Borsos Competition

The Borsos Competition is the main awards program for Canadian feature films screening at the annual Whistler Film Festival.[1] Introduced for the first time in 2004, the juried competition presents six awards annually to honour films, actors, screenplays, directors, cinematographers and editors in Canadian cinema. Initially, only films that were having their world premieres at Whistler were eligible for the competition,[2] although this requirement was dropped within the first couple of years; thereafter, films selected for competition only had to be a regional premiere within the Western Canada region.

From the award's inauguration until 2015, six films were selected for competition each year, except in 2012 when eight films competed; in 2015, the festival dropped size limits, and since then the competition has typically included between 15 and 20 films per year.

The award is named in memory of Canadian film director Phillip Borsos.[3]

The festival also presents several other awards, which are not part of the Borsos Competition.

Films in competition

2000s

Year Film Director Ref
2004 The Papal Chase Kenny Hotz [4]
Better Off in Bed Reginald Harkema [5]
Cable Beach James Head
Eighteen Richard Bell
Part of the Game Rick Alyea
Pink Ludoos Gaurav Seth
2005 Exiles in Lotusland Ilan Saragosti [6]
The End of Silence Anita Doron [7]
Fetching Cody David Ray
Love Is Work John Kalangis
Six Figures David Christensen
The Zero Sum Raphael Assaf
2006 The Secret Life of Happy People (La vie secrète des gens heureux) Stéphane Lapointe [8]
Immigrant Bojan Bodružić [9]
The Point Joshua Dorsey
SK8 S. Wyeth Clarkson
Steel Toes David Gow, Mark Adam
Who Loves the Sun Matt Bissonnette
Craft awards:
  Catherine De Léan (The Secret Life of Happy People) and Andrew Walker (Steel Toes), Best Performance
[8]
2007 Continental, a Film Without Guns (Continental, un film sans fusil) Stéphane Lafleur [10]
Amal Richie Mehta [11]
Family Motel Helene Klodawsky
Portage Sascha Drews, Ezra Krybus
River Mark Wihak
Walk All Over Me Robert Cuffley
Craft awards:
  Maya Batten-Young (River) and Rupinder Nagra (Amal), Best Performance
[10]
2008 3 Seasons Jim Donovan [12]
The Baby Formula Alison Reid [13]
Before Tomorrow (Le jour avant le lendemain) Marie-Hélène Cousineau, Madeline Ivalu
Girlfriend Experience Ileana Pietrobruno
Nurse.Fighter.Boy Charles Officer
Who Is KK Downey? Pat Kiely, Darren Curtis
Craft awards:
  Clark Johnson (Nurse.Fighter.Boy) and Carinne Leduc (3 Seasons), Best Performance
[12]
2009 Vital Signs (Les Signes vitaux) Sophie Deraspe [14]
Defendor Peter Stebbings [15]
Machotaildrop Corey Adams, Alex Craig
Skid Love Ryan Arnold
The Wild Hunt Alexandre Franchi
Year of the Carnivore Sook-Yin Lee
Craft awards:
  Marie-Hélène Bellavance (Vital Signs) and Woody Harrelson (Defendor), Best Performance
[14]

2010s

Year Film Director Ref
2010 The Whistleblower Larysa Kondracki [16]
Good Neighbours Jacob Tierney [17]
Hard Core Logo 2 Bruce McDonald
Jo for Jonathan (Jo pour Jonathan) Maxime Giroux
Small Town Murder Songs Ed Gass-Donnelly
Wrecked Michael Greenspan
Craft awards:
  Raphaël Lacaille (Jo for Jonathan) and Martha Plimpton (Small Town Murder Songs), Best Performance
[16]
2011 Keyhole Guy Maddin [18]
388 Arletta Avenue Randall Cole [19]
Café de Flore Jean-Marc Vallée
Doppelgänger Paul Dylan Akio Smith, Kris Elgstrand
Marilyn Christopher Petry
Monsieur Lazhar Philippe Falardeau
Craft awards: None presented this year. [18]
2012 Picture Day Kate Melville [20]
All That You Possess (Tout ce que tu possèdes) Bernard Émond [21]
Blood Pressure Sean Garrity
Fair Sex (Les Manèges humains) Martin Laroche
Home Again Sudz Sutherland
Mad Ship David Mortin
My Awkward Sexual Adventure Sean Garrity
Still Mine Michael McGowan
Craft awards:
  Marie-Évelyne Lessard (Fair Sex) and Tatiana Maslany (Picture Day), Best Performance
[20]
2013
The Husband Bruce McDonald [22]
Cas & Dylan Jason Priestley [23]
Louis Cyr (Louis Cyr, l'homme le plus fort du monde) Daniel Roby
Patch Town Craig Goodwill
Siddharth Richie Mehta
Uvanga Marie-Hélène Cousineau, Madeline Ivalu
Craft awards:
  Tatiana Maslany (Cas & Dylan), Best Performance
[22]
2014 Felix and Meira (Félix et Meira) Maxime Giroux [24]
After the Ball Sean Garrity [25]
Bang Bang Baby Jeffrey St. Jules
Mountain Men Cameron Labine
Relative Happiness Deanne Foley
Wolves David Hayter
Craft awards:
  Hadas Yaron (Felix and Meira), Best Performance
  Maxime Giroux (Felix and Meira), Best Director, Best Screenplay
[24]
2015 River Jamie M. Dagg [26]
Basic Human Needs Matthew Yim [27]
The Birdwatcher Siobhan Devine
The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship Sergio Navarretta
The Demons (Les Démons) Philippe Lesage
The Diary of an Old Man (Le Journal d’un vieil homme) Bernard Émond
Forsaken Jon Cassar
FSM Melanie M. Jones
He Hated Pigeons Ingrid Veninger
The Hotel Dieu Adrian Thiessen
The Mirage (Le Mirage) Ricardo Trogi
Natasha David Bezmozgis
Nestor Daniel Robinson
Numb Jason R. Goode
Patterson's Wager O. Corbin Saleken
The Sabbatical Brian Stockton
The Steps Andrew Currie
The Sublet John Ainslie
Suspension Jeffery Scott Lando
Craft awards:
  Paul Savoie (The Diary of an Old Man), Best Performance
  Jamie M. Dagg (River), Best Director, Best Screenplay
  Dylan Macleod (He Hated Pigeons), Best Cinematography
[26]
2016 Before the Streets (Avant les rues) Chloé Leriche [28]
An American Dream Ken Finkleman [29]
The Cyclotron (Le Cyclotron) Olivier Asselin
The Death (and Life) of Carl Naardlinger Katherine Schlemmer
Grand Unified Theory David Ray
Hunting Pignut Martine Blue
It's Not My Fault and I Don't Care Anyway Chris Craddock
Lost Solace Chris Scheuerman
Lovesick Tyson Caron
Menorca John Barnard
Population Zero Adam Levins
Raw David I. Strasser
Red Mile Justin McConnell
The Second Time Around Leon Marr
The Space Between Amy Jo Johnson
The Squealing Game Steve Kerr
The Sun at Midnight Kirsten Carthew
The 3 L'il Pigs 2 (Les 3 p'tits cochons 2) Jean-François Pouliot
The Void Jeremy Gillespie, Steven Kostanski
Craft awards:
  Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs (The Sun at Midnight), Best Performance
  Chloé Leriche (Before the Streets), Best Director
  Olivier Asselin (The Cyclotron), Best Screenplay
  Mathieu Laverdière (The Cyclotron), Best Cinematography
[28]
2017 All You Can Eat Buddha Ian Lagarde [30]
Allure Carlos and Jason Sanchez
8 Minutes Ahead Ben Hoskyn [31]
Becoming Burlesque Jackie English
The Cannon Marshall Axani
Cardinals Grayson Moore, Aidan Shipley
The Definites Hannah Cheesman, Mackenzie Donaldson
Hochelaga, Land of Souls (Hochelaga, terre des âmes) François Girard
Juggernaut Daniel DiMarco
Mobile Homes Vladimir de Fontenay
Never Saw It Coming Gail Harvey
Nobody Famous Sarah Rotella
Porcupine Lake Ingrid Veninger
The Prodigal Dad Robert Wenzek
Prodigals Michelle Ouellet
Santa Stole Our Dog Bryan Michael Stoller
Someone Else's Wedding Pat Kiely
Trench 11 Leo Scherman
Tulipani, Love, Honour and a Bicycle Mike van Diem
Venus Eisha Marjara
Craft awards:
  Evan Rachel Wood (Allure), Best Performance
  Ian Lagarde (All You Can Eat Buddha), Best Director
  Grayson Moore (Cardinals), Best Screenplay
  Sara Mishara (Allure), Best Cinematography
[30]
2018 A Colony (Une colonie) Geneviève Dulude-De Celles [32]
Acquainted Natty Zavitz
An Audience of Chairs Deanne Foley
Bella Ciao! Carolyn Combs
The Dancing Dogs of Dombrova Zack Bernbaum
Falls Around Her Darlene Naponse
Family First (Chien de garde) Sophie Dupuis
The Fireflies Are Gone (La Disparition des lucioles) Sébastien Pilote
Honey Bee Rama Rau
In God I Trust Maja Zdanowski
Nose to Tail Jesse Zigelstein
Red Rover Shane Belcourt
Roobha Lenin M. Sivam
Les Salopes, or the Naturally Wanton Pleasure of Skin Renée Beaulieu
Sashinka Kristina Wagenbauer
Stockholm Robert Budreau
Trouble in the Garden Roz Owen
Woodland Jon Silverberg
Craft awards:
  Émilie Bierre (A Colony), Best Performance
  Geneviève Dulude-De Celles (A Colony), Best Director
  Robert Budreau (Stockholm), Best Screenplay
  Michel La Veaux (The Fireflies Are Gone), Best Cinematography
[32]
2019 Antigone Sophie Deraspe [33]
Apapacho Marquise Lepage [34]
Black Conflux Nicole Dorsey
Body and Bones Melanie Oates
Canadian Strain Geordie Sabbagh
The Cuban Sergio Navarretta
Dreamland Bruce McDonald
Entangled Gaurav Seth
Fall Back Down S. B. Edwards
From the Vine Sean Cisterna
Guilt (Le Coupable) Onur Karaman
Hammer Christian Sparkes
The Marijuana Conspiracy Craig Pryce
Promiseland Kirk Caouette
Queen of the Morning Calm Gloria Ui Young Kim
Spinster Andrea Dorfman
Things I Do for Money Warren P. Sonoda
Thunderbird Nicholas Treeshin
Volition Tony Dean Smith
We Had It Coming Paul Barbeau
Craft awards:
  Nahéma Ricci (Antigone), Best Performance
  Sophie Deraspe (Antigone), Best Director, Best Screenplay
  Celiana Cárdenas (The Cuban), Best Cinematography
[33]

2020s

Year Film Director Ref
2020 Little Orphans Ruth Lawrence [35]
All In Madonna Arnold Lim [36]
An Introvert's Guide to High School Sophie Harvey
Between Waves Virginia Abramovich
The Corruption of Divine Providence Jeremy Torrie
Goddess of the Fireflies (La déesse des mouches à feu) Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette
In Her City Carl Bessai
Indian Road Trip Allan W. Hopkins
The Marina (La Marina) Christophe Levac, Étienne Galloy
Mercy Sam Flamont
Québexit Joshua Demers
Still the Water Susan Rodgers
Sugar Daddy Wendy Morgan
Underground (Souterrain) Sophie Dupuis
You Will Remember Me (Tu te souviendras de moi) Éric Tessier
Craft awards:
  Rémy Girard (You Will Remember Me), Best Performance
  Sophie Dupuis (Underground), Best Director
  Gail Maurice, Xavier Yuvens and Joshua Demers (Québexit), Best Screenplay
  Fred Gervais-Dupuis (The Marina), Best Cinematography
[35]
2021 Cinema of Sleep Jeffrey St. Jules [37]
Altar Boy Serville Pobelte [38]
Carmen Valerie Buhagiar
Confessions of a Hitman Luc Picard
Dawn, Her Dad and the Tractor Shelley Thompson
Drinkwater Stephen Campanelli
Evelyne Carl Bessai
Inès Renée Beaulieu
The Inhuman (L'Inhumain) Jason Brennan
Lune Arturo Pérez Torres, Aviva Armour-Ostroff
The Noise of Engines (Le Bruit des moteurs) Philippe Grégoire
Nouveau Québec Sarah Fortin
Peace by Chocolate Jonathan Keijser
Run Woman Run Zoe Leigh Hopkins
We're All in This Together Katie Boland
Craft awards:
  Dayo Ade (Cinema of Sleep), Best Performance
  Luc Picard (Confessions of a Hitman), Best Director
  Sarah Fortin (Nouveau Québec), Best Screenplay
  Diego Guijarro (Carmen), Best Cinematography
[37]
2022 Coyote Katherine Jerkovic [39]
The 12 Tasks of Imelda (Les 12 travaux d’Imelda) Martin Villeneuve [40]
Adult Adoption Karen Knox
Broken Angel Jules Arita Koostachin
Colorblind Mostafa Keshvari
Diaspora Deco Dawson
The End of Sex Sean Garrity
Exile Jason James
Lissa's Trip Jeffery Lando
Niagara Guillaume Lambert
Midnight at the Paradise Vanessa Matsui
Polaris Kirsten Carthew
Rodeo (Rodéo) Joëlle Desjardins Paquette
Soft-Spoken Weepy Cult Child Irina Lord
Craft awards:
  Jorge Martinez Colorado (Coyote), Best Performance
  Joëlle Desjardins Paquette (Rodeo), Best Director
  Guillaume Lambert (Niagara), Best Screenplay
  David Schuurman (Polaris), Best Cinematography
  Arthur Tarnowski (The 12 Tasks of Imelda), Best Editing
[39]

References

  1. Katherine Monk, "Whistler film festival set to soar". Vancouver Sun, December 3, 2004.
  2. Katherine Monk, "Whistler film fest to present award". Vancouver Sun, July 9, 2004.
  3. Alexandra Gill, "Whistler film festival launches Borsos award". The Globe and Mail, December 4, 2004.
  4. "Film fest feast proves there's more to life than VIFF". WestEnder, December 9, 2004.
  5. Michael D. Reid, "Filmmakers make tracks to Whistler". Montreal Gazette, November 21, 2004.
  6. Alexandra Gill, "Documentary takes feature award at Whistler". The Globe and Mail, December 5, 2005.
  7. Nicole Fitzgerald, "Borsos Award contenders announced". Pique Newsmagazine, November 11, 2005.
  8. Fiona Hughes, "Happy People tops Whistler Fest awards". Vancouver Courier, December 6, 2006.
  9. "Six Canadian films competing for big prize at Whistler film fest". Vancouver Sun, November 9, 2006.
  10. Yvonne Zacharias, "Lafleur takes top prize at Whistler; Continental, A Film Without Guns judged to be best new Canadian feature". Vancouver Sun, December 3, 2007.
  11. Glen Schaefer, "Whistler Film Festival draws fans, artists, deal-makers". The Province, November 1, 2007.
  12. Fred Lee, "Whistler fest shines on Canadian films; Justice gala supports first responders". National Post, December 13, 2008.
  13. "Sutherland oversees Whistler prize judging". The Province, November 5, 2008.
  14. Marke Andrews, "Quebec director Sophie Deraspe wrote, directed and shot Borsos winner". Vancouver Sun, December 7, 2009.
  15. "Flesh-toned movie vies for Borsos prize". The Province, November 3, 2009.
  16. Graeme McRanor, "It's a wrap for 10th anniversary of Whistler Film Festival; Highlights included a chat with filmmakers Monte Hellman, Bruce McDonald and Atom Egoyan and a new home for the film fest". Vancouver Sun, December 6, 2010.
  17. "WFF Announces Films in Borsos Competition and Inaugural New Voices International Feature Competition". Vimooz, November 7, 2010.
  18. Maggie Langrick, "Winnipeg filmmaker's Keyhole named best Canadian feature". Vancouver Sun, December 5, 2011.
  19. Stephen Smysnuik, "Borsos Competition celebrates Canada's finest". Pique Newsmagazine, November 30, 2011.
  20. Glen Schaefer, "Teen angst film takes top award". The Province, December 3, 2012.
  21. Etan Vlessing, "Kate Melville’s ‘Picture Day’ Wins Best Canadian Feature at Whistler Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter, December 2, 2012.
  22. Etan Vlessing, "The Husband prevails in Whistler at the Borsos". Playback, December 9, 2013.
  23. Etan Vlessing, "Uvanga, Louis Cyr added to Whistler’s Borsos competition". Playback, October 15, 2013.
  24. Etan Vlessing, "Whistler: 'Felix and Meira' Makes Clean Sweep of Borsos Competition". The Hollywood Reporter, December 7, 2014.
  25. Jeremy Singer, "Whistler Film Festival Announces ‘Borsos Competition’ Finalists". Entertainment Tonight Canada, October 14, 2014. Archived October 17, 2023.
  26. Etan Vlessing, "Rossif Sutherland's 'River' Wins Big at Whistler Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter, December 12, 2015.
  27. Susan Gittins, "WFF: Whistler Film Festival Borsos Awards & Closing Gala Screening of Okanagan-Filmed NUMB on December 6th". Hollywood North Buzz, November 28, 2015.
  28. Jordan Pinto, "Before the Streets wins big in Whistler". Playback, December 5, 2016.
  29. Regan Reid, "Whistler Film Festival unveils 2016 lineup". Playback, November 1, 2016.
  30. Brandon Barrett, "Two-way tie for WFF's coveted Borsos Award". Pique Newsmagazine, December 6, 2017.
  31. Clare Ogilvie, "Borsos Competition honours Canadian filmmaking talent at WFF". Pique Newsmagazine, November 8, 2017.
  32. Adrian Mack, "Québécois film A Colony sweeps Whistler Film Fest awards". The Georgia Straight, December 3, 2018.
  33. Adrian Mack, "Antigone sweeps as Whistler film festival wraps". The Georgia Straight, December 11, 2019.
  34. Victor Stiff, "Whistler Film Festival Announces 2019 Line-up". That Shelf, November 6, 2019.
  35. Lauren Malyk, "Little Orphans wins Best Canadian Feature at WFF". Playback, December 21, 2020.
  36. Alyssa Noel, "Whistler Festival Film unveils 2020 lineup". Pique Newsmagazine, November 5, 2020.
  37. Charlie Smith, "Cinema of Sleep wins Borsos award for best Canadian feature at Whistler Film Festival". The Georgia Straight, December 20, 2021.
  38. Brandon Barrett, "Whistler Film Festival announces full lineup for hybrid 2021 event". Pique Newsmagazine, November 4, 2021.
  39. Pat Mullen, "River, Coyote Top Whistler Film Festival Awards Winners". Point of View, December 4, 2022.
  40. Alyssa Noel, "Whistler Film Festival announces film lineup". Pique Newsmagazine, November 2, 2022.
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