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April��has��brought a raft of accolades for students, faculty and alumni of 91��ɫ’s Department of Film.

For the second consecutive year, a 91��ɫ filmmaker took home the top student prize at the prestigious , presented April 2 at a gala ceremony at the Westin Harbour Castle Conference Centre in Toronto.

Recent grad (BFA ‘10) was recognized for his cinematography for Vidalonga, a graduation production directed by Elisa L. Iannacone (BFA ‘10). Vidalonga was also��a nominee at CineSiege 2010, 91��ɫ’s annual student film showcase.

Left: Gregory Biskup. Photo by John Narvali

“The cinematographer’s role is to create evocative and beautiful images that ultimately serve the interests of the story and the director’s vision,” said award-winning cinematographer, director and 91��ɫ film Professor Ali Kazimi. “Greg’s work on Vidalonga was both thoughtful and stylish. His win is a reflection of his successful collaboration with writer-director Elisa Iannacone, and, in fact, the entire team on that film.”

Biskup’s classmate Tess Marie Garneau (BFA ‘10) was a runner-up for her work as director of photography on the dramatic short Play. Stop. Rewind., directed by Gerald Patrick Fantone (BFA ‘10), which won Best Film at CineSiege 2010.

“Tess is one of many women cinematographers emerging from the 91��ɫ program. Her work contributes significantly in making Play. Stop. Rewind. an emotionally and visually stunning film,” Kazimi said.

Veteran cinematographer, alumnus Paul Sarossy (BFA ’86) earned two nominations in the Theatrical Feature Category, for Atom Egoyan’s thriller Chloe and Dover Kosashvili’s , respectively.

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Above: From left, Images Festival Executive Director Scott Miller Berry, 91��ɫ film Professors Philip Hoffman and Michael Zryd, and LIFT Executive Director Ben Donoghue. Photo: Henry Chan

A week later, 91��ɫ had another reason to celebrate. Film Professor was honoured with the Tom Berner Award on April 9, at the closing night gala of the , North America’s largest fest for experimental and independent moving image culture. The award, sponsored by the Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT), is presented annually to an individual who has provided extraordinary support to the cause of independent filmmaking in Toronto.

“Philip Hoffman is already one of the most acclaimed and influential experimental filmmakers currently working in Canada,” said Hoffman’s colleague, Professor Michael Zryd, who nominated Hoffman for the award and presented it to him at the ceremony. “What is often overlooked is the extraordinary support he offers to independent filmmakers in numerous capacities: as a teacher and mentor, as a curator and programmer, and most strikingly, as founder of the Film Farm retreat, which touches the lives of many independent artists in Toronto and abroad.”

Sharing the winners’ podium at the festival with Hoffman were a 91��ɫ film alumnus and two current students.

The Images Prize, the grand prize of the fest, was awarded to Luo Li (BFA ‘05, MFA ‘09) for his feature video (75 minutes, 2010), which he created as his master’s thesis project at 91��ɫ.

Billed as “a subtle combination of documentary and fiction filmmaking,” the work was inspired by stories Li’s father told of his childhood growing up on the Yangtze River in China. Rivers and my father, which garnered a four-star review from Toronto’s magazine, had the honour of making its North American premiere as the opening night gala screening at the 2011 Images Festival.

Both prizewinners in the fest’s S is for Student program were graduation projects by students in 91��ɫ’s BFA film production program.

Brad Tinmouth’s Video Sculptures (6 minutes, 2010), received the 91��ɫ award for Best Student Film, which is sponsored by 91��ɫ but selected by audience choice.

Meelad Moaphi’s intimate experimental narrative (8 minutes, 2009), took the Vtape Award for Best Student Video.

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