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CIFF ANNOUNCES WINNER OF THIRD ANNUAL MAVERICKS COMPETITION
Director David Dusa awarded 2011 Mavericks title and $5,000 cash prize for FLEURS DU MAL (Flowers of Evil)
Calgary International Film Festival announced today director David Dusa has been awarded the winner of its third annual Mavericks Competition. This year’s program saw eight first-time feature filmmakers compete for the $5,000 cash prize, generously donated by the RBC Foundation through its Emerging Artists Project, with Dusa’s FLEURS DU MAL earning him the coveted title as CIFF’s 2011 Maverick filmmaker.
The jury of this year’s Mavericks Competition was comprised of three industry veterans: Cam Haynes, president and CEO of Union Pictures; Neil Campbell, former board member of CIFF and the current COO of Landmark Cinemas and Sachin Gandhi, Calgary film writer. Below is their statement on their selection.
Statement from the Jury:
“Flowers of Evil is a bold, innovative film brimming with fresh new ideas. David Dusa has crafted a unique film that smartly integrates social media such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube within the film’s visual language while maintaining the story’s flow. Dusa’s film contains living breathing three dimensional characters who draw the audience into their lives thereby creating an emotional connection with the characters lives in Paris and a revolutiontaking place in a far off land.”
Maverick Award nominee David Dusa’s FLEURS DU MAL (FLOWERS OF EVIL) is a shot across the bow from the next wave of moviemakers – a filmmaking cohort raised on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, rather than elaborately constructed (or digitally created) Hollywood products.
Beginning with a man in Tunisia burning himself to death in December 2010, and continuing through the Syrian and Lybian revolutions, pro-democracy rebellions erupted across the Middle East in the “Arab Spring.” Dusa’s film is the first to document the on-the-ground reality of technology-fuelled social change now sending shockwaves through the Arab world. It also has the eternally captivating power of a good old-fashioned love story.
Gecko, a young, carefree Parisian street-dancer, meets Anahita, an Iranian in exile, and finds himself tangled up in her history and the live internet broadcasts of the chaos in Iran following the controversial election in June of 2009. When the Islamic government cracked down on the traditional media, the citizens started broadcasting information through the internet. These brutal images reached the world directly – and now David Dusa’s FLEURS DU MAL personalizes them.
FLEURS DU MAL will have its encore presentation screening at Calgary International Film Festival on Sunday, October 2nd at 7:00PM. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1943/ .
About RBC Emerging Artists Project:
RBC believes in the power of the arts to enrich our lives and enhance our communities. Our support through the RBC Emerging Artists Support Project is pillared on long-term partnerships with organizations whose programs bridge the gap from academic excellence to professional careers in all aspects of the arts. For more information visit www.rbc.com/donations/emerging-artists.html.
THE MAVERICKS SERIES IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
About the Calgary International Film Festival
Founded in 1998, the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) is a charitable, not-for-profit, cultural organization based in Alberta, Canada. CIFF entertains and enlightens audiences through the experience of film, showcasing the best-of-the-best in International cinema in a world-class forum. Building a legacy for the filmic art form for Calgarians and cinema-goers around the globe is a primary focus of the Festival. CIFF is held annually at the end of September, screening hundreds of films and hosting several gala events, awards and special presentations. The 12th Calgary International Film Festival runs September 23 – October 2, 2011. For more information visit www.calgaryfilm.com.
Released on September 30, 2011
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