On Saturday, May 5, ten awards and $71,000 in cash prizes were presented to Canadian and international filmmakers, including awards for Festival films in competition and those recognizing emerging and established filmmakers.
Call Me Kuchu (D: Malika Zouhali-Worrall, Katherine Fairfax Wright; P: Malika Zouhali-Worrall; USA) won the Best International Feature Award that comes with a $10,000 prize. Special Jury Prize – International Feature ($5000): The Law in These Parts (D: Ra’anan Alexandrowicz; P: Liran Atzmor, B.Z. Goldberg; Israel).
The Best Canadian Feature Award and $10,000 went to The World Before Her (D: Nisha Pahuja; P: Cornelia Principe, Nisha Pahuja, Ed Barreveld). Special Jury Prize – Canadian Feature and a $5000 prize was awarded to Peace Out (D: Charles Wilkinson; P: Tina Schliessler). The Inspirit Foundation Pluralism Prize ($10,000) went to The Boxing Girls of Kabul (D: Ariel J. Nasr; P: Annette Clark).
My Thai Bride (D/P: David Tucker; Australia) was announced the Best Mid-Length Documentary ($3000). The Shorts and Mid-Length Jury also gave an honourable mention to Nessa (D: Loghman Khaledi; P: Katayoon Shahabi; Iran).
Best Short Documentary: Five Fragments of the Extinct Empathy (D: Anna Nykyri; P: Joonas Berghäll; Finland)
The award includes a $3000 prize courtesy of Hot Docs. The Shorts and Mid-Length Jury also gave an honourable mention to Family Nightmare (D/P: Dustin Guy Defa; USA).
HBO Documentary Films Emerging Artist Award (tie): Bill Ross and Turner Ross for the film Tchoupitoulas (P: Bill Ross, Turner Ross; USA). Benjamin Kahlmeyer for the film Meanwhile in Mamelodi (P: Boris Frank; Germany, South Africa). The film is included in the East Silver catalogue.
The Hot Docs Board of Directors acknowledged Michel Brault as the recipient of the 2012 Hot Docs Outstanding Achievement Award. documentary’s Don Haig Award was presented to Mia Donovan (Inside Lara Roxx, Hot Docs 2011 Official Selection). Awarded by the Don Haig Foundation, the prize includes a $20,000 cash prize courtesy of documentary. Director Charles Officer (Mighty Jerome, Hot Docs 2011 Official Selection) received an honourable mention.
The Lindalee Tracey Award honouring an emerging Canadian filmmaker went to Jasmine Oore. The award winner will receive a $5000 cash prize from the Lindalee Fund and $5000 in equipment rental donated by SIM Video International.