Hot Docs - Canadian International Documentary Festival
April 30 - May 10, 2009
Toronto, Canada
Special Jury Prize - International Feature Documentary
COOKING HISTORY
Slovakia, Austria, Czech Republic, 88 min
Director: Peter Kerekes
An original historiography of the major wars in the 20th century - and also a modern soldiers' tale: wicked, winking and macabre. A portrait of different military cooks from all over Europe who served in various armies and have witnessed the European wars of the 20th century. Their recollections tap into a subjective view of historical events and one that diverges in some respects from conventional history. They take us behind the scenes of dates, facts, declarations of war, battles, and peace agreements. Cooking History shows the little secrets of these people, opens up a dimension of history one won't find in textbooks or archives. The directness of the anecdotes and destinies of the people in this film conveys a sense of life and death in the war apparatus, a sense of hope, longing, and survival strategies in the midst of destruction and despair.
Peter Kerekes presented his film Cooking History at the 2007 Docu Talents from the East in Karlovy Vary.
Award for Best Mid-Length Documentary
RABBIT A LA BERLIN
Germany, Poland 2009, 50 min
Director: Bartek Konopka
In a surprising collage, the film relates, in an Orwellian fashion, the history of the rabbit farm in the death zone of the Berlin wall. The untold story about wild rabbits which lived between the Berlin Walls. For 28 years Death Zone was their safe home. Full of grass, no predators, guards protecting them from human disturbance. They were closed but safe and happy. Their population quickly grew up to thousands. Guards started to remove them. But rabbits survived and stayed there. Unfortunately, for them, one day the wall fell down. Rabbits had to abandon comfortable system. They moved to West Berlin and have been living there in a few colonies since then - deprived of food, run over by cars, not knowing how to get around the new world. And they are still learning how to live in the free world, same as we – the citizens of Eastern Europe. This film takes you from rabbits to humans, from laughter to the real world.
The film was developed at the 2005 Ex Oriente Film workshop; it was also presented at the 2008 Docu Talents from the East.
2009 AWARDS AND PRIZES (Complete List)
Best Canadian Feature Documentary
INVISIBLE CITY
Director: Hubert Davis
Producers: Mehernaz Lentin, Gerry Flahive
Executive Producer: Silva Basmajian (NFB)
Sponsored by the Documentary Organization of Canada and the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation
$15,000 prize courtesy of the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation
Special Jury Prize - Canadian Feature
WATERLIFE
Director: Kevin McMahon
Producers: Michael McMahon, Kristina McLaughlin, Gerry Flahive
Executive Producers: Mark Achbar, Betsy Carson, Michael McMahon, Silva Basmajian (NFB)
Sponsored by the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation
$10,000 prize courtesy of the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation
Best International Feature Documentary
THE ONE MAN VILLAGE
Director/Producer: Simon El Habre
Producers: Jad Abi-Khalil, Irit Neidhardt
Sponsored by A&E
$10,000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs
Special Jury Prize - International Feature
COOKING HISTORY
Director/Producer: Peter Kerekes
Producers: Georg Misch, Pavel Strnad
Executive Producer: Ralph Wieser
Sponsored by the OMDC
$5,000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs
Best Mid-Length Documentary
RABBIT À LA BERLIN
Director: Bartek Konopka
Producer: Anna Wydra
Sponsored by Canada Council for the Arts
$3,000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs
Best Short Documentary
THE DELIAN MODE
Director/Producer: Kara Blake
Producer: Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre
Sponsored by Playback
$3,000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs
documentary’s Don Haig Award
Brett Gaylor
Tracey Deer
Awarded by the Don Haig Award Committee - $20,000 cash prize generously sponsored by documentary
The Lindalee Tracey Award
Laura Bari
Will Inrig
$6,000 cash prize and film stock donated by Kodak Canada and valued at $3,000
HBO Documentary Films Emerging Artist Award
Chung-ryoul Lee
OLD PARTNER
Sponsored by HBO Documentary Films
Hot Docs Outstanding Achievement Award
Presented to Alanis Obomsawin by the Hot Docs Board of Directors