ATIKAMEKW SUNS Takes Top Prize at the 2023 Whistler Film Festival

Whistler Film Festival (WFF) has revealed the recipients of its 2023 film competition awards in a ceremony held on December 3. The Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature was claimed by Chloé Leriche's "ATIKAMEKW SUNS," earning a $35,000 cash and in-kind prize, the festival's second-largest honor. A total of $187,500 in cash and production prizes were distributed across 15 awards, spanning five juried film competitions, including the Power Pitch Competition and MPPIA Short Film Award.

WFF Director of Programming, Paul Gratton, expressed gratitude to the dedicated jury and congratulated all the winners. Angela Heck, WFF Executive Director, emphasized the festival's role as a premier platform for Canadian independent films.

Among the noteworthy awards, "ATIKAMEKW SUNS" not only secured the Best Canadian Feature but also garnered the Best Director and Best Performance in a Borsos Competition Film awards. Other winners included films like "THE BURNING SEASON," "SIMPLE COMME SYLVAIN (THE NATURE OF LOVE)," and "THE BOY IN THE WOODS," recognized for Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing, respectively.

In addition to the film competitions, the festival bestowed honors such as the World Documentary Award, Best Mountain Culture Short and Feature Film Awards, and recognition for female-directed films. The Power Pitch Competition was won by Oscar Wolfgang with "GINGER," while Sasha Duncan claimed the MPPIA Short Film Pitch with "easybake."

The Audience Award winner is set to be announced on December 12. Award-winners and selected films from WFF will be available online until December 17. For detailed information and online viewing, visit watch.whistlerfilmfestival.com. Some restrictions apply.

The Whistler Film Festival, continuing until December 17, remains a significant showcase for Canadian independent cinema, acknowledging the achievements of storytellers and filmmakers from around the world.