The 19th annual Calgary International Film Festival wrapped up this past Sunday, and today the Festival announced the winners of the Audience Favourite Awards and Fan Favourite Award, both of which were determined by audience ballot. The highest rated film by the festival audience was THE GRIZZLIES, directed by Miranda De Pencier, which won in the Canadian Narrative Feature category.
As for the Fan Favourite Award, audience members who saw ten or more films were sent a special ballot to choose their favourite festival feature with this year’s Fan Favourite Award going to CAPERNAUM, directed by Nadine Labaki.
AUDIENCE FAVOURITE AWARD WINNERS
Audience Favourite, Alberta Feature- CIRCLE OF STEEL, directed by Gillian McKercher
Audience Favourite, Canadian Narrative Feature (new) – THE GRIZZLIES, directed by Miranda De Pencier
Audience Favourite, US/International Narrative Feature (new) – CAPERNAUM, directed by Nadine Labaki
Audience Favourite, Canadian Documentary Feature (new) – LETTER FROM MASANJIA, directed by Leon Lee
Audience Favourite, US/International Documentary Feature (new) – SCIENCE FAIR, directed by Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster
Audience Favourite, Alberta Short – INDIAN RIGHTS FOR INDIAN WOMEN, directed by Alex Lazarowich
Audience Favourite, Narrative Short (Live Action or Animated) – PEGGY, directed by Justin O’Neal Miller
Audience Favourite, Documentary Short – INDIAN RIGHTS FOR INDIAN WOMEN, directed by Alex Lazarowich
FAN FAVOURITE AWARD
Fan Favourite Award presented by Evans Hunt & Stone-Olafson: CAPERNAUM, directed by Nadine Labaki
JURIED AWARD WINNERS
Best Canadian Narrative Feature and $10,000 cash prize winner, presented by RBC Emerging Artists Project: THE GREAT DARKENED DAYS, directed by Maxime Giroux
BEST OF SHORTS AWARDS
Best Overall Short – $2,500 and Academy Award qualification: FAUVE, directed by Jérémy Comte (Honorable Mention: THREE PAGES, directed by Roger Gariépy)
Best Documentary Short and recipient of $2,500: PRINCE’S TALE, directed by Jamie Miller (Honorable Mention: 5 YEARS AFTER THE WAR, directed by Samuel Albaric, Ulysse Lefort, and Martin Wiklund)
Best Alberta Short and recipient of $2,500: GROSS INDECENCY: THE EVERETT KLIPPERT STORY, directed by Laura O’Grady
FAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Fan of the Year Award recognizes one audience member who saw the most films. This year’s winner, Cliff Lawley, watched 37 films over the 12 days.