Brazilian writer-director Rafael Toledo’s horror western “Shallow Hell” has won the PurpleDOG Official Selection Award and the Outpost MTL Award at the Fantasia Festival’s prestigious Frontières Co-Production Market, which handed out seven awards at a closing cocktail July 25.
At the event, Toledo told Variety the response from industry delegates in his back-to-back one-on-one meetings during the market has been encouraging. “People are seeing the universal elements in the story,” he said. “This is my first experience of a genre market, and it’s been amazing.”
Montreal writer-director Anouk Whissell’s ‘Holi Womb’ also picked up two awards, including the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalunya Award, which gives the recipient an opportunity to pitch their project at the prestigious event next October, and an Outpost MTL Special Mention Award.
More than 300 delegates from 25 countries attended the market, including team members of projects in its official selection, Genre Lab, Short To Features, and Music strands – all of whom presented at the day-long pitching event on opening day, July 23.
In her opening remarks, Frontières executive director Annick Mahnert strongly encouraged delegates to attend the full day before breaking off into chats, and they heeded her words. The auditorium was packed with supportive colleagues from morning to late afternoon.
One-on-one meetings and industry seminars conclude on July 26.
Here is the full list of Frontières award winners and their prizes:
Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalunya Award goes to Anouk Whissell’s “Holi Womb.” The recipient wins the opportunity to pitch their project at the prestigious Sitges Film Festival next October.
PurpleDOG Official Selection Award: CAD$10,000 in post-production services goes to Rafael Toledo’s “Shallow Hell.”
PurpleDOG Official Genre Film Lab Award: CAD$ 10,000 in post-production services goes to Elena Sturk-Lussier’s “After the End.”
Outpost MTL Award: a CAD $1,000 cash award and CAD$15,000 in post-production services for “Shallow Hell.”
Outpost MTL Special Mention Award: CAD$5,000 in post-production services to director Miguel Angel Caballero’s “Ballad of Tita and the Machines.”
Outpost MTL Special Mention Award: CAD$ 5,000 in post-production services to Anouk Whissell’s “Holi Womb.”
The Film Deck – Shorts to Features Pitch Deck Award is won by Talia Shea Levin’s “Make Me A Pizza.”
