Whistler Film Festival Documentary Award Explained

The Whistler Film Festival Documentary Award is an annual juried award, given by the Whistler Film Festival to the film selected as the year's best documentary film in the festival program.

Winners

Year Film Director(s) Ref
2002 Nettie Wild [1]
2003 Baghdad or Bust Matt Frame [2]
2004 Scared Sacred Velcrow Ripper [3]
2005 The Best of Secter and the Rest of Secter Joel Secter [4]
2006 Air Guitar Nation Alexandra Lipsitz [5]
2007 We Are Together (Thina Simunye) Paul Taylor [6]
2008 The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins Pietra Brettkelly [7]
2009 Pax Americana and the Weaponization of Space Denis Delestrac [8]
Last Train Home Lixin Fan
2010 Marwencol Jeff Malmberg [9]
2011 Kivalina v. Exxon Ben Addelman [10]
2012 Status Quo? The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada Karen Cho [11]
2013 Jingle Bell Rocks! Mitchell Kezin [12]
2014 The Backward Class Madeleine Grant [13]
2015 Last Harvest Jane Hui Wang [14]
2016 Sled Dogs Fern Levitt [15]
The Will to Fly Katie Bender, Leo Baker
Mr. Zaritsky on TV Jennifer Di Cresce, Michael Savoie
2017 The Gospel According to André Kate Novack [16]
There Is a House Here Alan Zweig
2018 Momentum Generation Jeff Zimbalist, Michael Zimbalist [17]
2019 Daniel Roher [18]
2020 Crock of Gold Julien Temple [19]
The Paper Man (Lafortune en papier) Tanya Lapointe
2021 Celeste Bell, Paul Sng [20]
2022 River Jennifer Peedom [21]
Out in the Ring Ry Levey
2023 Altona Heath Affolter, Jon Affolter, Nathan Affolter, Thomas Affolter [22]
500 Days in the Wild Dianne Whelan

Notes and References

  1. Dana Michell, "Film fest favourites announced". Pique Newsmagazine, December 19, 2002.
  2. "Film on Vancouver street life wins at Whistler". The Globe and Mail, December 10, 2003.
  3. David Spaner, "Whistler finding its own niche: Emphasis on Canadian film gives young festival its identity". The Province, December 6, 2004.
  4. Ilona Berks, "Industry turns out for Whistler". Playback, January 9, 2006.
  5. Fiona Hughes, "Happy People tops Whistler Fest awards". Vancouver Courier, December 6, 2006.
  6. Michael Kissinger, "Whistler Film Festival a wrap; Moguls and movie-goers mingle at mountaintop meet-and-greet". Vancouver Courier, December 5, 2007.
  7. Fred Lee, "Whistler fest shines on Canadian films; Justice gala supports first responders". National Post, December 13, 2008.
  8. https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/local-arts/les-signes-vitaux-wins-borsos-2484105 "Les Signes Vitaux wins Borsos"
  9. Graeme McRanor, "It's a wrap for 10th anniversary of Whistler Film Festival; Highlights included a chat with filmmakers Monte Hellman, Bruce McDonald and Atom Egoyan and a new home for the film fest". Vancouver Sun, December 6, 2010.
  10. Maggie Langrick, "Winnipeg filmmaker's Keyhole named best Canadian feature". Winnipeg Free Press, December 5, 2011.
  11. [Mark Leiren-Young]
  12. Fred Lee, "Snow business". The Province, December 15, 2013.
  13. Cathryn Atkinson, "Quebec drama Félix et Meira sweeps Borsos Awards at WFF 2014". Pique Newsmagazine, December 10, 2014.
  14. Craig Takeuchi, "WFF 2015: River and Last Harvest lead award winners". The Georgia Straight, December 6, 2015.
  15. Cathryn Atkinson, "Quebec's Before the Streets wins Borsos Best Film Award at Whistler Film Festival". Pique Newsmagazine, December 7, 2016.
  16. Craig Takeuchi, "It's a tie for best Canadian feature at the 2017 Whistler Film Festival". The Georgia Straight, December 4, 2017.
  17. Adrian Mack, "Québécois film A Colony sweeps Whistler Film Fest awards". The Georgia Straight, December 3, 2018.
  18. Alyssa Noel, "Whistler Film Festival hands out awards". Pique Newsmagazine, December 14, 2019.
  19. Craig Takeuchi, "Whistler Film Festival 2020 award winners: From B.C.'s Indian Road Trip to Newfoundland's Little Orphans". The Georgia Straight, December 21, 2020.
  20. Charlie Smith, "Cinema of Sleep wins Borsos award for best Canadian feature at Whistler Film Festival". The Georgia Straight, December 20, 2021.
  21. Pat Mullen, "River, Coyote Top Whistler Film Festival Awards Winners". Point of View, December 4, 2022.
  22. Taimur Sikander Mirza, "Atikamekw Suns wins best Canadian feature at WFF". Playback, December 5, 2023.