Audrey Mehler’s The Boys of Buchenwald was named Best of the Festival at the annual Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival, held May 22-25 in Yorkton, SK. The doc also won for best history documentary and garnered three craft awards for direction (Audrey Mehler), editing (Debra Rurak) and original music (Patric Caird).

Other multiple winners at this year’s Golden Sheaf Awards include Ashore, which won for best drama. The film’s director Justin Simms was presented with the award for best direction (dramatic), and its male lead, Joel Hynes, was chosen best male performer. The award for female performance went to Thea Gill for her work in Nina’s Muse.

Loon Dreaming, a National Film Board production, won for best animation, while Moccasin Flats received the NFB Kathleen Shannon Cash Award of $1,000. Ebola War: The Nurses of Gulu was given the Best of Saskatchewan Cash Award of $750. The Jury Prize went to Moze Mossanen’s Year of the Lion.

Tim Wilson, writer, producer and director of Upright Grand, won the Playback-sponsored award for best documentary. Brenda Longfellow’s Tina in Mexico, a documentary about the life and times of acclaimed photographer Tina Modotti, won in the category of best arts/entertainment, with awards going to Longfellow for best script and Chris Romeike for cinematography.

Cirque Du Soleil Fire Within ‘New Blood’ was named best documentary series.

Golden Sheaf Awards are presented in 17 genre categories and 10 craft award categories, including cash and specialty awards. This year marks the festival’s 56th anniversary.

-www.yorktonshortfilm.org