The Whistler Film Festival is pleased to announce this year’s group of B.C. filmmakers to win the Whistler Stories Short Film Commission Competition. Whistler Stories is a legacy program for the Whistler area in advance of the 2010 Whistler Olympic and Paralympic Games. Slated to run annually until 2010, a jury selects up to four projects per year to receive a commission of $5,000 to create a short film (five minutes in length) based on stories from Whistler and surrounding area. Successful projects must also celebrate at least one of the Olympic pillars of culture, environment, education and/or sport. The four winning filmmakers will start pre-production on their scripts immediately and completed films will receive their world premiere screenings at the 2008 Whistler Film Festival, taking place December 4 to 7.
“We are very proud to have created this program, and to have helped twelve filmmakers create some truly memorable films over the past three years,” says Whistler Film Festival Director of Programming Bill Evans. “In 2008 we received another great crop of proposals, and we had a difficult time choosing the winners. I look forward to seeing the results!”
The 2008 Whistler Stories winning filmmakers are:
Ace Mackay Smith (Whistler resident) with THE GONDOLA STORIES, which delves into the mysteries of Whistler’s Gondolas. Combining interviews with locals and visitors alike, the film will document the myriad activities that transpire within.
Laura James (Pemberton resident) with BEHIND THE CUP, an account of the Whistler Cup – how it began, the people who run it, how it has grown and its Olympic relevance.
Angela Nolan (Whistler resident) with WHOLE LOTTA HAIR, a profile of Whistler's Hair Farmers - Guitar Doug and Grateful Greg. A Day on the Hill is not complete without aprés, but a true aprés is not complete without a little Hairfarming!
Ivan Hughes (Squamish resident) with SPEEDBUMPS, which looks at the hurdles overcome by four of Whistler’s Olympic heroes in their quest for glory at the winter Olympic and Paralympic games, from 1968 to the present.
Priority consideration is given to films that demonstrate a creative approach to their subject. Filmmakers must be British Columbia residents in order to apply. Projects will be completed under the supervision of the Whistler Film Festival’s Director of Programming and Whistler Film Festival will retain all rights over the films. More information on Whistler Stories guidelines is available at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.
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