WIFF is committed to celebrating excellence in Canadian film by honouring Canadian films and filmmakers with an annual cash prize of $25,000. An independent jury comprised of film industry experts selects the winner. The Korean-Canadian film RICEBOY SLEEPS, directed by Anthony Shim was the recipient of the 2022 prize.
2023 Nominees
Blackberry
The Dishwasher
Frontiers
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person
Irena’s Vow
My Mother’s Men
The Nature of Love
One Summer
Seven Veils
Solo
Jury Panel
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PAST NOMINEES
WINNER – RICEBOY SLEEPS
2022 nOMINEES
BROTHER , directed by Clement VirgoETERNAL SPRING , directed by Jason LoftusFALCON LAKE , directed by Charlotte Le BonI LIKE MOVIES , directed by Chandler LevackNORBOURG , directed by Maxime GirouxNORTH OF NORMAL , directed by Carly StoneRICEBOY SLEEPS , directed by Anthony Shim (WINNER) SOMETHING YOU SAID LAST NIGHT , directed by Luis De FilippisTHE SWEARING JAR , directed by Lindsay MacKayTO KILL A TIGER , directed by Nisha Pahuja
WINNER – KUESSIPAN
2019 nOMINEES
AND THE BIRDS RAINED DOWN , directed by Louise ArchambaultANTIGONE , directed by Sophie DeraspeCASTLE IN THE GROUND , directed by Joey KleinEASY LAND , directed by Sanja ZivkovicGORDON LIGHTFOOT: IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND , directed by Martha Kehoe and Joan TosoniJORDAN RIVER ANDERSON, THE MESSENGER , directed by Alanis ObomsawinKUESSIPAN , directed by Myriam Verreault (WINNER) MATTHIAS & MAXIME , directed by Xavier DolanPREY , directed by Matt GallagherWILLIE , directed by Laurence Mathieu-Léger
PAST JURIES
2022 Jury members
Magali Simard , Director of Industry and Community Relations at Cinespace Studios TorontoJason Gorber , film journalist and member of the Toronto Film Critics Association, OFCS and the Critics Choice AssociationSally Lee , Executive Director of the Canadian Independent Screen Fund for BPOC creatorsJoanna Miles , marketing executiveGlenn Sumi , arts writer and editor
2019 jury members
Karen Bruce, Executive Director, Women In Film and Television TorontoIsabelle Corriveau, Journalist, Radio-CanadaJoshua Riehl, Writer-Director, The Russian Five
