The Atlantic Film Festival, after a successful 36th year, announces its award winners for the event, September 15th – 22nd, in Halifax.
Award winners include:
The 2016 People’s Choice Award:
Presented by the Atlantic Film Festival
Winner: Moonlight
The Gordon Parsons Award for Best Atlantic Feature:
Sponsored by The Postman
Winner: Maudie – Aisling Walsh
Best Atlantic Short:
Sponsored by 902 Post
Winner: Hustle & Heart - Koumbie
Best Atlantic Documentary:
Sponsored by DOC Atlantic
Winner: Perfume War – Michael Melski
Best Atlantic Short Documentary:
Sponsored by Pilot Light Production
Winner: My Life So Far – Alan Collins
Best Atlantic Animation
Presented by the Atlantic Film Festival
Winner: Rubbed The Wrong Way – Struan Sutherland
Best Atlantic Director:
Sponsored by William F White International
Winner: Ashley McKenzie - Werewolf
The Michael Weir Award for Best Atlantic Screenwriting:
Sponsored by Michael Weir Foundation for the Arts
Winner: Sherry White - Maudie
Best Atlantic Cinematographer:
Presented by the Atlantic Film Festival
Winner: Craig Norris - Kokota: The Islet of Hope
Best Atlantic Editor:
Presented by Canadian Cinema Editors
Winner: Brad Sayeau - We're From Here
Best Atlantic Original Score or Song:
Presented by the Atlantic Film Festival
Winner: Hillsburn for Hillsburn - A Band Becomes
Joan Orenstein Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress:
Sponsored by Sky Talent Group
Winner: Bhreagh MacNeil - Werewolf
David Renton Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor:
Sponsored by Sky Talent Group
Winner: Andrew Gillis – Werewolf
Telefilm Canada Script Pitch:
Sponsored by The Harold Greenberg Fund and Telefilm Canada
Winner: Mary Lewis – February
The 36th Atlantic Film Festival Jury:
Sobaz Benjamin is an accomplished and recognized filmmaker, as well as a community developer, advocate, youth mentor, program director and facilitator. His work has been screened across Canada and in venues and Festivals in New Zealand, Bermuda and New York. He has completed documentaries for the National Film Board (NFB) and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Sobaz uses his experience as an independent filmmaker in his youth/community/prison focused work.
Sobaz has worked at York University in Toronto and at the Nova Scotia Youth Facility, the Nova Scotia Community College, the Central Nova Correctional Facility and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) University. Sobaz was born in London England. He has lived in Grenada, Toronto and currently lives in Halifax Nova Scotia with his wife and two children. He has completed undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Mass Communications and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Video Production at York University.
Yael Strasberg is the Acquisitions Manager for Entertainment One Films Canada, the Canadian division of the industry’s largest independent, multi-territory film distributor. From Toronto, she oversees eOne’s acquisition processes, helping to manage the hundreds of submissions that the team receives every year from filmmakers, sales agents and distribution partners, and evaluating projects for their creative and marketplace potential.
In her eight years on the team Yael has been instrumental in some of eOne’s highest profile acquisitions, including Atom Egoyan’s Chloe, animated hit The Nut Job, recent theatrical success Mr. Holmes, and the upcoming Canadian film Backstabbing for Beginners, starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Josh Hutcherson. Yael also has a specialization in working with up and coming talent, identifying and developing relationships with new Canadian writers, directors and producers and helping them to navigate the Canadian film industry. Prior to joining eOne in 2008, Yael held positions at Sony BMG Films and Untitled Entertainment in New York.
Trevite Willis has produced a number of award-winning short and feature films including the Bahamian drama, Children of God, which aired on Showtime, had theatrical releases in the US, UK and The Netherlands, won 17 awards, and sold to 24 other territories. Recently, she wrapped production on a documentary about the Baltimore mayoral election, Rough Ride: Race for Mayor of Charm City. She also has two projects in post production: a human trafficking drama, Cargo and a supernatural thriller, The Dark Rite.
Ms. Willis previously produced the romantic comedy, What a Man Wouldn’t Do for a Woman, and the Black gay coming-of-age, Blueprint. The 2008 Columbia University short film, Uncle Killa, which she produced earned the director a DGA Best Student Film – African American award. It was selected as an HBO finalist at the American Black Film Festival. Trevite lives in New York City.
About the Atlantic Film Festival
The Atlantic Film Festival (AFF) is an eight-day celebration of film, media and music from around the world. It’s a festival that turns Halifax – a charming and historic coastal city – into an international Mecca for the arts, abuzz with filmmakers, industry types and film lovers. This year’s event celebrates 36 years of the Festival.
Offering a first-look at the best international films of the festival season, the Atlantic Film Festival is a champion of local filmmakers, committed to bridging the gap. We attract some of the biggest players in film, media and music from around the world. All of our film selections are chosen with our community in mind and our special events are designed to bring us all together. A not-for-profit organization, the Festival depends heavily upon its strong ties to the surrounding and thriving arts community.
Celebrating 36 years in 2016, the Atlantic Film Festival began as a tiny, grassroots operation in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1981, relocating to Halifax the following year. Just three decades later, the Atlantic Film Festival has blossomed into one of Canada’s premier film festivals. Whether for industry folk, unabashed film lovers or curious onlookers, the Festival offers a slew of opportunities to engage the global film experience. Today’s Atlantic Film Festival is now a year-round celebration, growing beyond our eight-day cornerstone event in September to include: ViewFinders: Atlantic Film Festival for Youth, AFF Outdoor Film Experience, and Strategic Partners.
Receive the most up-to-date information about the Atlantic Film Festival and its Family of Programs, including sneak peeks and festival highlights online at our website: atlanticfilm.com, our Facebook page: /atlanticfilmfestival, our Twitter account: /thefilmfest #AFF2016, our LinkedIn company page: linkedin.com/company/atlantic-film-festival, our Youtube channel: youtube.com/atlanticfilmdotcom and our Instagram account: thefilmfest.