Hey, Viktor! wins Best Dramatic Feature and Mamá wins Best Documentary Feature
Toronto, October 21, 2023 – The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival juries have selected winners across film, video, audio and digital media works in 16 different categories for the 2023 Awards Presentation. Hosted at the TIFF Bell Lightbox today, the festival awards presented artists with $61,000 in cash prizes in recognition of their outstanding work, innovation and excellence.
Hosted by Michaella Montana, the imagineNATIVE Awards Presentation, presented by the Canada Media Fund, also annually presents the August Schellenberg Award of Excellence, presented in partnership with ACTRA National in celebration of an Indigenous actor’s impact and legacy, as well as two Audience Choice Awards, presented in partnership with the Bank of Montreal and Shutterstock which are voted on by Festival audiences. It was previously announced that Jennifer Podemski will be honoured with the August Schellenberg Award of Excellence at the awards ceremony.
While the Awards Presentation leads into the tail end of the 2023 in-person festival, imagineNATIVE continues online from October 23-29, 2023 to allow audiences from around the world to stream many of the films from the 2023 official selection including some of the award-winning works.
The 2023 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival winners are:
Award Winners
Documentary Short Award
Grape Soda in the Parking Lot
Megan Kyak-Monteith, Taqralik Partridge
This award is in recognition of an outstanding documentary short-length film (under 40 minutes). The award is presented in partnership with Blue Ant Media.
New Voice In Storytelling Award
Unborn Biru
Inga Elin Marakatt
This award is specific to an emerging Indigenous filmmaker, regardless of age, experiential level, genre, or length. The award is presented in partnership with Humber College and CJ Foundation in recognition of Jane Glassco.
Documentary Feature Award
Mamá
Xun Sero
The award is for a documentary feature-length film. This award is named in honour and in recognition of the legacy of Alanis Obomsawin with support from TVO.
Sun Jury Award
Tautuktavuk (What We See)
Carol Kunnuk, Lucy Tulugarjuk
This award is in recognition for outstanding work regardless of the length or genre determined by the Sun Jury. The award is presented in partnership with the Directors Guild of Canada.
Moon Jury Award
Сu-Ckoo
Evgeny Nikolaev
This award is in recognition for outstanding work regardless of the length or genre determined by the Moon Jury. The award is presented in partnership with the Directors Guild of Canada.
Live Action Short Award
Nigiqtuq (The South Wind)
Lindsay McIntyre
This award is for live-action short films in recognition of our founders Cynthia Lickers-Sage and Vtape. This is imagineNATIVE’s Oscar-qualifying category. The winner of this award is put forward to the Academy of Motion Pictures and Film Arts and Sciences to be considered for an Oscar. The award is presented in partnership with Jason Ryle and Vtape.
Innovation in Storytelling Award
AYKUO
Ayaal Adamov
This award is for experimental short films. An “experimental” piece is suggested to mean a work with an inventive and unconventional approach in terms of form, content, storytelling, and structure. All works in this category are short films. This Award is supported and named in honour of Kent Monkman and is in partnership with D.R. Sobey Foundation.
Indigenous Language Production Award
The Bull of Cold
Alexander Moruo
This award is for a film of any genre or length whose sole or primary language is an Indigenous language. The award is presented in partnership with the Indigenous Screen Office and Indigenous Media Initiatives.
Animated Short Award
Grape Soda in the Parking Lot
Megan Kyak-Monteith, Taqralik Partridge
This award recognizes innovation and excellence in creating animated short films. The award is presented in partnership with Blue Ant Media.
Dramatic Feature Award
Hey, Viktor!
Cody Lightning
This award is in recognition for an outstanding dramatic/narrative feature-length film. The award is presented in partnership with Telefilm Canada.
Narrative Audio Award
Surviving St. Michael’s
Connie Walker
This award recognizes the work of an exceptional artist and their contribution to narrative audio practices. The award is presented in partnership with Meriläinen Müsic Inc.
Experimental Audio Award
The River
Todd Karehana, Piata Gardiner-Hoskins
This award recognizes work that pushes the boundaries of experimental audio practices. The award is presented in partnership with Meriläinen Müsic Inc.
Digital + Interactive Award
Hill Agency: PURITYdecay
Meagan Byrne
Ełeghàà ; All At Once
Casey Koyczan
The award recognizes innovation and excellence in new media, developed by mid-career and established artists. The award is presented by imagineNATIVE.
New Artist in Digital + Interactive Award
Ancestors’ Gate
Steve Diabo
The award recognizes innovation and excellence in new media, developed as early career work or first effort by an artist in this form. The award is presented in partnership with Air Canada.
Jeff Barnaby Award
Unborn Biru
Inga Elin Marakatt
Jeff Barnaby was an exceptional storyteller in Indigenous genre filmmaking, often melding horror, sci-fi and thrillers interchangeably. A fearless auteur, Jeff’s style defied the western gaze on Indigenous peoples, hailing them as resilient and strong survivors and heroes. To honor his memory, imagineNATIVE is proud to celebrate his impact on Indigenous genre-bending films with the Jeff Barnaby Award.
About imagineNATIVE:
The imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is the world’s largest Indigenous festival showcasing film, video, audio, and digital + interactive media made by Indigenous creators. The Festival presents compelling and distinctive works from Canada and around the globe, reflecting the diversity of Indigenous Nations and illustrating the vitality and dynamism of Indigenous arts, perspectives, and cultures in contemporary media. imagineNATIVE.org
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For media inquiries:
Ally LaMere-Shedden
Route 504 PR
Alya Stationwala
Route 504 PR
imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
Toronto: October 17-22, 2023
Online: October 23-29, 2023
#imagineNATIVE
Media Contact:
Damien Nelson, damien@wantandable.ca
