2011 TIFF Emerging Filmmakers Competition - finalists announced

The Toronto International Film Festival has announced the finalists of their second RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition. The 20 participating filmmakers of the 2010 TIFF Talent Lab were asked to make a short film on a given theme with selected films becoming eligible to win prizes. This year's theme was "family."

The jury has selected their five finalists for the competition. The five finalists are Esther and Leib by Sean Wainsteim (Toronto), My First Movie by Gabriel Taraboulsy (Montréal), Next of Kin by Kara Blake (Montréal), The Revenge Plot by Jared Raab, and Saturday Night by Kaveh Nabatian (Montréal, Quebec).

In addition to prizes selected by the festival jurors, the finalists compete for the $5,000 Fan Favourite Award. All of the awards for the emerging filmmakers will be presented during TIFF 2011, taking place September 8-18.

As an incentive to vote, you become eligible to win a prize package worth $5,000. It includes a trip to Toronto, 3 nights in a four or five star hotel, double tickets to two TIFF screenings and $1,000 spending money. The voting period is June 2011 and the prizewinner for this contest will be selected on July 5, 2011.

Last year's winner was Jane Tattersall who received the $15,000 first prize. Stephen Dunn received $10,000 as an honourable mention as well as the $5,000 Fan Favourite Award.

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RBC AND TIFF ANNOUNCE TOP FIVE FINALISTS IN EMERGING FILMMAKERS COMPETITION

Public Voting for Fan Favourite Starts June 1^st

TORONTO, May 31, 2011 /CNW/ - RBC and the Toronto International Film Festival® today announced the finalists for the RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition. Reviewed by a jury comprised of esteemed producers, directors and executives from Canada's film industry, the following five finalists have been selected out of 20 "Family" themed submissions:

• ESTHER AND LEIB - Sean Wainsteim - (Toronto, Ontario)
  A raw portrait of Esther and Leib, a couple who met when escaping Europe, as they reflect on the passing years and each other.
  
• MY FIRST MOVIE - Gabriel Taraboulsy - (Montréal, Quebec)
  Tasked with making a video portrait of her family, a young filmmaker plants a hidden camera, capturing a vision of her family that is far different from anything she imagined.
  
• NEXT OF KIN - Kara Blake - (Montréal, Quebec)
  Documenting the parallel lives of two sisters surviving a long, cold winter in Montreal.
  
• THE REVENGE PLOT - Jared Raab - (Toronto, Ontario)
  After Matt and his friends are dissed in the schoolyard by a group of girls, they set to work on an elaborate and merciless plan for revenge.
  
• SATURDAY NIGHT - Kaveh Nabatian - (Montréal, Quebec)
  New Year's Eve. Boy meets girl. A film about unprotected sex, destiny and soul music.

From these top five films, the jury will decide the National Winner and an Honourable Mention, each receiving $15,000 and $10,000 respectively. Canadians from coast to coast can support the emerging filmmakers by voting for the film they like, to help decide the Fan Favourite Award which comes with a $5,000 cash prize. The public can vote from June 1 to June 30, 2011 until 11:59 p.m. EST and have the chance to win an all expenses paid trip for two to the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. Vote online at www.rbc.com/fanfave.

"This year's submissions are an exceptional representation of the talented crop of emerging filmmakers in Canada - the jury was faced with a challenge, narrowing down the competition to just five films," said Piers Handling, Director and CEO, TIFF. "TIFF congratulates these high-calibre talents who interpreted the Family theme brilliantly."

"We are thrilled to be involved in such an important arts initiative that gives emerging filmmakers the opportunity to learn and grow," said Jennifer Tory, RBC's Regional President for Greater Toronto. "For many years, RBC has been working with talented filmmakers and industry professionals to help them create their vision and achieve success in the film business. We are particularly proud to recognize and celebrate these rising new talents."

The RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition is part of Talent Lab, a four-day intensive program at the Toronto International Film Festival that offers artistic development opportunities to a select group of emerging Canadian and international filmmakers. Each filmmaker is provided with a portable camera, $500 cash and challenged to develop a one to five minute short film for the competition. Each year the films will focus on one topic - this year's theme is Family. Winners of the RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition will be announced prior to this year's Toronto International Film Festival.

Watch to WIN!

RBC and Talent Lab at the Toronto International Film Festival^® present the Emerging Filmmakers Competition in support of up-and-coming filmmakers. The idea was simple: give filmmakers a video camera, $500 and ask them to create something original on the subject of family. Twenty filmmakers who completed Talent Lab at the 2010 Festival submitted their projects to the competition.

A jury appointed by the Toronto International Film Festival has selected their top five, and now it's your chance to vote for your favourite short and give an emerging filmmaker a shot at winning the Fan Favourite Award, which will be presented at the 2011 Festival .

After selecting one film of your choice, you'll be taken to our contest entry page for your chance to WIN⁺ a Red Carpet Experience at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival worth $5,000!

• Full contest rules and regulations

Watch the Films

Vote online at www.rbc.com/fanfave.