VIWIFF Celebrates Local and International Filmmakers at the Closing Night Awards Celebration

Vancouver, BC (March 13, 2018) — Six days and 56 films later, Women in Film & Television Vancouver closed the 13th Vancouver International Women in Film Festival (VIWIFF) on Sunday, March 11, 2018. After an incredible week of advocacy, professional development, and celebrating women both in front of and behind the camera, the festival ended with a closing night awards ceremony. Sweeping the awards was Dark Blue Girl, the German film directed by Mascha Schilinski, taking home the IATSE 891 Award for Best Feature. Mascha was presented with the DGC Award for Best Direction as well as the Bron Award for Best Screenwriting. The film's editor Svenja Baumgärtner received Canadian Cinema Editors Award for Best Editing in a Feature and the film's composer, Anna Gemina, took home the Canadian Federation of Musicians Award for Best Musical Score. If you missed the film, you can see it at Best of the Fest on the Shore on March 24th, 7 PM at the Centennial Theatre in North Van.

Natasha Tony (left) and Fawn Mcdonald (right), the Co-Chairs of the IATSE 891 Women’s Committee presenting

Mascha Schilinski (middle) with the IATSE 891 Award for Best Feature.

Three local short films were honoured with a Matrix Award, presented by Matrix Production Services: Akashi directed by Mayumi Yoshida; Memory of the Peace directed by Jean Parsons and Jennifer Chiu; and The Curtain directed by Crystal Lowe. The Curtain which will also screen at the Best of the Fest on the Shore. The Side Street Post Award for Best Short was presented to The World in Your Window directed by Zoe McIntosh.It will also screen at the Best of the Fest on the Shore.

The Pacific Backlot Award for Best Documentary went to The Women Who Run Hollywood, directed by sister filmmaking team, Julia and Clara Kuperberg. The UBCP/ACTRA Award for Best Performance in a Feature went to Natacha Krief for her role in Anissa 2002. Beatrice Picard, for her role in Marguerite, took home the Mary-Anne Neal Award for Best Performance in a Short. The Sim Award for Best Cinematography in a Feature went to Maithili Venkataraman for Anatomy of Violence directed by Deepa Metah, while the ICG 669 Award for Best Cinematography in a Short was given to Lubov Morozova for Kis. The Ron Heaps Award for Editing in a Short went to Hannah Dougherty for her film Mates. The Ken Hayward Award for Best Screenplay, presented to the winner of the VIWIFF International Screenplay Competition, was awarded to Jill Taylor for her project, I Need A Hero. The festival was a great success and we thank you, our audience, for being there to make this celebration possible. The Vancouver International Women in Film Festival is grateful to the generous support of our sponsors, community partners, and volunteers. Thanks to ACFC, BC Arts Council,

BRON, Canada Council, Canadian Cinema Editors, Canadian Federation of Musicians, Consumer Protection BC, City of Vancouver, Clearline, CMPA, Creative BC, DGC, Front Row, Georgia Straight, Heritage, IATSE 891, ICG 669, Ken Hayward, Line 21, Mary-Anne Neal, Matrix Production Services, On Set Headsets, Pacific Backlot, Province of BC, Ron Heaps, The Sandman on Davie, Side Street Post, Sim, Stripe Graphics, Super Channel, Telefilm, TELUS, UBCP/ACTRA, VIFF. Women In Film & Television Vancouver (WIFTV) is an internationally affiliated not-for-profit society committed to advancing, celebrating and promoting the artistic practice and careers of women working in screen-based media. www.womeninfilm.ca Follow us on social media: WIFTV: Facebook.com/womeninfilm Twitter: @WIFTV

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Media Contact: Kaitlen Arundale communications@womeninfilm.ca 604-685-1152