Koneline named top Canuck doc

TORONTO — A film documenting the Tahltan First Nation in remote northwestern B.C. took home one of the top honours at the Hot-Docs Awards on Friday night.

Koneline: our land beautiful received the best Canadian feature documentary award and a $10,000 cash prize at a ceremony held at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto.

The Norwegian film Brothers, which follows two brothers from childhood to their teens, was named best international feature and also received a $10,000 cash prize.

Special jury prizes were awarded to The Prison in Twelve Landscapes for Canadian feature documentary, and God Knows Where I Am for international feature documentary. Each film was awarded a $5,000 cash prize.

Directors Sebastien Rist and Aude Leroux-Levesque ( Living with Giants) were named recipients of the emerging Canadian filmmaker award and a $3,000 cash prize. The jury acknowledged Ali Kazimi’s Random Acts of Legacy with an honourable mention.

The emerging international filmmaker award was presented to director Mike Day for The Islands and the Whales. Day also received a $3,000 cash prize.

Best mid-length documentary was president to Norway’s Dugma: The Button, with an honourable mention for La Laguna.

The Shining Star of Losers Everywhere received the prize for best short documentary, with an honourable mention for What Happened to Her.

Michael Chen received the Lindalee Tracey Award, which honours an emerging Canadian filmmaker with a passionate point of view, a strong sense of social justice and a sense of humour. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize.

Toronto-based producer Ed Barreveld was presented with the Don Haig Award and a $10,000 cash prize for the honour, which recognizes an outstanding independent Canadian producer with a film in the festival.

Steve James was the recipient of the outstanding achievement award.