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Renuka learns to use a rifle at the Durga
Vahini camp in The World Before Her
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Hot Docs is pleased
to announce the winners of the Festival's 2012 awards. The Hot Docs Awards
Presentation, hosted by Jian Ghomeshi (host, Q CBC Radio One), took place on
Friday, May 4, at the Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto. Ten awards and $71,000 in cash
prizes were presented to Canadian and international filmmakers, including
awards for Festival films in competition and those recognizing emerging and
established filmmakers. The Best Canadian Feature, Best International Feature,
and the Inspirit Foundation Pluralism Prize winners will have encore screenings
on Sunday, May 6.
The award for Best Canadian Feature
was presented to THE WORLD BEFORE HER
(D: Nisha Pahuja; P: Cornelia Principe, Nisha Pahuja, Ed Barreveld), a
revealing looking at the clash between modernity and tradition faced by young
women in India. Sponsored by the Documentary Organization of Canada,
the award includes a $10,000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs. Jury statement:
“For its brave and provocative exploration of the role of women at its
two extremes in contemporary Indian society, the jury recognizes the
exceptional storytelling of THE WORLD BEFORE HER. THE WORLD BEFORE HER will
screen on Saturday, May 5, at 9:30 p.m. at the TIFF Bell Lightbox (350 King Street West)
and on Sunday, May 6, at 11:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Isabel Bader Theatre (93 Charles Street West).
The Special Jury Prize –
Canadian Feature was presented to PEACE
OUT (D: Charles Wilkinson; P: Tina Schliessler), which explores the
high costs of energy development in Canada’s
pristine Peace River. Sponsored by the
Directors Guild of Canada and the DGC-Ontario, the award includes a $5000 prize
courtesy of Hot Docs. Jury statement: “For its intelligent treatment of
the environmental debate around the Peace River,
an urgent Canadian issue with global implications, the jury recognizes PEACE
OUT as a necessary call to arms.”
New this year, the Inspirit
Foundation Pluralism Prize was awarded to a film in the Canadian
Spectrum program that presents an accessible perspective (or perspectives) of
one or more belief systems in such a way as to contribute to the development of
mutual understanding, respect and inclusion among young people in society. Selected
and presented by the Inspirit Foundation, the inaugural prize was awarded to THE BOXING GIRLS OF KABUL (D: Ariel J. Nasr;
P: Annette Clark), the story of a courageous group of young Afghan women who
risk persecution to become world-class boxers, training in a stadium where the
Taliban once executed women. The award comes with a $10,000 prize courtesy of
the Inspirit Foundation. THE BOXING GIRLS OF KABUL will screen again on Sunday,
May 6, at 1:30 p.m. and at 6:15 p.m. at the Cumberland Cinemas (159 Cumberland Street). (Click here for a review of The Boxing Girls of Kabul.)
The award for Best International
Feature was presented to CALL ME
KUCHU (D: Malika Zouhali-Worrall, Katherine Fairfax Wright; P:
Malika Zouhali-Worrall; USA), which looks at the formidable efforts of Ugandan
activist David Kato to fight his country’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill and
liberate his fellow LGBT citizens. Sponsored by A&E, the award includes a
$10,000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs. Jury statement: “CALL ME KUCHU explains
a great injustice with life-and-death consequences and accomplishes the rare
achievement of showing both the human tragedies and the triumphs of the
struggle. Combining directorial intent with the prescience and persistence that
enables a documentary's crew to be in an important place at an important time,
we the Jury recognize CALL ME KUCHU for its wrenching yet inspiring depiction
of people trying to succeed as humans and as activists in the face of
hatred.” CALL ME KUCHU will screen again on Saturday, May 5, at 9:00 p.m.
at the Isabel Bader Theatre (93 Charles
Street West) and on Sunday, May 6, at 6:00 p.m. at
the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema (506
Bloor Street West).
The Special Jury Prize –
International Feature was presented to THE LAW IN THESE PARTS (D: Ra'anan Alexandrowicz; P: Liran
Atzmor, B.Z. Goldberg; Israel), in which the legal minds who worked in the
Occupied Territories in the Gaza Strip speak candidly about creating a
framework that has had a profound global impact. Sponsored by the Ontario Media
Development Corporation, the award includes a $5000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs.
Jury statement: “We the Jury recognize THE LAW IN THESE PARTS for its
brilliance and simplicity, turning the issues of history in Israel and the
Palestinian Territories into a broader and more direct question: How precisely
do civilized democracies process legally and morally complex actions in the
name of survival? Viewing legislation through the lens of the people who
enacted it long ago with a modern and forward-looking sense of filmmaking as
art, THE LAW IN THESE PARTS reveals the fragile nature of international law in
contemporary conflict.” (Click here for a review of The Law in These Parts)
The HBO Documentary Films Emerging
Artist Award was shared by the directors of two films: Bill Ross and
Turner Ross for TCHOUPITOULAS (P:
Bill Ross, Turner Ross; USA),
and Benjamin Kahlmeyer for MEANWHILE IN
MAMELODI (P: Boris Frank; Germany,
South Africa).
The HBO Documentary Films Emerging Artist Award is sponsored by HBO Documentary
Films. Jury statement: “We the Jury recognize these films because they
have an indelible sense of place while speaking to universal concerns of
community. We also recognize these films as they represent a superb combination
of both the constructed and the found. While each film shows us places we think
we know, whether New Orleans or Pretoria, both use the
tools and craft of non-fiction storytelling to give the viewer different
perspectives and new insights. The Jury awards these prizes in recognition of
the merits of these films, but also to note how strongly and sincerely we look
forward to the future works from these filmmakers as they continue to push the
medium forward.” (Review of Meanwhile in Mamelodi)
The award for Best Mid-Length
Documentary was presented to MY
THAI BRIDE (D/P: David Tucker; Australia), the story of a
Welshman’s complicated marriage to an attractive younger Thai woman.
Sponsored by Canada Council for the Arts, the award includes a $3000 prize
courtesy of Hot Docs. Jury statement: “MY THAI BRIDE is a film that takes
the story of an unlikely couple and through subtle analysis extends their human
dramas into a moving examination of political, cultural and economic power
dynamics. It is a film that destabilizes its viewer's empathy through a nuanced
and even-handed portrayal of charged, contradictory terrain, and reframes
who exactly is the conqueror and conquered.” The Shorts and Mid-Length
Jury also gave an honourable mention to NESSA
(D: Loghman Khaledi; P: Katayoon Shahabi; Iran).
The award for Best Short Documentary
was presented to FIVE FRAGMENTS OF THE
EXTINCT EMPATHY (D: Anna Nykyri; P: Joonas Berghäll; Finland), which lays bare Finland’s antipathy towards
dealing with domestic violence. The award includes a $3000 prize courtesy of
Hot Docs. Jury statement: “In just seven minutes this film creates a
poetry of contraction between its stunning black and white imagery and
grandiose music, to illustrate how cycles of violence persist and are imprinted
upon the faces of Finnish women.” The Shorts and Mid-Length Jury also
gave an honourable mention to FAMILY
NIGHTMARE (D/P: Dustin Guy Defa; USA).
The Hot Docs Board of Directors acknowledged Michel Brault as the recipient of the 2012 Hot Docs Outstanding Achievement Award,
which was presented to the influential Canadian filmmaker at an event earlier
in the day.
documentary's Don Haig Award, presented annually to a Canadian
documentary filmmaker whose work demonstrates a unique voice and talent, was
awarded to Montreal-based director Mia
Donovan (INSIDE LARA ROXX, Hot Docs 2011 Official Selection).
Awarded by the Don Haig Foundation, the prize includes a $20,000 cash prize
courtesy of documentary.
Director Charles Officer (MIGHTY
JEROME, Hot Docs 2011 Official Selection) received an honourable mention.
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 Halifax filmmaker Jasmine Oore. As part of the award, the
winner will receive a $5000 cash prize from the Lindalee Fund and $5000 in
equipment rental donated by SIM Video International.
The 2012 awards for films in competition were determined by three
juries.
The Canadian Feature Documentary Jury: Borislav Andjelic (film journalist; director of International
Film Festival Belgrade), Maya Gallus (director, Mystery of Mazo de la Roche), Dana
O’Keefe (senior executive, Cinetic Media), Basil Tsiokos (programming associate,
Sundance Film Festival; film journalist).
The International Feature Documentary Jury: Matthew Akers (director and cinematographer), Avril Benoît (director of communications,
Doctors Without Borders - Canada),
James Rocchi (film journalist), David Wilson (co-founder and co-director,
True/False Film Fest).
The Shorts and Mid-Length Jury: Luis
Ceriz (owner, Suspect Video), Marcelle
Lean (executive director, Cinéfranco), Chi-hui Yang (film programmer, lecturer and writer).
The Hot Docs People's Choice Award
and audience top ten favourite films of the 2012 Festival, determined by
audience ballot, will be announced on Monday, May 7. The public can contribute
to a cash prize for the People’s Choice Award on Hot Docs’ crowd
funding service Doc Ignite (www.hotdocs.ca/docignite).
Also announced on this day is the Filmmaker Award, determined by ballots cast
by Hot Docs 2012 filmmakers.
