Halifax, NS, Canada, September 19, 2008 – The awards for the 28th Atlantic Film Festival were presented Friday, September 19th in the Bluenose Room at the Delta Halifax. Winners are as follows:

Atlantic Awards

Best Atlantic Short
Winner: Bedroom – Jordan Canning

Best Atlantic Feature
Winner: Down to the Dirt - Justin Simms

Michael Weir Award for Best Original Screenplay
Winner: Down to the Dirt - Justin Simms, Sherry White

Rex Tasker Documentary Award
Winner: Norm - Kent Nason, Teresa MacInnes

Ed Higginson Cinematography Award
Winner: Passage - Kent Nason

Best Director
Winner: Passage - John Walker

CBC Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry
Winner: Bill Niven, Producer, Idlewild Films

PowerPost Craft Awards:

Best Art Direction
Winner: Growing Op - Taavo Soodor, Alan MacLeod

Best Editing
Winner: Treevenge - Jason Eisener

Best Sound Design
Winner: For Wendy - Jacquelyn Mills, Andreas Mendritzki

Best Original Score
Winner: Outside Afghanistan - David Christensen

Canadian Awards:

Best Canadian Short
Winner: Next Floor -  Denis Villeneuve
Honourable Mention: Passages  - Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre

Best Canadian Feature
Winner: C’est pas moi, je le jure! - Philippe Falardeau

Best Canadian Documentary
Winner: That’s My Time – Adamm Liley

Best Actor
Winner:  C’est pas moi, je le jure! - Antoine L’Écuyer

Best Actress
Winner: Nurse.Fighter.Boy - Karen LeBlanc

Inspired Script:
Winner: Dot’s Will, Scott Simpson

International Award:

People’s Choice Award for Best Picture
Winner: to be announced at Empire Theatres’ Closing Night Gala Reception

The 28th Atlantic Film Festival is pleased to have the support of the following Partners: CBC Television, CTV, EastLink, Empire Theatres, Stella Artois and Telefilm Canada.

The Atlantic Film Festival Association acknowledges the support provided by the International Business Development Agreement (IBDA).
For more information, please contact:

Pam Todd, Marketing & Communications Manager
Tel: (902) 420-4059
Email: pamtodd@atlanticfilm.com

Lia Rinaldo, Festival Director
Tel: (902) 420-4796
Email: rinaldo@atlanticfilm.com

December 7-9, 2008 Las Vegas

To learn more about the 5th Annual International Film Festival Summit CLICK HERE!

“The International Film Festival Summit brings together the community of film festivals to share valuable perspectives and gain practical insights”, said Christian Gaines, Director of Festivals at Withoutabox, a division of IMDb.com. “It’s a process that can only improve the film festival experience and thus advance the cause of filmmakers in finding their audiences. In the process, it engenders an atmosphere of camaraderie, friendship and respect among film festivals. Withoutabox is thrilled to play a central role in helping film festivals to raise the bar, and participating in the International Film Festival Summit is one way of doing that.”

Don’t miss your opportunity to network with festival directors and discover the latest trends and innovations taking hold in the film festival community.

Click Here To Register Now!

Some of this year’s exciting topics inlcude:

*Festivals: Distribution Revolution or Evolution?
*Sustainability and Long Term Planning
*The Art and Philosophy of Curating a Film Festival
*Filmmaker Professional Development and the Festival Experience
*Board Development for Your Festival
*Year Round Festival Programs
*Membership & Giving Programs
*Creating Value for Festival Sponsors
*Building a Culture of Community Outreach
*Festival Standards and Formats
*Success Metrics: Where to Set the Bar
*indie 2.0
*Connecting the Dots: Distributors and Festivals
*Budgeting Workshop
*Dynamic Programming Issues
*Unlock Your Festivals Ticketing Potential
*Greening Your Fest

Don’t wait any longer, join festivals & executives from across the industry including:

AFI Fest Presented by Audi, Atlanta Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Bside, Starz Denver Film Festival, FilmThreat, Palm Springs International Film Festival, River Run International Film Festival, San Diego Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Gen Art, San Diego Asian Film Festival, DC Shorts Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, AFI Dallas International Film Festival, SXSW, Variety, Withoutabox and many, many more.

The IFFS is bringing together film festival professionals and independent film leaders to address the most pressing issues facing the industry. Join these and other organizations this December for an event that will both inform and inspire you and your colleagues .

This year we are back on the Strip at the Las Vegas Hilton!

Be sure to take advantage of the special room rate of $99.00 per night.

5th Annual International Film Festival Summit in Las Vegas Connecting Film Festivals Worldwide

The 5th Annual IFFS will be the largest dedicated gathering of the film festival community, which provides a platform for the community to explore ways to collaborate and promote the advancement of the film festival industry. This is the exclusive meeting place for industry professionals, vendors and those committed to the film festival and entertainment industry to dialogue with their peers, share insights and gain knowledge that will help grow film festivals and keep the industry thriving.

To register now CLICK HERE! Or, contact Sarah Jacobs at (850) 510-4647 or info@filmfestivalsummit.com.