WFF Wraps Up A Successful 16th Year

The Whistler Film Festival wrapped up it's 16th year last Sunday December 4. Another year of watching amazing cinema and mingling with industry professionals has come to an end. But this year already has us buzzing for 2017! There was so many inspiring films and talented people in Whistler last weekend and we would like to thank and congratulate all of the filmmakers, actors, production staff, and audience members who came out and supported Canadian cinema. You guys are the ones who continue to make the Whistler Film Festival so cool. 

This year the Borsos competition included 19 eligible Canadian films, with Best Performance going to Kawennahere Devery Jacobs who played the lead role in The Sun at Midnight. Jacobs portrays a 16-year-old girl from the city who is sent to live with her grandmother in a small town community. The jury of judges were very impressed with her performance and remarked on her ability to convey vast emotions with just her eyes.

However, the big winner this year was Before the Streets, which won the Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature and a cash prize of $15,000. The director, Chloe Leriche, also got awarded Best Borsos Director for the film. Before the Streets is Leriche's first feature film and the first ever to be shot in the Atikamekw language. It follows a young man First Nations man who sends himself into exile after a burglary gone wrong.

Other winners at WFF this year include:

Best Screenplay - The Cyclotron

Best Cinematography - The Cyclotron

Best Mountain Culture Film - The Will to Fly

Best Female-Directed Documentary Award - Sled Dogs

World Documentary Award - Sled Dogs and The Will to Fly

Canadian Shortwork Award - Mutants

International Shortwork Award - Timecord

Student Shortwork Award - Bombing

MPPIA Short Film Award - Good Girls Don't

Miss all the action this year?  Don't worry there was plenty of photos taken this year and we posted some of our favourites below. Scroll down to check them out!

Photo Credit: Mike Crane

Grew up watching Growing Pains. Surreal that I'm grown up now interviewing the man himself before he's honoured with @whisfilmfest Canadian Icon Award #wff16 @alanthicke #alanthicke

A photo posted by Natalie Langston (@langstonnatalie) on Dec 5, 2016 at 7:19pm PST

Another special thank you to Best Mountain Culture Award Jury ❄️ Feet Banks, Rebecca Wood Barrett and Sean Pettit. Press release states "The Best Mountain Culture Film Award presented by Whistler Blackcomb went to The Will To Fly directed by Katie Bender and Leo Baker. In an unanimous decision, the judges have chosen The Will To Fly of this year's Mountain Culture Award for the way in which it drew the audience into the subject matter, capturing trials and victories of athletic and psychological determination. It was obvious that the filmmakers clearly put absolutely everything into this film and the telling of Lydia's emotional and personal story." #wff16 #TheWillToFly

A photo posted by The Will To Fly film (@thewilltofly) on Dec 8, 2016 at 12:35am PST

Pretty stoked that The Will To Fly won Best Documentary at the @whisfilmfest 👏🏻👏🏻 Big thanks to @katiebenderfilm & @leo.baker for making such an awesome film 😉 . . #wff16 #bestdocumentary #filmfestival #proud #thewilltofly

A photo posted by Lydia Lassila (@lydialassila) on Dec 6, 2016 at 10:48am PST

A night of music with //Amistad// WFF Music Showcase - #wff16

A photo posted by Whistler Film Festival (@whisfilmfest) on Dec 5, 2016 at 3:42pm PST

Great to see @theofleury14 receive the #humanitarian #award at @whisfilmfest glad to be a small part of your journey brother. Thanks #WFF16 for shedding light on our subject and having the courage to share our @victorwalkdoc story!

A photo posted by michaeldlynch (@michaeldlynch) on Dec 5, 2016 at 11:22am PST

Luke Davies, director of @Lionmov gives one entertaining interview at the @whisfilmfest #wff16

A photo posted by Natalie Langston (@langstonnatalie) on Dec 4, 2016 at 12:28pm PST

Super excited for tonights screenings of @shadesofwinter BETWEEN at the @whisfilmfest in #Whistler !!! 6.30pm & 9.30pm at the #rainbow theatre! It's a huge honor for my film being the Closing Gala Film for the #filmfestival . #shadesofwinter next to #lalaland 💃🏼🙏🏻 . . #wff16 #mountainculture #bmwmountains #filmmaking #visitcanada

A photo posted by Sandra Lahnsteiner (@sandralahnsteiner) on Dec 4, 2016 at 1:11pm PST

Looking back at such an awesome weekend #wff16 the highlight for me was being surrounded by such incredibly talented people! #feelinginspired @whisfilmfest @thespacebetweenfeaturefilm

A photo posted by Amy Jo Johnson (@atothedoublej) on Dec 5, 2016 at 6:07am PST

Alan Thicke and Jim Gordon talking about Alan's extensive and impressive resume! Alan received WFF's Canadian Icon Award. #wff16

A photo posted by Whistler Film Festival (@whisfilmfest) on Dec 4, 2016 at 8:51pm PST

Closing the festival with @shadesofwinter . Thank you so much for coming together to help create, inspire, share, and find your stories. #wff16

A photo posted by Whistler Film Festival (@whisfilmfest) on Dec 4, 2016 at 6:44pm PST

Posted: Thursday, December 08, 2016