The first feature ever made in the Haida language was named both Best B.C. and Best Canadian film at VIFF's B.C. Spotlight gala today (October 6).

Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown’s Edge of the Knife, a period story shot on Haida Gwaii and featuring non-actors, was honoured at the Vancouver Playhouse, prior to the screening of Anthem of a Teenage Prophet.

That amounts to a total prize value of $35 thousand in cash and services for the movie, which enjoyed sold-out screenings for all of its VIFF dates. Genesis and The Grizzlies were both given honourable mentions in the Canadian film category.

Georgia Straight cover stars Kat Jayme and Sean Devlin were also winners.

Not unexpectedly, Jayme’s “Finding Big Country” aced the popular vote to take home the #MustSeeBC Award, while When the Storm Fades landed Devlin with the Emerging Canadian Director prize. (With a special mention going to M/M’s Drew Lint.)

The B.C. Emerging Filmmaker Award went to Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein for Freaks.

Other prizes included:

Sea to Sky Award (for outstanding work of a female key creative): Director Meredith Hama-Brown for the short film “Broken Bunny”.

Best B.C. Short Film: “Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes)"

Best Canadian Documentary: The Museum of Forgotten Triumphs

Best Canadian Short Film: “Fauve"

Most Promising Director of a Canadian Short Film: Claire Edmondson, “EXIT”