Public Voting for Fan Favourite Starts June 1st
RBC and the Toronto International Film Festival® today announced the finalists for the RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition. Reviewed by a jury comprised of esteemed producers, directors and executives from Canada’s film industry, the following five finalists have been selected out of 20 “Family” themed submissions:
- ESTHER AND LEIB – Sean Wainsteim – (Toronto, Ontario)
A raw portrait of Esther and Leib, a couple who met when escaping Europe, as they reflect on the passing years and each other. - MY FIRST MOVIE – Gabriel Taraboulsy – (Montréal, Quebec)
Tasked with making a video portrait of her family, a young filmmaker plants a hidden camera, capturing a vision of her family that is far different from anything she imagined. - NEXT OF KIN – Kara Blake – (Montréal, Quebec)
Documenting the parallel lives of two sisters surviving a long, cold winter in Montreal. - THE REVENGE PLOT – Jared Raab – (Toronto, Ontario)
After Matt and his friends are dissed in the schoolyard by a group of girls, they set to work on an elaborate and merciless plan for revenge. - SATURDAY NIGHT – Kaveh Nabatian – (Montréal, Quebec)
New Year’s Eve. Boy meets girl. A film about unprotected sex, destiny and soul music.
From these top five films, the jury will decide the National Winner and an Honourable Mention, each receiving $15,000 and $10,000 respectively. Canadians from coast to coast can support the emerging filmmakers by voting for the film they like, to help decide the Fan Favourite Award which comes with a $5,000 cash prize. The public can vote from June 1 to June 30, 2011 until 11:59 p.m. EST and have the chance to win an all expenses paid trip for two to the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. Vote online at www.rbc.com/fanfave.
“This year’s submissions are an exceptional representation of the talented crop of emerging filmmakers in Canada – the jury was faced with a challenge, narrowing down the competition to just five films,” said Piers Handling, Director and CEO, TIFF. “TIFF congratulates these high-calibre talents who interpreted the Family theme brilliantly.”
“We are thrilled to be involved in such an important arts initiative that gives emerging filmmakers the opportunity to learn and grow,” said Jennifer Tory, RBC’s Regional President for Greater Toronto. “For many years, RBC has been working with talented filmmakers and industry professionals to help them create their vision and achieve success in the film business. We are particularly proud to recognize and celebrate these rising new talents.”
The RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition is part of Talent Lab, a four-day intensive program at the Toronto International Film Festival that offers artistic development opportunities to a select group of emerging Canadian and international filmmakers. Each filmmaker is provided with a portable camera, $500 cash and challenged to develop a one to five minute short film for the competition. Each year the films will focus on one topic – this year’s theme is Family. Winners of the RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition will be announced prior to this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
About RBC and the Arts
RBC sponsors a wide-range of grassroots and local initiatives that contribute to the cultural fabric of our communities. Proud to support events and passions that resonate with our clients and all Canadians, RBC provides opportunities for up-and-coming artists through programs like the RBC Canadian Painting Competition, and the RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition, part of our commitment as the Official Bank and major sponsor of the world’s top public film festival – the Toronto International Film Festival®.
About TIFF
TIFF is a charitable cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $170 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation, Major Sponsor and official bank RBC, Major Sponsor BlackBerry and Visa†. For more information, visit tiff.net.
For further information:
Jackie Braden, Senior Manager, Brand Communications, RBC, 416-974-1724, [email protected]
Danielle LeBlanc, Publicist, Holmes Creative Communications, 416-628-5613, [email protected]
