foundation * Ontario Trillium Foundation * The Pluralism Fund

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