RBC and TIFF Announce Finalists for the 2013 RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition

TORONTO, July 17, 2013 /CNW/ - RBC and TIFF today announced the five finalists for the 2013 RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition. Now in its fourth year, the competition asked filmmakers to develop a one to five minute short film on the topic of 'memory'. The 2013 RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition finalists are:

Rafael Balulu, Tel Aviv, Israel
MY NAME IS SOLOMON HAGOS - My name is Solomon Hagos. I am from Eritrea. In Eritrea, I was forcibly recruited to Sawa military training base against my will. I left the country illegally to escape these harsh conditions. If I am returned to Eritrea, they will imprison me, torture me, and maybe even kill me.

Kevan Funk, Vancouver, Canada
DESTROYER - A young athlete struggles with the weight of witnessing his fellow teammates commit an act of violence.

Mako Kamitsuna, Los Angeles, United States
THE LULL BREAKER - A housewife, a victim of domestic violence, relives a childhood trauma that initiated her to an act of vengeance.

Dan Popa, Montreal, Canada
TALES OF SANTA FE - A traveler shares his impressions of a city through a photographic journey into his fragmented past.

Christoph Rainer, Vienna, Austria
REQUIEM FOR A ROBOT - Tortured by a recurring nightmare, an alcoholic robot has nothing left but a corrupt memory. In order to find out what has happened, he returns to his creator.

The finalists have been selected by a panel of esteemed jurors of directors and producers. The five emerging artists were chosen from a group of up-and-coming filmmakers who participated in TIFF Talent Lab, a four-day intensive lab during the Toronto International Film Festival that offers hands-on, artistic development opportunities. Each filmmaker was given a $500 bursary donated by RBC to make a one to five minute short film.

The winner and honourable mentions will be announced September 4, 2013 at a news conference prior to the start of the Toronto International Film Festival. The winner will receive $20,000 and the honourable mention will receive $10,000.

"Each year, we are excited to see the thoughtful, creative and interesting films that are produced for the RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition," said Jennifer Tory, RBC's regional president for Greater Toronto. "TIFF plays an integral role in promoting up-and-coming filmmakers in Canada and abroad. We are enthusiastic about lending our support to grassroots arts programs."

"The RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition is an annual celebration of the works of artists to watch," said Piers Handling, Director and CEO, TIFF. "We are proud to partner with RBC who, through this competition and through their many initiatives, continue to focus on and support emerging artists in Canada."

The panel of esteemed jurors for 2013 include:

Jennifer Baichwal, a Montreal-born documentary producer and director, has been recognized with awards for her films at home and abroad including: Let it Come Down: The Life of Paul Bowles (1998) Manufactured Landscapes (2006) and most recently Payback (2012).

Atif Ghani, born in Edmonton, is currently working on his fourth feature film, Anima State. His previous works include two foreign language films; The Last Thakur (2008) and Leaving Baghdad (2010) and his most recent film, Ill Manors premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2012.

Ruba Nadda is a Canadian film director born in Montreal, who has made many short-films that received international recognition before moving to feature films. In 2009, her film Cairo Time won Best Canadian Feature film at the Festival.

André Rouleau is a producer and founder of Caramel Films. He is best known for his box office successes: Funkytown (2011), Goon (2011) and Starbuck (2011).

About RBC and the Arts
RBC supports a wide-range of grassroots and local initiatives that contribute to the cultural fabric of our communities. Through the RBC Emerging Artist Project, RBC provides opportunities for up-and-coming artists through programs such as the RBC Canadian Painting Competition and the RBC Emerging Filmmakers Competition. In 2012, RBC contributed more than $95 million to causes worldwide, including donations and community investments of more than $64 million and $31 million in sponsorships. For more information, please visit rbc.com.

About TIFF
TIFF is a charitable cultural organization whose mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. An international leader in film culture, TIFF projects include the annual Toronto International Film Festival in September; TIFF Bell Lightbox, which features five cinemas, major exhibitions, and learning and entertainment facilities; and innovative national distribution program Film Circuit. The organization generates an annual economic impact of $170 million CAD. TIFF Bell Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including Founding Sponsor Bell, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.

SOURCE: RBC