Associate Professor in the Film Production program, Rachel Talalay, and Film Production program Alumna, Mina Shum, take home the Woman of the Year Award and the Finalé Artistic Achievement Award, respectively, at the annual Woman in Film Spotlight Awards 2016, an event sponsored by Women in Film & Television Vancouver.
Women In Film + Television Vancouver (WIFTV) is a member driven not-for-profit society whose objective is to further the artistic and professional development of women in the Canadian screen-based media community; and to recognize and promote the artistic and professional contributions of women in the Canadian screen-based media community and in the community at large. WIFTV is one of the 35 world-wide chapters of Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI): http://www.wiftichapters.org.
Here’s what they said on their website:
WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
Rachel Talalay directs DOCTOR WHO
RACHEL TALALAY
(Director, Producer, Professor, Activist)
This award is presented to an industry leader who has achieved significant success and who has created opportunities for other women in the industry.
For 25 years, Rachel has been an inspiration and a guiding light for women filmmakers, producing, teaching, being an activist, a feminist and, most notably, a director. She has created history, becoming the 7th woman to direct Doctor Who in the show’s 52 year history, shooting the two-part finale of series 8. Currently, she is back in the UK directing the acclaimed Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
The jury noted “Rachel Talalay is on fire, she’s tough, and she’s an activist. By the nature of doing the groundbreaking work that she does, she’s forging a path for women.”
FINALE ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Mina Shum and NINTH FLOOR
MINA SHUM (Director)
This award honours a screen-based media artist who has created an outstanding recent work or a significant body of work.
Since her first feature film, Double Happiness, which won a Special Jury Citation for Best Canadian Feature Film and the Toronto Metro Media Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival, Mina has been prolific in creating outstanding and insightful films. Her latest work, Ninth Floor, is a bold departure in style from Mina’s previous accomplishments as a filmmaker and has allowed her to creatively engage with the racism she experienced in her own childhood. Ninth Floor was featured in TIFF, and was recently in the top 10 touring program.
http://www.straight.com/movies/699976/women-film-and-tv-vancouver-announces-2016-spotlight-awards-winners
