The 2023 winners and nominees
The Flying Sailor, an animated film inspired by the real life event about merchant mariner Charles John Mayers, who miraculously survived the December morning explosion at a harbour in Halifax when two ships collided, won the Best of Festival Golden Sheaf award at the Yorkton Film Festival May 27.
A bold blend of comedy, suspense and philosophy, The Flying Sailor is an exhilarating contemplation of the wonder and fragility of existence. It was directed by Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis.
The film also won in the Animation and Best Director-Fiction categories, taking a total of three of the prestigious Golden Sheaf Awards.
The Ruth Shaw Best of Saskatchewan award was presented to Fable Deaf, a short subject fiction starring four Saskatchewan actors between the ages of 12 and 74, all identify as culturally deaf and communicate using American Sign Language, and who have contributed to the film’s narrative.
With lush visual effects and an all-deaf cast, it examines the threat of cultural devastation and offers an invitation for its preservation. It was directed by Chrystene Ells, a visual artist and animator, who grew up on an Alberta cattle ranch before moving to San Francisco in 1986 and relocating to Saskatchewan in 2006.
The awards gala Saturday night marked the conclusion of the 76th edition of the Yorkton Film Festival, the longest continuously running film festival in North America. In total, 27 Golden Sheaf awards were presented.
Accompanying categories
Ruth Shaw Award for Best of Saskatchewan
Ruth Shaw Award for Best of Saskatchewan
Ruth Shaw Award for Best of Saskatchewan
Presented by Yorkton Film Festival
Fable Deaf
Director(s): Chrystene R. Ells
Producer(s): Joanne C. Weber, Michelle M Grodecki
Production Company: Deaf Crows Collective
Other nominees:
Len & His Spitfire
Director(s): Noelle Duddridge
Producer(s): Noelle Duddridge
Together Forever In The Clouds: The 1946 RCAF Estevan Plane Crash Memorial Weekend
Director(s): Curtis McGillivray
Producer(s): Curtis McGillivray, Marie Donais Calder, Lois Wilson, Wayne Younghusband, Allison Holzer
Production Company: Prairie View Productions
French Enough
Director(s): Alexis Normand
Producer(s): Jon Montes, Chehala Leonard
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Golden Opportunity
Director(s): Dan Plaster
Producer(s): Natascia Lypny
Production Company: CBC Saskatchewan
Emerging Filmmaker Award
Ruth Shaw Award for Best of Saskatchewan
Ruth Shaw Award for Best of Saskatchewan
Presented by RBC Foundation
Wrought
Director(s): Joel Penner, Anna Sigrithur
Producer(s): Joel Penner, Anna Sigrithur
Production Company: Biofilm Productions
Other nominees:
Cicerone
Director(s): Ty Giffin
Producer(s): Courtni Soucy,Arianna Martinez,Gordon Mihan,Lance Blakney
Production Company: Bison FilmWorks
If the sharks could talk
Director(s): Mathieu Gauvreau
Producer(s): Mathieu Gauvreau
Journey to Our Homeland
Director(s): Adrien Harpelle
Producer(s): Tommy Yellowhead
Production Company: Shebafilms
The Rainbow Bridge
Director(s): Brett Morreau
Producer(s): Brett Morreau
Production Company: Keep Your Stick on the Ice Productions
Indigenous Award
Ruth Shaw Award for Best of Saskatchewan
Indigenous Award
Presented by Painted Hand Casino
War for The Woods
Director(s): Sean Stiller, Geoff Morrison
Producer(s): Tanya Talaga,Stuart Coxe, Nina Beveridge, Jolene Banning, Hayley Morin
Production Company: Makwa Creative
Other nominees:
The Rainbow Bridge
Director(s): Brett Morreau
Producer(s): Brett Morreau
Production Company: Keep Your Stick on the Ice Productions
The Pretendians
Director(s): Drew Hayden Taylor, Paul Kemp
Producer(s): Paul Kemp, Drew Hayden Taylor
Production Company: Paul Kemp Productions
Arctic Song
Director(s): Germaine Arnattaujuq, Louise Flaherty, Neil Christopher
Producer(s): Neil Christopher, Nadia Mike, David Christensen, Alicia Smith
Production Company: A Taqqut Productions Inc. and the National Film Board of Canada co-production
lii bufloo aen loo kishkishiw
Director(s): Dianne Ouellette
Producer(s): Dianne Ouellette
Mental Health
Mental Health
Indigenous Award
Presented my Warner Bros. Discover Access Canada
Quiet Minds Silent Streets
Director(s): Karen Chapman
Producer(s): Sara Basso
Production Company: Operation Prefrontal Cortex
Other nominees:
Love, Amma
Director(s): Prajwala Dixit
Producer(s): Annette Clarke, Kelly Davis
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Now that We Are Free, We Are Home
Director(s): Colbi Mike
Producer(s): Colin Scheyen
Production Company: Aspen Films
How's Your Mom
Director(s): Ann Leese
Producer(s): Ann Leese
A Motorcycle Saved My Life
Director(s): Lori Lozinski
Producer(s): Teri Snelgrove
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Multicultural
Mental Health
Multicultural
Presented by Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan
Paco
Director(s): Kent Donguines
Producer(s): Sebastien Galina, Geoff Manton
Production Company: Film Boldly in association with Aimer Films Inc.
Other nominees:
The Girl Child
Director(s): Mfonoso James Abasi
Producer(s): NotJustMedia.ca
Production Company: NotJustMedia.ca
Quiet Minds Silent Streets
Director(s): Karen Chapman
Producer(s): Sara Basso
Production Company: Operation Prefrontal Cortex
Guardians
Director(s): Minerva Marie Navasca
Producer(s): Brianne Harvie
Post-Secondary Institution: Sheridan College
Love, Amma
Director(s): Prajwala Dixit
Producer(s): Annette Clarke, Kelly Davis
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Main categories
Animation
Community Television Productions
Children's/Youth Productions
Presented by Telefilm Canada
The Flying Sailor
Director(s): Wendy Tilby, Amanda Forbis
Producer(s): David Christensen
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Other nominees:
Corvine
Director(s): Sean McCarron
Producer(s): Sean McCarron
Me, Mahmoud and the Mint Plant
Director(s): Cat Mills
Producer(s): Felicity Justrabo, Isabella Carrera Alves
Production Company: Sorauren Pictures
Zeb's Spider
Director(s): Alicia Eisen, Sophie Jarvis
Producer(s): Shirley Vercruysse, Teri Snelgrove
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
8 Rooms
Director(s): Anita Louise Lebeau
Producer(s): Anita Louise Lebeau
Children's/Youth Productions
Community Television Productions
Children's/Youth Productions
Presented by SaskTel
Run Jump Play - Celebrating Neurodiversity
Director(s): Tara Hungerford, Eric Hogan
Producer(s): Tara Hungerford, Eric Hogan,Tracey Mack
Production Company: Imagine Create Media Inc.
Other nominees:
Why Am I
Director(s): Adrian Dean
Producer(s): Dawn Bird,Adrian Dean
Production Company: Why Am I Season 4 Productions Inc
Honouring the Buffalo
Director(s): Judith Silverthorne
Producer(s): Judith Silverthorne,Mathilda Lavallee
Production Company: Silverlight Productions Inc.
100 Miles (Hothouse)
Director(s): Louis Bodart
Producer(s): Maral Mohammadian
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Stories of the North
Director(s): Betty Ann Adam
Producer(s): Kyle Burgess, Allia Janzen, Lee Crowchild, Harmony Johnson
Production Company: Campfire Stories
Arctic Song
Director(s): Germaine Arnattaujuq, Louise Flaherty, Neil Christopher
Producer(s): Neil Christopher, Nadia Mike, David Christensen, Alicia Smith
Production Company: A Taqqut Productions Inc. and the National Film Board of Canada co-production
Community Television Productions
Community Television Productions
Community Television Productions
Presented by Access Communications Co-operative Ltd.
National Day for Truth & Reconciliation
Director(s): Erica Daniels, Jordan Konek, Dustin Hollings, Jean-Claude Therrien Pinette, Dawn Wasacase
Producer(s): Lindsay Cox
Production Company: Insight Productions
Other nominees:
The Moose Whisperer
Director(s): Curtis McGillivray
Producer(s): Curtis McGillivray
Production Company: Prairie View Productions
Gardening in the Heart
Director(s): Elise Swerhone
Producer(s): Elise Swerhone
Production Company: Queen Anne Pictures Inc
The Adaptive Ski Club SaskTel Challenge
Director(s): Joel Kereluke
Producer(s): Joel Kereluke
Production Company: Bamboo Shoots
Spotlight Features: Indigenous Stories
Director(s): Tommy Johnson
Producer(s): Sarah Love, Chas Zahorchak, Willi Whiston, Sarah Smith, Paul Andersen, Lily Li, Blaine Evans, Lydia Frederick, Tommy Johnson
Production Company: Shaw Communications
Documentary Arts/Culture
Documentary History & Biography
Community Television Productions
Presented by SaskCulture
Woodwriter: The Wordless Art of George A. Walker
Director(s): Jeff Winch
Producer(s): Jeff Winch
Production Company: The Order of Nervous Chickens
Other nominees:
Drag Heals
Director(s): Charlie David
Producer(s): Charlie David, Philip Webb, Tracey Erin Smith, Nico Stagias
Production Company: Border2Border Entertainment in association with OUTtv
Finding My Father ( پدر من )
Director(s): Maziar Ghaderi
Producer(s): Patricia Marcoccia
Production Company: Holding Space Films
MABOUNGOU: Being in the World
Director(s): Marlene Millar, Philip Szporer
Producer(s): Marlene Millar, Philip Szporer
Production Company: Mouvement Perpétuel
Upstairs with David Amram
Director(s): Alanis Obomsawin
Producer(s): Alanis Obomsawin
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Documentary History & Biography
Documentary History & Biography
Documentary History & Biography
Presented by Bailey's Funeral and Cremation Care
Spindrift - The Barry Blanchard Story
Director(s): Ivan Hughes
Producer(s): Andy Arts, Hank Van Weelden, Ivan Hughes
Production Company: Compass Media
Other nominees:
Doing the Impossible: The Story of the Developmental Disability Association
Director(s): David Ozier
Producer(s): David Ozier, Alanna Hendren
Production Company: Starjumper Films
Bimibatoo-win: Where I Ran
Director(s): Erica Daniels
Producer(s): Erica Daniels,Addison Sandy,Paul James
Production Company: Kejic Productions
Now that We Are Free, We Are Home
Director(s): Colbi Mike
Producer(s): Colin Scheyen
Production Company: Aspen Films
Bill Reid Remembers
Director(s): Alanis Obomsawin
Producer(s): Alanis Obomsawin
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Documentary POV (Point of View)
Documentary History & Biography
Documentary History & Biography
Presented by Canada Media Fund
The Climate Baby Dilemma
Director(s): Victoria Lean
Producer(s): Victoria Lean, Stuart Henderson
Production Company: 90th Parallel Productions Ltd
Other nominees:
Residual Splendour
Director(s): C. Hudson Hwang
Producer(s): C. Hudson Hwang
Production Company: SUPRE
Love, Amma
Director(s): Prajwala Dixit
Producer(s): Annette Clarke, Kelly Davis
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Children of War
Director(s): Christopher Triffo, Colin McNeil
Producer(s): Christopher Triffo, Steve Allen, Ali Kharsa, Beth Smilliea,Jeff Stecyk
Production Company: Wavelength Entertainment Group Inc
A Motorcycle Saved My Life
Director(s): Lori Lozinski
Producer(s): Teri Snelgrove
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Documentary Science/Nature/Technology
Documentary Science/Nature/Technology
Documentary Science/Nature/Technology
Presented by Java Post Productions
The Musical Animal
Director(s): Connie Edwards
Producer(s): Connie Edwards
Production Company: Souleado Entertainment
Other nominees:
Grassy Narrows - Poisoned with Mercury
Director(s): Vincent Laurin
Producer(s): Hélène Leroux
Production Company: Radio-Canada (CBC)
Ice and Fire: Tracking Canada's Climate Crisis
Director(s): Robin Bicknell
Producer(s): Elizabeth Trojian
Production Company: yap films inc.
Cracked: The Perplexing World of Egg Donation
Director(s): Rebecca Campbell
Producer(s): Bonnie Thompson, Frederick Kroetsch
Production Company: Catapult Pictures/Dreaming Bird
Wrought
Director(s): Joel Penner, Anna Sigrithur
Producer(s): Joel Penner, Anna Sigrithur
Production Company: Biofilm Productions
Documentary Series
Documentary Science/Nature/Technology
Documentary Science/Nature/Technology
Presented by Wavelength Entertainment
Going Native Season 2
Director(s): Sam Karney, Andrew Wiens, Paul Kemp, Kurt Spenrath
Producer(s): Sam Karney, Paul Kemp, Andrew Wiens, Kurt Spenrath
Production Company: Ice River Films & Paul Kemp Productions
Other nominees:
We're All Gonna Die (Even Jay Baruchel)
Director(s): Victoria Lean
Producer(s): Victoria Lean, Stuart Henderson, Ben Travers
Production Company: 90th Parallel Productions Ltd
By Hook or By Cook - The Lodge
Director(s): Pamela J Tomlinson
Producer(s): Pamela J Tomlinson
Production Company: Render Digital Media Ltd.
Staying Wild
Director(s): Lisa Unrau
Producer(s): Jackie Kripki, George Tsougrianis, Ell McEachern, Hanna Hermanson
Production Company: Staying Wild productions inc.
Paramedics: Emergency Response, Season 6
Director(s): Antonio Hrynchuk
Producer(s): Antonio Hrynchuk, Ryan Malone, Karen Parhar
Production Company: Fahrenheit Films
Documentary Social/Political
Documentary Science/Nature/Technology
Documentary Social/Political
Presented by SK Arts
The Pretendians
Director(s): Drew Hayden Taylor, Paul Kemp
Producer(s): Paul Kemp, Drew Hayden Taylor
Production Company: Paul Kemp Productions
Other nominees:
Undertaker for life!
Director(s): Georges Hannan
Producer(s): Christine Aubé
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Curb Your Carbon
Director(s): P.J. Naworynski
Producer(s): Gillian Main, Dugald Maudsley
Production Company: Infield Fly Productions
The Fifth Estate: The Convoy and the Questions... How a protest paralyzed a capital
Director(s): Linda Guerriero, Scott Anderson
Producer(s): Linda Guerriero, Scott Anderson
Production Company: CBC The Fifth Estate
Spud Island?
Director(s): Man Long Ho
Producer(s): Brian Pollard
Production Company: 32 Pictures
Experimental
Performing Arts & Entertainment
Documentary Social/Political
Presented by SaskLotteries
P L U M E
Director(s): Mike Rollo
Producer(s): Mike Rollo
Other nominees:
By Winds and Tides (Alambic)
Director(s): Bogdan Anifrani-Fedach
Producer(s): Anne-Marie Bousquet
Production Company: National Film Board of Canada
Dalot (Gutter)
Director(s): Theodore Drusba
Producer(s): Theodore Drusba, Jean-Martin Bisson
Production Company: Productions Toboggan
lii bufloo aen loo kishkishiw
Director(s): Dianne Ouellette
Producer(s): Dianne Ouellette
Production Company: Difilms
A Stumble Cry Perhaps
Director(s): John Barnard
Producer(s): Gina Macri
Lifestyle & Reality
Performing Arts & Entertainment
Performing Arts & Entertainment
Presented by City of Yorkton
How I Got Here
Director(s): Jim Morrison IV, Dylan Reibling
Producer(s): Andrea Gabourie, Mitch Gabourie, Louise Wood
Production Company: Forté Entertainment
Other nominees:
The Amazing Race Canada
Director(s): Rob Brunner
Producer(s): Mark Lysakowski
Production Company: Insight Productions
Wall of Chefs 2
Director(s): Dave Russell
Producer(s): John Brunton, Mark Lysakowski, Eric Abboud, Erica Lenczner, Sarah James
Production Company: Insight Productions
Top Chef Canada S10
Director(s): Brett Morris
Producer(s): John Brunton, Mark Lysakowski, Eric Abboud, Jessica Brunton, Daniel Klimitz, Cliff Dempster (Supervising Producer)
Production Company: Insight Productions
Sarah's Mountain Escape
Director(s): Grant Greschuck
Producer(s): Erin Brock
Production Company: Insight Productions
Performing Arts & Entertainment
Performing Arts & Entertainment
Performing Arts & Entertainment
Presented by Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sports
The Body of My Name
Director(s): Rosie Choo Pidcock
Producer(s): Jasmin Wanzheng Lyu
Other nominees:
Typecastress
Director(s): Bobbi-Lee Jones
Producer(s): Raj Padmanabh
Production Company: Flowing Line Pictures, Little Libertine Playhouse
Maybe Next Year
Director(s): Laina Brown, Taylor Brown
Producer(s): Laina Brown, Taylor Brown
Production Company: Folks Films
F You and F Your Friends Too
Director(s): Taylor Brown
Producer(s): Taylor Brown, Laina Brown
Production Company: Folks Films
Wiwimaw
Director(s): Heather Jean Hatch
Producer(s): Brittany Ryan
Scripted
Short Subject - Fiction
Scripted
Presented by Frank Digital
Eye of the Veil
Director(s): Dorothy A. Atabong
Producer(s): Dorothy A. Atabong, Charanpreet Chall
Production Company: Ayinke FIlms Inc.
Other nominees:
Five True Friends
Director(s): George Orallo, Leona Krahn
Producer(s): Karen Tusa
Amanisowin
Director(s): Peter Brass
Producer(s): M'Shell Brass, Peter Brass
Tomato Can
Director(s): Ryan Northcott
Producer(s): Ryan Northcott, Chase Gardiner
Production Company: Panoramic Films
Woman Meets Girl
Director(s): Murry Peeters
Producer(s): Enuka Okuma, Joe Gasparik, Adria Budd Johnson
Production Company: Process Entertainment Inc
Series
Short Subject - Fiction
Scripted
Presented by Citytv Saskatchewan
Gay Mean Girls: Season 2
Director(s): Heyishi Zhang
Producer(s): Maddy Falle, Hayley Wong
Production Company: Obvious Allegory
Other nominees:
Geomapping Love (series)
Director(s): Nicolas Legendre-Duplessis
Producer(s): Caroline Gaudette
Production Company: V10 Media
Avocado Toast there series SEASON 2
Director(s): Sam Coyle
Producer(s): Heidi Lynch, Charlie David, Perrie Voss
Production Company: Border2Border Ent.
Abracadavers: Season 2
Director(s): Morgan Ermter, Reamonn Joshee, Anna Cooley
Producer(s): Jesse Lipscombe, Gianna Isabella, Karlee McTavish, Griffin Cork
Production Company: Numera Films
Resting Potential
Director(s): Mark Wihak
Producer(s): Mark Wihak
Production Company: Chat Perdue!
Short Subject - Fiction
Short Subject - Fiction
Short Subject - Non-Fiction
Presented by SMPIA
Send The Rain
Director(s): Hayley Gray
Producer(s): Elad Tzadok, Kristoff Duxbury, Geoff Manton
Production Company: Boldly
Other nominees:
When Life Gives You Lemons
Director(s): Rafeh Mahmud
Producer(s): Ali Keller, Ahad Lakhani, Scott Burns, Rafeh Mahmud, Rouvan Silogix
Production Company: Theatre Artaud (Toronto)
Fable Deaf
Director(s): Chrystene R. Ells
Producer(s): Joanne C. Weber, Michelle M Grodecki
Production Company: Deaf Crows Collective
SISSY
Director(s): Caleb Harwood, Simon Paluck
Producer(s): Caleb Harwood, Simon Paluck, Lana Maclin, Graeme Blythe
Production Company: Picosphere Inc.
Menace
Director(s): Joy Webster
Producer(s): Joy Webster
Short Subject - Non-Fiction
Short Subject - Non-Fiction
Short Subject - Non-Fiction
Presented by Creative Saskatchewan
Quiet Minds Silent Streets
Director(s): Karen Chapman
Producer(s): Sara Basso
Production Company: Operation Prefrontal Cortex
Other nominees:
A Century in the Making - The Stu Crawford Story
Director(s): Mike Downie
Producer(s): Jacob Akman, Kalin Moon
Production Company: Courage Films
The Girl Child
Director(s): Mfonoso James Abasi
Producer(s): NotJustMedia.ca
Production Company: NotJustMedia.ca
I would like to thank my body
Director(s): Catherine Dulude
Producer(s): Catherine Dulude
I Hurt Myself
Director(s): Quan Luong
Producer(s): Robin Summerfield
Student Production
Short Subject - Non-Fiction
Student Production
Presented by Legacy Co-operative Association
There was nothing
Director(s): Alexandre Lavigne
Producer(s): Beatrice Moukhaiber
Post-Secondary Institution: INIS, Montréal
Other nominees:
We're Burning Up!
Director(s): Alden Doyle, John Stewart
Producer(s): Alden Doyle, John Stewart
Post-Secondary Institution: SFU
No Entry
Director(s): Philippe Vanasse-Paquet, Dimitri Lavallée
Post-Secondary Institution: Cégep de Granby
Les crottés
Director(s): Cédric Gaillard
Producer(s): Cédric Gaillard, Émya St-Germain
Post-Secondary Institution: Concordia University (Montreal)
Happiness is Like Sand
Director(s): Gaëlle Azzam
Producer(s): Anaïs Venegas-Grün
Post-Secondary Institution: INIS, Montréal