Gerald Saul is a Regina-based filmmaker and animator.

* * *

Yorkton, Sask.: ‘By being nestled in the midst of a community, Yorkton is a festival that can’t help but keep you honest,’ says Saskatchewan producer Stephen Onda.

Honesty and openness seemed to be the prominent themes running through the four-day Yorkton Film Festival, which ended June 2.

Filmmakers got to know each other through such events as the annual softball game, the street dance and the western stunt show.

All the parties and social events aside, the quality and freshness of the films and videos was never ignored. Young talent competed with seasoned pros and did well, very well. York University student Josh Chaiton’s Animal Crackers collected Golden Sheaf awards for best documentary under 30 minutes and best editing (Jason Gatt).

Another film which drew much attention was Kagan Goh’s Mind Fuck. Even though it did not come away with any awards, this ‘hot’ documentary about phone sex was the buzz of the festival. Goh found a human side to difficult subject matter, treating it very tastefully and putting faces to the voices.

Goh is currently seeking support to expand his project to feature length.

Jodee Samuelson of Prince Edward Island was the winner of the Playback Best Animation Award for her film Sandbox.

The sister/brother team of Stephanie and Mark Morgenstern created a 16mm wide-screen film, Curtains, which won numerous awards including best art direction (James Cameron), best direction (Mark and Stephanie Morgenstern) and best script (Stephanie Morgenstern) as well as $1,000 from Superchannel for script development.

Curtains will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival as well as the New York Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

Standing Still by Catherine Quinn won the prize for the best experimental film.

The Yorkton festival also awarded prizes to commercial, industrial and cable productions.

Other Golden Sheaf winners included:

Utshimassits: Place of the Boss (best of the festival, best doc over 30 minutes, best original music);

The Butterfly Collectors (best educational/instructional, SCN Elizabeth Lowry Award of $500);

Talker (best of Saskatchewan, best sound);

the fifth estate, ‘Throwaway Citizens’ (best doc by a broadcaster, Antoinette Kryski Award of $500);

Scenes from a Corner Store (NFB Kathleen Shannon Award of $1,000);

Falconry (best cinematography);

The Feeler (best performance);

The Sandbox (best animation);

Joe (best arts/entertainment);

The Reluctant Deckhand (best children’s production);

Royal Canadian Air Farce (best comedy);

L’Affaire Nogaret (best drama over 30 minutes);

Dernier appel (best drama under 30 minutes);

Mind of a Child (best multicultural/race relations);

Le Filet vide (best public affairs);

Secrets of the Choco (best science/nature).