The Whistler Film Festival (Wff) is seeking submissions for its 16th annual festival, which runs from November 30th to December 4th, 2016 and will feature up to 90 films comprised of approximately 45 features and 45 shorts. Canadian and International filmmakers are invited to submit films of all lengths and genres by the following deadlines: April 30th for early film submissions (discount on application); June 30th for regular film deadline; and July 31st for late film deadline with the extended late film deadline on August 15th.
Cinematic excellence is at the heart of the Whistler Film Festival. To recognize the vitality of this art form, the 2016 festival will feature six juried competitive sections, one audience award, and will give out over $32,500 in cash prizes and commissions. Award categories include the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature, World Documentary Film Award, Mountain Culture Award, the International and Canadian ShortWork Awards, and the BC Student ShortWork Award. All feature length films are eligible for the Audience Award selected by the festival-going public who cast their votes for the most popular film.
"Building on the success of our first fifteen years, the Whistler Film Festival remains the last significant North American festival within each calendar year, and continues to build on its reputation as “Canada’s coolest festival”,” says Paul Gratton, Wff’s Director of Programming. “For Canadian dramatic films, all Western premieres will automatically compete for the prestigious Borsos awards, and participants at the festival will have unprecedented access to distributors, broadcasters and commissioning editors from across the country. For non-Canadian entries, Whistler affords unique publicity and distribution opportunities, and serves as an entry point to the North American market. This festival has a focus on indie production that continues to grow in prestige and influence from year to year. As a filmmaker, Whistler is one festival that you can’t afford to miss.”
Celebrating its 13th edition in 2016, the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature honors independent vision, original directorial style and the diversity of talent found in Canadian independent film. All feature films of new, narrative work by Canadian filmmakers presenting their Western Canadian premieres at the festival will be eligible. In 2015, 20 entries were presented. For twelve consecutive years, Borsos Competition entries have exuded the creative fire and artistry embodied by filmmaker Phillip Borsos, known for his inspiring work on the award-winning films "The Grey Fox" (1982), and "Bethune: The Making of a Hero" (1990). An international jury of three seasoned industry veterans adjudicate the following awards: Best Canadian Feature Film (the largest cash and commission festival prize for a Canadian film after Tiff, which includes a $15,000 cash prize and $15,000 post production prize); Best Director of a Borsos Film; Best Screenplay for a Borsos Film; Best Performance in a Borsos Film; and Best Cinematography in a Borsos Film. Esteemed jury presidents have included Carl Bessai, Jason Priestley, Luc Déry, Martin Katz, Bruce Greenwood, Ivan Reitman, Atom Egoyan, Donald Sutherland, Robert Lantos and Norman Jewison.
From the personal to the political, Whistler’s World Documentary Competition will showcase up to eight innovative and unique documentaries from around the world. With courageous viewpoints and a deep-rooted desire to explore, these films capture the human spirit in its many guises and often challenge us to look at our world from a new perspective. An international jury of three will select the winner.
Up to five films will be eligible for Whistler’s Mountain Culture Film Competition. As a reflection of the festival’s unique setting, this award honours films from around the world that capture mountain places and experiences with a cinematic flourish. All films must be Western Canadian Premieres. A jury of three will select the winner.
Whistler’s ShortWork Competition will showcase up to 50 short films (under 50 minutes in length) within five short film programs. Presented with verve and limited only by their duration, these short films display the extraordinary talent, dynamism and creative exploration found in the work of some of the world’s most interesting filmmakers. A jury of three will select the International winner and a Canadian winner, which is eligible for a $1,000 cash prize and a $1,000 cash prize to the Best Canadian ShortWork Screenplay.
The BC Student ShortWork Award will be presented to a short film produced by post-secondary students in British Columbia selected from a film program of up to ten films. A three-person jury will award a $500 Cdn prize.
Film submission guidelines are now available at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com .
Cinematic excellence is at the heart of the Whistler Film Festival. To recognize the vitality of this art form, the 2016 festival will feature six juried competitive sections, one audience award, and will give out over $32,500 in cash prizes and commissions. Award categories include the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature, World Documentary Film Award, Mountain Culture Award, the International and Canadian ShortWork Awards, and the BC Student ShortWork Award. All feature length films are eligible for the Audience Award selected by the festival-going public who cast their votes for the most popular film.
"Building on the success of our first fifteen years, the Whistler Film Festival remains the last significant North American festival within each calendar year, and continues to build on its reputation as “Canada’s coolest festival”,” says Paul Gratton, Wff’s Director of Programming. “For Canadian dramatic films, all Western premieres will automatically compete for the prestigious Borsos awards, and participants at the festival will have unprecedented access to distributors, broadcasters and commissioning editors from across the country. For non-Canadian entries, Whistler affords unique publicity and distribution opportunities, and serves as an entry point to the North American market. This festival has a focus on indie production that continues to grow in prestige and influence from year to year. As a filmmaker, Whistler is one festival that you can’t afford to miss.”
Celebrating its 13th edition in 2016, the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature honors independent vision, original directorial style and the diversity of talent found in Canadian independent film. All feature films of new, narrative work by Canadian filmmakers presenting their Western Canadian premieres at the festival will be eligible. In 2015, 20 entries were presented. For twelve consecutive years, Borsos Competition entries have exuded the creative fire and artistry embodied by filmmaker Phillip Borsos, known for his inspiring work on the award-winning films "The Grey Fox" (1982), and "Bethune: The Making of a Hero" (1990). An international jury of three seasoned industry veterans adjudicate the following awards: Best Canadian Feature Film (the largest cash and commission festival prize for a Canadian film after Tiff, which includes a $15,000 cash prize and $15,000 post production prize); Best Director of a Borsos Film; Best Screenplay for a Borsos Film; Best Performance in a Borsos Film; and Best Cinematography in a Borsos Film. Esteemed jury presidents have included Carl Bessai, Jason Priestley, Luc Déry, Martin Katz, Bruce Greenwood, Ivan Reitman, Atom Egoyan, Donald Sutherland, Robert Lantos and Norman Jewison.
From the personal to the political, Whistler’s World Documentary Competition will showcase up to eight innovative and unique documentaries from around the world. With courageous viewpoints and a deep-rooted desire to explore, these films capture the human spirit in its many guises and often challenge us to look at our world from a new perspective. An international jury of three will select the winner.
Up to five films will be eligible for Whistler’s Mountain Culture Film Competition. As a reflection of the festival’s unique setting, this award honours films from around the world that capture mountain places and experiences with a cinematic flourish. All films must be Western Canadian Premieres. A jury of three will select the winner.
Whistler’s ShortWork Competition will showcase up to 50 short films (under 50 minutes in length) within five short film programs. Presented with verve and limited only by their duration, these short films display the extraordinary talent, dynamism and creative exploration found in the work of some of the world’s most interesting filmmakers. A jury of three will select the International winner and a Canadian winner, which is eligible for a $1,000 cash prize and a $1,000 cash prize to the Best Canadian ShortWork Screenplay.
The BC Student ShortWork Award will be presented to a short film produced by post-secondary students in British Columbia selected from a film program of up to ten films. A three-person jury will award a $500 Cdn prize.
Film submission guidelines are now available at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com .
- 3/9/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Dismaland Castle and Big Little Mermaid suffering from split-personality disorder. Dismaland: Banksy and more than 50 other artists create bemusement theme park Who gives a damn about the cheap thrills to be offered by the Star Wars-themed expansion of Disneyland when you can relish the thought-provoking wonders of Dismaland? The artist Banksy, whose 2010 documentary feature Exit Through the Gift Shop was nominated for an Academy Award, has come up with his latest revolutionary artwork: a theme park for the bemusement of the whole family! Or perhaps not quite the whole family. Banksy calls his 2.5-acre art show a “family theme park unsuitable for small children.” Another Dismaland plus. Its construction shrouded in secrecy, Dismaland opened today, Aug. 20, '15, on the sea front at Weston-super-Mare, in Somerset, southwest England. While the theme park was being built, locals believed that the work going on at the derelict Tropicana “lido” – shut down in...
- 8/20/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
One Magic Christmas
Directed by Phillip Borsos
Written by Phillip Borsos, Barry Healey, Thomas Meehan
Starring Mary Steenburgen, Harry Dean Stanton, Elisabeth Harnois, Gary Basaraba
I suppose it’s perfectly fitting that religion became a topic of discussion on our most recent episode, seeing as the movie we were discussing was set at Christmas, one of the most religious times of year. I alluded to this on the podcast, but I was not raised in any kind of religious setting. If secularism has become the prevailing attitude during the 21st-century holiday season, as is so often espoused by hand-wringing media pundits, it sprang forth from homes like the one I grew up in. Like Mike’s mom, my mother was raised Catholic and taught by nuns. She grew up in the working-class suburbs of Buffalo, New York, one of six children living under the rule of two strict, God-fearing parents.
Directed by Phillip Borsos
Written by Phillip Borsos, Barry Healey, Thomas Meehan
Starring Mary Steenburgen, Harry Dean Stanton, Elisabeth Harnois, Gary Basaraba
I suppose it’s perfectly fitting that religion became a topic of discussion on our most recent episode, seeing as the movie we were discussing was set at Christmas, one of the most religious times of year. I alluded to this on the podcast, but I was not raised in any kind of religious setting. If secularism has become the prevailing attitude during the 21st-century holiday season, as is so often espoused by hand-wringing media pundits, it sprang forth from homes like the one I grew up in. Like Mike’s mom, my mother was raised Catholic and taught by nuns. She grew up in the working-class suburbs of Buffalo, New York, one of six children living under the rule of two strict, God-fearing parents.
- 12/15/2012
- by Josh Spiegel
- SoundOnSight
Whistler Film Festival Offers Sneak Peek of 2012 Film and Summit Programming Early Bird Industry Registration, Festival Passes and Accommodation Now Available. The countdown has begun! The 12th annual Whistler Film Festival returns November 28 to December 2, 2012 and the Festival is proud to offer a sneak peek of the first wave of confirmed films as well highlights from its industry program designed to foster innovation, connections and deals. Set in North America’s premiere mountain resort, the Whistler Film Festival combines an esteemed international film competition with a concentrated screen-based industry Summit organized to address the ever-evolving landscape crossing borders and platforms in the digital age. The Festival hosts filmmaking luminaries for an intimate five-day program of screenings, tributes, industry initiatives and special events. Up to 90 innovative and original films from Canada and around the world will be presented. Recognized by filmmakers and film lovers alike as one of Canada’s most important showcases for film, the Festival is a place where artists are celebrated, audiences are inspired, new ideas are discussed, and business opportunities are solidified.
"This year's Whistler Film Festival program will prove to be an exciting and eclectic mix of traditional quality festival fare, sprinkled with a large sampling of the unusual, the unexpected and the just plain entertaining," comments Paul Gratton, Wff’s Director of Programming. "From the sublime to the outrageous, the films at Wff this year will offer something for everyone, with more than a few surprises along the way. The Summit will complement our film programming by addressing key challenges and opportunities facing the industry this year." The Whistler Film Festival is pleased to announce the first round of confirmed titles. Leading off the charge in this year's Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature are two world premieres, named in honor of legendary Canadian filmmaker Phillip Borsos. The Mad Ship, a first feature from Winnipeg based filmmaker David Morton, presents some of the most breathtaking shots of the prairies ever committed to film, and tells the true story of a Scandinavian immigrant caught in the Depression-era dustbowl where drought destroyed the farming hopes of a generation of would-be Prairie settlers. Having lost everything, he embarks on the Sisyphean task of building a boat in the middle of nowhere, far from any body of water. The Mad Ship features performances by Gil Bellows, Martha Burns and Aidan Devine, with Nikolaj Lie Kass in the lead. Sean Garrity's pulse-pounding thriller Blood Pressure about an unhappy wife who starts receiving anonymous notes enticing her to perform certain inexplicable acts of voyeurism directed towards a mysterious young man. Michelle Giroux, Tatiana Maslany and Jonas Chernick are featured. Another Borsos contender returns Garrity and Chernick with My Awkward Sexual Adventure, undoubtedly the funniest Canadian sex comedy ever made. A nerd is dumped by his true love for being a lousy lover. When he attempts to drown his sorrows, a Toronto stripper played by Emily Hampshire takes pity on him and teaches him the ropes, so to speak. Also featured in the Borsos Competition is Michael McGowan's moving new film, Still, featuring unforgettable performances by James Cromwell and Genevieve Bujold, who play an aging couple that lead the fight against diminished faculties by attempting to build their own dream house, despite objections from family members and the Maritime municipality in which they live. A film that will have everyone talking is the English Canadian premiere of Martin Laroch’s faux documentary Fair Sex (Les Manèges Humains), featuring a courageous, unforgettable performance by Marie-Evelyne Lessard, who plays an African-Québecoise making a documentary on her summer job with itinerant country fair workers. What starts out as a light-hearted treatise on how to lock up a ferris wheel at night, soon transforms itself into something far more substantial, as a shocking reveal at the halfway mark leads to the most human, extended sex scene between a young woman with a very particular request and an older man in his 40s who reluctantly agrees to her proposal. This is one movie that will not leave you indifferent.
Other titles confirmed for Whistler include Mountain Culture entry The Mountain Runners, an engrossing docudrama about the first mountain footrace held in Bellingham, Washington in 1911 directed by Todd Warger and Brian Young. Two other American indie films, both featuring the charismatic Julia Stiles as part of talented ensemble casts who is confirmed to attend this year’s fest, will have their BC premieres at Whistler. It's a Disaster is a dark comedy about four couples who get together for Sunday brunch regularly, only on this particular occasion, a 'dirty' bomb has gone off in downtown San Francisco, forcing them to seal up their windows, and try to carry on as usual, with David Cross and America Ferrara. Also starring Ms. Stiles is Dan Mirvisch's first feature Between Us (David Harbour, Taye Diggs and Melissa George) about two couples who get together after years of estrangement to patch up old differences, only to find that some broken things can't be mended. Taking place during the 2012 Whistler Film Festival, the Whistler Summit features three concentrated days of business programmes and networking where industry can delve into the ever-evolving convergence of the art, technology and commerce of cinema. Wondering about digital platforms and distribution, how to break into the China market, the latest trends in Visual FX, or the business of made for TV movies? Offering in-depth conversations, lively debates, and critical insight into a broad range of issues vital to the international and domestic film communities that address crossing borders and platforms in the digital age, Whistler is the place to be, to connect and to deal. New for 2012 is the China Canada Gateway for Film® Script Competition, a dynamic pitching competition designed to stimulate international financing for Canadian feature film projects by introducing experienced Canadian writer/producer teams to Chinese studios with up to $15 million on the table for three selected projects. “This year’s festival marks our 12th edition and we have some major developments which will reinforce Whistler’s reputation as being an important place to experience fresh films and connect with industry leaders,” says Whistler Film Festival Society Executive Director Shauna Hardy Mishaw. “Prepare to be inspired; our lineup this year promises to exceed expectations.” The Festival’s online box office is now open for early bird industry registration, festival passes and ticket packages until October 31st. Best accommodation rates are also available starting from $79* per night until November 8th. The Festival lineup and film schedule will be available online on November 1st. Individual film and special event tickets go on sale on online November 1st (until December 2nd). The Festival Box Office opens November 1st for phone sales and on November 22nd for walk-in sales. For information, go to www.whistlerfilmfestival.com The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Bell Media, Variety, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, American Airlines, Sorel, Kokanee and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler. About the Whistler Film Festival Society The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs and opportunities for filmmakers. About Whistler Located in the spectacular Coast Mountains of British Columbia, and just two hours north of Vancouver, Whistler is Canada’s premier, year-round destination. Consistently ranked the number one mountain resort in North America, Whistler features two majestic mountains, epic skiing and snowboarding conditions, four championship golf courses, more than 200 shops, 90 restaurants and bars, accommodations galore, hiking trails, spas and arguably the best mountain bike park in the world. In short, Whistler has everything you will ever need to have the time of your life - and so much more.
"This year's Whistler Film Festival program will prove to be an exciting and eclectic mix of traditional quality festival fare, sprinkled with a large sampling of the unusual, the unexpected and the just plain entertaining," comments Paul Gratton, Wff’s Director of Programming. "From the sublime to the outrageous, the films at Wff this year will offer something for everyone, with more than a few surprises along the way. The Summit will complement our film programming by addressing key challenges and opportunities facing the industry this year." The Whistler Film Festival is pleased to announce the first round of confirmed titles. Leading off the charge in this year's Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature are two world premieres, named in honor of legendary Canadian filmmaker Phillip Borsos. The Mad Ship, a first feature from Winnipeg based filmmaker David Morton, presents some of the most breathtaking shots of the prairies ever committed to film, and tells the true story of a Scandinavian immigrant caught in the Depression-era dustbowl where drought destroyed the farming hopes of a generation of would-be Prairie settlers. Having lost everything, he embarks on the Sisyphean task of building a boat in the middle of nowhere, far from any body of water. The Mad Ship features performances by Gil Bellows, Martha Burns and Aidan Devine, with Nikolaj Lie Kass in the lead. Sean Garrity's pulse-pounding thriller Blood Pressure about an unhappy wife who starts receiving anonymous notes enticing her to perform certain inexplicable acts of voyeurism directed towards a mysterious young man. Michelle Giroux, Tatiana Maslany and Jonas Chernick are featured. Another Borsos contender returns Garrity and Chernick with My Awkward Sexual Adventure, undoubtedly the funniest Canadian sex comedy ever made. A nerd is dumped by his true love for being a lousy lover. When he attempts to drown his sorrows, a Toronto stripper played by Emily Hampshire takes pity on him and teaches him the ropes, so to speak. Also featured in the Borsos Competition is Michael McGowan's moving new film, Still, featuring unforgettable performances by James Cromwell and Genevieve Bujold, who play an aging couple that lead the fight against diminished faculties by attempting to build their own dream house, despite objections from family members and the Maritime municipality in which they live. A film that will have everyone talking is the English Canadian premiere of Martin Laroch’s faux documentary Fair Sex (Les Manèges Humains), featuring a courageous, unforgettable performance by Marie-Evelyne Lessard, who plays an African-Québecoise making a documentary on her summer job with itinerant country fair workers. What starts out as a light-hearted treatise on how to lock up a ferris wheel at night, soon transforms itself into something far more substantial, as a shocking reveal at the halfway mark leads to the most human, extended sex scene between a young woman with a very particular request and an older man in his 40s who reluctantly agrees to her proposal. This is one movie that will not leave you indifferent.
Other titles confirmed for Whistler include Mountain Culture entry The Mountain Runners, an engrossing docudrama about the first mountain footrace held in Bellingham, Washington in 1911 directed by Todd Warger and Brian Young. Two other American indie films, both featuring the charismatic Julia Stiles as part of talented ensemble casts who is confirmed to attend this year’s fest, will have their BC premieres at Whistler. It's a Disaster is a dark comedy about four couples who get together for Sunday brunch regularly, only on this particular occasion, a 'dirty' bomb has gone off in downtown San Francisco, forcing them to seal up their windows, and try to carry on as usual, with David Cross and America Ferrara. Also starring Ms. Stiles is Dan Mirvisch's first feature Between Us (David Harbour, Taye Diggs and Melissa George) about two couples who get together after years of estrangement to patch up old differences, only to find that some broken things can't be mended. Taking place during the 2012 Whistler Film Festival, the Whistler Summit features three concentrated days of business programmes and networking where industry can delve into the ever-evolving convergence of the art, technology and commerce of cinema. Wondering about digital platforms and distribution, how to break into the China market, the latest trends in Visual FX, or the business of made for TV movies? Offering in-depth conversations, lively debates, and critical insight into a broad range of issues vital to the international and domestic film communities that address crossing borders and platforms in the digital age, Whistler is the place to be, to connect and to deal. New for 2012 is the China Canada Gateway for Film® Script Competition, a dynamic pitching competition designed to stimulate international financing for Canadian feature film projects by introducing experienced Canadian writer/producer teams to Chinese studios with up to $15 million on the table for three selected projects. “This year’s festival marks our 12th edition and we have some major developments which will reinforce Whistler’s reputation as being an important place to experience fresh films and connect with industry leaders,” says Whistler Film Festival Society Executive Director Shauna Hardy Mishaw. “Prepare to be inspired; our lineup this year promises to exceed expectations.” The Festival’s online box office is now open for early bird industry registration, festival passes and ticket packages until October 31st. Best accommodation rates are also available starting from $79* per night until November 8th. The Festival lineup and film schedule will be available online on November 1st. Individual film and special event tickets go on sale on online November 1st (until December 2nd). The Festival Box Office opens November 1st for phone sales and on November 22nd for walk-in sales. For information, go to www.whistlerfilmfestival.com The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Bell Media, Variety, the Directors Guild of Canada - British Columbia, American Airlines, Sorel, Kokanee and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler. About the Whistler Film Festival Society The Whistler Film Festival Society (Wffs) is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler. Wffs produces one of Canada's leading film festivals and plays a leadership role in offering project development programs and opportunities for filmmakers. About Whistler Located in the spectacular Coast Mountains of British Columbia, and just two hours north of Vancouver, Whistler is Canada’s premier, year-round destination. Consistently ranked the number one mountain resort in North America, Whistler features two majestic mountains, epic skiing and snowboarding conditions, four championship golf courses, more than 200 shops, 90 restaurants and bars, accommodations galore, hiking trails, spas and arguably the best mountain bike park in the world. In short, Whistler has everything you will ever need to have the time of your life - and so much more.
- 9/11/2012
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Richard Farnsworth in David Lynch's The Straight Story Jeff Bridges, Ellen Burstyn, Albert Finney, Julie Walters: Oscar Veterans 2000 Richard Farnsworth Richard Farnsworth was nominated as Best Actor for David Lynch's drama The Straight Story. Farnsworth had previously received a Best Supporting Actor nod for Alan J. Pakula's Comes a Horseman (1978), in which he was featured opposite Jane Fonda and James Caan. Among Farnsworth's other credits are William Wiard's Tom Horn (1980), Phillip Borsos' The Grey Fox (1982), and Rob Reiner's Misery (1990). The former stuntman was 79 when the 1999 nominations were announced in early 2000. He killed himself that same year after discovering he was terminally ill with cancer.
- 2/18/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Pope film a Hotz ticket at Whistler
WHISTLER, British Columbia -- Papal Chase, a mock documentary about a young Jewish man attempting to meet Pope John Paul II on a Canadian papal tour while dressed as a horned devil grabbed the inaugural Phillip Borsos Award as best Canadian film at the fourth annual Whistler Film Festival wrapped. The irreverent feature-length film, directed by Kenny Hotz (Pitch) on a slim $800 budget, beat out five other Canadian films for the prize. "I can't believe Whistler is cool enough to embrace guerilla independent film making," a surprised Hotz said at the closing awards brunch Sunday. The film was shot during the Pope's 2003 stay in Toronto for World Youth Day celebrations. Hotz never did meet the Pontiff, but he was run over in the Papal Mass by a golf cart, targeted by police snipers and, wearing horns and red grease paint, escorted off site by Vatican security forces.
- 12/7/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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