The Canadian psychological thriller film Cinema Of Sleep directed by Jeffrey St. Jules won the Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature at the 21st edition of Whistler Film Festival (WFF). Dayo Ade, star of Cinema Of Sleep, received the Best Performance in a Borsos Competition Film Award, with an honorable mention to his co-star Getenesh Berhe.

The jury stated that Cinema Of Sleep is “a cinematic dive into the fractured, unconscious mind of a drowning refugee. Driven by powerful performances, this film uses the language of film noir to explore one of the most compelling issues of our times in an inventive, weirdly entertaining and entirely surprising way.”

The World Documentary Award was presented to Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché, directed by Celeste Belle and Paul Sng. The jury states this film redefines the music doc genre and uses it to illuminate racism and the lack of support for mental wellness in a seamless and intimate experience, as seen through the eyes of her daughter, Celeste.

“I want to thank the juries for the time and care that they brought to their tasks this year,” said Paul Gratton, WFF Director of Programming. “It was a year in which a wide variety of styles and subject matter, with emerging voices holding their own alongside more experienced filmmakers and vital voices coming from all corners of our country, made the decision-making particularly challenging. Congratulations to all the winners. Bravo!”

Whistler Film Festival 2021 Award Winners

Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature Film – CINEMA OF SLEEP, directed by Jeffrey St. Jules and produced by Sami Tesfazghi

Best Director of a Borsos Competition Film – Luc Picard for CONFESSIONS OF A HITMAN

Best Screenplay of a Borsos Competition Film – Sarah Fortin for NOUVEAU QUEBEC

Best Performance in a Borsos Competition Film – Dayo Ade in CINEMA OF SLEEP with an honourable mention to Getenesh Berhe in CINEMA OF SLEEP

Best Cinematography in a Borsos Competition Film – Diego Guijarro for CARMEN

World Documentary Award – POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHE directed by Celeste Bell and Paul Sng

Best Mountain Culture Film – BURIED directed by Jared Drake and Steven Siig, with an honorable mention to PRECIOUS LEADER WOMAN directed by Cassie De Colling

Just Watch Us: Best BC Director Award – Cassie De Colling for PRECIOUS LEADER WOMAN

Canadian ShortWork Award – “Angakusajaujuq – The Shaman’s Apprentice,” directed by Zacharias Kunuk

International ShortWork Award – “Isole Ciclope” directed by Ryan De Franco and Matthew Mendelson

BC Student ShortWork Award – “A Family Act” directed by Ashley Yeung

AWFJ EDA Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature Award – NOUVEAU QUEBEC directed by Sarah Fortin

AWFJ EDA Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature Award – $AVVY directed by Robin Hauser

AWFJ EDA Best Female-Directed Short Film Award – “Fanmi” directed by Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers and Carmine Pierre-Dufour

Power Pitch Competition – Christina Saliba won the WFF Power Pitch Competition with her project WHITE NOISE