HOT DOCS AWARDS TOP HONOURS TO WHEN I WALK AND DRAGON GIRLS
$89,000 IN CASH AND PRIZES GIVEN TO FESTIVAL FILMS AND FILMMAKERS
Hot Docs is pleased to announce the winners of the Festival’s 2013 awards. The Hot Docs Awards Presentation, hosted by Jian Ghomeshi (host, CBC Radio One’s Q), took place on Friday, May 3, at the Windsor Arms Hotel inToronto. Eleven awards and $89,000 in cash and prizes were presented to Canadian and international filmmakers, including awards for Festival films in competition and those recognizing emerging and established filmmakers. A selection of three award-winning films will have added screenings on Sunday, May 5.
The Best Canadian Feature Documentary Award was presented to WHEN I WALK (D: Jason DaSilva; P: Jason DaSilva, Alice Cook; USA, Canada), the story of a young filmmaker fighting to live his dreams while struggling with Multiple Sclerosis. Sponsored by the Documentary Organization of Canada, the award includes a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of Hot Docs. Jury statement: “For its unflinching honesty, and courage in the face of personal vulnerability and physical fragility, we award the Best Canadian Feature Documentary Award to When I Walk.” WHEN I WALK screens again on Saturday, May 4, at 1:30 pm at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.
The Special Jury Prize – Canadian Feature Documentary was presented to ALPHÉE OF THE STARS (D: Hugo Latulippe; P: Colette Loumède, Éric De Gheldere, Hugo Latulippe; Canada), in which the filmmaker and his family spend a year abroad to focus on the needs of his developmentally challenged daughter. Sponsored by the Directors Guild of Canada and DGC-Ontario, the award includes a $5000 cash prize courtesy of Hot Docs. Jury statement: “For its highly personal and poetic approach to the subject, as well as its cinematic vision, the jury awards the Special Jury Prize – Canadian Feature Documentary to Alphée of the Stars.” ALPHÉE OF THE STARS screens again on Saturday, May 4, at 3:30 pm at the ROM Theatre.
New this year, the documentary Emerging Canadian Filmmaker Award was presented to director Nicolas Renaud forBRAVE NEW RIVER (Canada), which looks at the effects of massive hydroelectric projects on the local Cree of James Bay. Awarded to a first- or second-time Canadian filmmaker with a feature film in the Canadian Spectrum program, the award includes a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of documentary. Jury statement: “For bringing a filmmaker’s eye to a familiar debate regarding natural resources and the impact of humankind on the planet and our fellow species, we present the documentary Emerging Canadian Filmmaker Award to Nicolas Renaud for Brave New River.” BRAVE NEW RIVER screens again on Saturday, May 4, at 3:00 pm at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.
The Best International Feature Documentary Award was presented to DRAGON GIRLS (D: Inigo Westmeier; P: Inigo Westmeier, Andreas Simon; Germany), the story of young female warriors-in-training learning ancient Shaolin Kung Fu at a school outside Beijing. Sponsored by A&E, the award includes a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of Hot Docs. Jury statement: “Set against a cultural and political context that prizes conformity, this film is a skillful and cinematic portrait of inspiring and enduring young girls. The Best International Feature Documentary Award goes to Dragon Girls.” DRAGON GIRLS screens again on Sunday, May 5, at 11:00 am at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema. An additional screening has been added on Sunday, May 5, at 6:30 pm at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema.
The Special Jury Prize – International Feature Documentary was presented to CLOUDY MOUNTAINS (D: Zhu Yu; P: Han Lei; China), the story of a son and his father who labour amidst toxic clouds during asbestos mining season in Lop Nur, Western China. Sponsored by the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the award includes a $5000 cash prize courtesy of Hot Docs. Jury statement: “For a masterful cinematic story of an isolated community struggling to keep its humanity despite the overwhelming industrial wreckage resulting from the pursuit of blind economic growth, the Special Jury Prize – International Feature Documentary is awarded to Cloudy Mountains.”
The HBO Documentary Films Emerging Artist Award was presented to director Lotfy Nathan for 12 O’CLOCK BOYS (USA), the story of a young boy seeking to join a raucous urban dirt-bike gang in Baltimore. Sponsored by HBO Documentary Films, the award includes a $3000 cash prize courtesy of Hot Docs. Jury statement: “For his capacity to capture rare insight and recognizing strong characters in a complex maze of urban stories, the HBO Documentary Films Emerging Artist Award goes to Lotfy Nathan, director of 12 O’Clock Boys.” 12 O’CLOCK BOYS screens again on Saturday, May 4, at 9:30 pm at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.
The award for Best Mid-Length Documentary was presented to THE CIRCLE (D: Bram Conjaerts; P: Kobe Van Steenberghe, Hendrik Verthé; Belgium), in which those who live atop the 27-km subterranean circle housing the Large Hadron Collider ponder humanity’s insatiable need to discover the origins of life. Sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts, the award includes a $3000 cash prize courtesy of Hot Docs. Jury statement: “The Best Mid-Length Documentary Award is presented to The Circle for taking you to an unexpected place, connecting you to a subject you would normally have difficulty relating to. It reminds you how smart ordinary people can be through creative film techniques and the imaginative use of himself.” THE CIRCLE screens again on Sunday, May 5, at 9:30 pm at the Isabel Bader Theatre.
The Best Short Documentary Award was presented to NOTES ON BLINDNESS: RAINFALL (D: James Spinney, Peter Middleton; P: Peter Middleton, Jen Kerrison; UK, Australia), which recreates the visceral experience of a recently blinded man hearing rainfall for the first time. The award includes a $3000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs. Jury statement: “The Best Short Documentary Award is presented to Notes on Blindness: Rainfall for presenting to us the visceral landscape described so eloquently by John Hull.” Hot Docs is an Academy Award® qualifying festival for short documentaries, and as winner of the Best Short Documentary Award NOTES ON BLINDNESS: RAINFALL will qualify for consideration in the Documentary Short Subject category of the Annual Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided it complies with Academy rules.
The Inspirit Foundation Pluralism Prize was presented to director Khoa Lê for BÀ NỘI (Canada), which tells the story of the filmmaker’s return to Vietnam and the connections between his Canadian identity and cultural roots. Selected by the Inspirit Foundation, the award includes a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of the Inspirit Foundation. Inspirit Foundation jury statement: “The Inspirit Foundation Pluralism Prize is awarded to the Canadian film that best ignites conversations and learning among young people of different spiritual, religious and secular backgrounds. The winner of the 2013 Inspirit Foundation Pluralism Prize is Bà Nội. The jury selected this film based on the young filmmaker’s originality and ability to beautifully illustrate the search for his cultural and spiritual identity.” An additional screening of BÀ NỘI has been added on Sunday, May 5, at 7:30 pm at the Hart House Theatre.
The Lindalee Tracey Award, which honours an emerging Canadian filmmaker with a passionate point of view, a strong sense of social justice and a sense of humour, was presented to two recipients: Antoine Bourges and Rocco Barriuso, both of Toronto. Each recipient received a $5000 cash prize from Tides/Lindalee Tracey Fund and $5000 in production services from Technicolour Canada.
The Hot Docs Board of Directors acknowledged Les Blank as the recipient of the 2013 Hot Docs Outstanding Achievement Award. Having tragically passed away on April 7, 2013, the award was accepted on his behalf by Chris Simon and Maureen Gosling, his longtime friends and collaborators.
Earlier today at the Hot Docs Doc Summit, Winnipeg-based producer Merit Jensen Carr was presented withdocumentary’s Don Haig Award, which came with a $10,000 cash prize.
Earlier in the week, Debra Zimmerman, executive director of Women Make Movies, received the 2013 Doc Mogul Award at a special luncheon.
The 2013 awards for films in competition were determined by three juries.
The Canadian Feature Documentary Jury: Karen Gordon (film reviewer, CBC Radio One’s Metro Morning), MichałMarczak (director, FUCK FOR FOREST), Katherine Monk (national movie writer, Postmedia News Service), Roxanne Sayegh (executive director, Montreal International Documentary Festival).
The International Feature Documentary Jury: Dan Berger (acquisitions, Oscilloscope) Leslie Feist (musician), Raoul Peck (director, FATAL ASSISTANCE), Dawn Porter (director, GIDEON’S ARMY).
The Shorts and Mid-Length Jury: Susan MacKinnon (producer), Ann Pick (producer, director), Rick Salutin (author and journalist, The Toronto Star).
The Netflix Audience Award and audience top ten favourite films of the 2013 Festival, determined by audience ballot, will be announced on Monday, May 6. The public can contribute to a cash prize for the Netflix Audience Award on Hot Docs’ crowd funding service Doc Ignite. Also announced on this day is the Filmmaker Award, determined by ballots cast by Hot Docs 2013 filmmakers.
