With the announcements of new and bulked-up funding streams for all sorts of programming, a slew of awards given and deals initiated, the 2005 Banff World Television Festival is being heralded a success.

Festival CEO Robert Montgomery (head of its new parent Achilles Media) says the concerns about the festival’s prior financial troubles have been forgotten after this year’s event.

‘We’ve very much moved on from that period and now people are focusing on the festival and how important it is for them and their businesses,’ says Montgomery.

Michael Geddes of Toronto’s Lone Eagle Entertainment – who received the Lions Gate/Maple Pictures innovative producer award at Banff – was impressed by the revamped, rebranded festival, and appreciated the streamlined three-day sked.

‘From a Canadian perspective, I think it’s a very important festival to keep Canada prominently positioned in the international marketplace,’ says Geddes.

Geddes, who adds he appreciates the networking possibilities offered by the festival over the opportunity to be in a ‘constant sales moment,’ was pleased to see so many international delegates and hopes the fest can attract more next year.

International attendees included reps from Australia’s ABC, NBC International, Japan’s NHK, PBS, the Chinese Television Association, BBC and Fox. Speakers and panelists included CSI creator Anthony Zuiker, BBC’s Roger Mosey, Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan, ZDF exec producer Ralf-Peter Piechowiak and A&E’s Bill Kurtis.

Montgomery notes more than 1,400 people attended Banff and the nextMedia new media fest, which ran in tandem. This included the strong international contingent that was reportedly lacking last year when Banff received around 1,300 mostly Canadian delegates. He says the feedback he’s been receiving for the festival this year has been enthusiastic.

‘I think people are feeling we’ve recovered from the receivership, and that we’ve reinvented the festival in a bright new way,’ says Alliance Atlantis executive VP, programming, Norm Bolen (a Banff board member), who adds he and his AA team did a great deal of business in the mountains this year.

Montgomery says the critical returns from Banff 2005 will determine what delegates see in 2006.

But credit for the success of the 2005 festival belongs with Montgomery and Achilles, says Bolen, adding they rescued it from probable oblivion.

‘Some people were saying a couple of years ago that the festival is a tired old thing, and we don’t need it anymore,’ says Bolen. ‘After going this year I can’t imagine us not having this festival. We need it.’

The biggest prize at Banff this year was the $50,000 presented to Etherworks’ Brett Gaylor at Documart, CTV’s documentary pitching competition. Gaylor’s winning pitch was for Puff Daddy, a doc about a pot grow-op.

Also at Banff Corus Entertainment and the CFTPA announced the winners of this year’s Young Filmmaker’s Initiative competition, which gives six young filmmakers up to $25,000 each to forward their respective projects, at last month’s Banff festival.

A panel of Corus and CFPTA execs favored Ian Yorski (Winnipeg) for The Snow Fort, Jen Schlumberger (Peterborough) with Dream Catcher, Kyle Thomas (Calgary) for Last Chance Saloon, Lindsay LeCorre (Victoria) for Pathway, Nicholas Martin (Montreal) with Searching for Heartbreak and Bob Barlen (Toronto) for Push and Turn.

In addition to receiving money for the development and production of their projects, each selected applicant (who range in age from 21 to 24) will be paired with a CFTPA mentor for guidance through the process. Their projects will also air on one of Corus’ specialty channels once completed.

-www.banff2005.com