Water doc wins at environmental film fest
Last Updated: Monday, October 18, 2010 | 4:53 PM ET
CBC News
Director Liz Marshall, left, and cinematographer Steve Cozen are shown making Water on the Table, which was named best Canadian feature at the Planet in Focus film festival. (Andrea Cohen/Planet in Focus)Water on the Table, filmmaker Liz Marshall's documentary about water politics in Canada and on the global stage, was named best Canadian feature at the Planet in Focus film festival this weekend.
Water on the Table follows Council of Canadians activist Maude Barlow in her campaign to have water declared a human right and during her tenure as senior adviser on water to the UN.
Barlow has been campaigning since the 1980s to get special protection for Canadian water and prevent it being sold commercially.
Marshall's feature documentary was one of nine films recognized at the annual Toronto festival of films with environmental themes.
The best international film honours went to Seattle-based filmmaker Sandy Cioffi for Sweet Crude, about Nigeria's Niger Delta.
Sweet Crude is a story of survival, corruption, greed and armed resistance set against the oil development of one area of Nigeria.
Other films to get awards.
- Canadian films honourable mention: Land of Destiny, about cancer in Sarnia, Ont., directed by Brett Story.
- Best Canadian short film: Life in the Fast Lane, about urban sprawl, directed by Almerinda Travassos.
- Short film honorable mention: Kitakinan — The Land of Everybody, about aboriginal hunting practices, directed by Serge Bordeleau.
- International film honorable mention: Queen of the Sun, directed by Taggart Siegel.
- Best international short: Sink, directed by Kirsten Tan, (Singapore/Thailand).
- International short honourable mention: Paradise Later, directed by Ascan Breuer (Austria/Germany/Indonesia.)
The Mark Haslam Award for a film that gives voice to stories under-represented in the media went to U.S. filmmaker Michael Kuehnert for Save the Farm.
Artist Robert Bateman was also honoured in a ceremony Sunday as the International Eco Hero for his ongoing commitment to the environment.
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