HONOURING OUR OWN
The Vancouver Film Critics Circle will recognize three individuals who have made significant contributions to Canadian film at the invitation-only seventh annual awards night at the Vancity Theatre on Monday (January 15). The three Achievement Award recipients are actor Jay Brazeau ( Insomnia , Kissed ), who has starred in American and international films but has remained committed to B.C. films; the late Daryl Duke, director of The Thorn Birds , cofounder of Vancouver TV stations CBUT and CKVU, and mentor to many local filmmakers; and Sandy Wilson, writer and director of the Genie Award–winning My American Cousin and American Boyfriends.

A number of other awards will be given, including Best B.C. Film ( Everything’s Gone Green, Fido, Mount Pleasant, Unnatural & Accidental), Best Canadian Film (Away From Her , Manufactured Landscapes, Monkey Warfare, The Rocket ), and Best Director of a Canadian Film (Andrew Currie, Fido; Reg Harkema, Monkey Warfare; Sarah Polley, Away From Her).

AMATEUR HOUR ON-SCREEN
Nonprofessional Canadian filmmakers also get their chance to shine at the National Screen Institute (NSI) National Exposure Amateur Movie Contest, now in its fourth year. The contest is part of the NSI FilmExchange Canadian Film Festival held in Winnipeg (February 28 to March 3).

Short films (DVD-only and up to five minutes long) must be received by the NSI by next Monday (January 22), 4:30 p.m. (Central Time). Applications are available at www.nsi-canada.ca/ . A jury will select 12 films to be shown at the festival and, for the first time, on-line. Audiences and on-line viewers (Web site voting opens February 23) will determine the winner of the $1,000 NSI FilmExchange Audience Choice Award. The eight juried awards—with prize money ranging from $100 to $500—include Best Film from Western Canada.

NSI National Exposure coordinator Liz Hover points out that “high-end production doesn’t necessarily impress the judges”¦it comes down to the strength of the story.” She also recommends avoiding copyright problems by not using recorded music. Previous Vancouver award winners include The Masque of the Red Death” (2005) and Nosepickers Anonymous” (2006).

DOC FEST THINKS LOCAL
As the calibre of submissions gets “better and better” and attendance increases, Kris Anderson, director of the 2007 DOXA Documentary Film & Video Festival (May 22 to 27 in Vancouver), is hoping to boost local content to the festival. To that end, DOXA has inaugurated the BC Student Film Presentation and the Spotlight on BC Filmmakers.

Anderson says the number of films selected will depend on what submissions are received. Although filmmakers may consider courting larger festivals to gain exposure, Anderson says that “because DOXA is a smaller festival, we can bring attention to individual films.”

The entry deadline for both categories is next Saturday (January 20). Application forms and guidelines can be found at www.doxafestival.ca/ or by calling 604-646-3200. There is no entry fee, and juried awards will be presented in these two categories.