3 World Premieres Announced Amongst WFF’s Coveted Borsos Competition 6 films to compete for the second largest cash film festival prize for a Canadian feature in the country

The Whistler Film Festival (WFF) is pleased to announce the six films thatwill compete in the 11th annual Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature Film presented by theDirectors Guild of Canada ‘ British Columbia for a cash prize of $15,000, the second largest cash prize for aCanadian film in the country.

WFF also recognizes the Best Performance in a Borsos Film, won by TatianaMaslany for the past two consecutive years for her performance in Jason Priestley’s CAS & DYLAN (2013) andKate Melville’s PICTURE DAY (2012).

New for 2014, the Whistler Film Festival has introduced two inaugural awards for the Borsos Competition,including Best Direction and Best Screenplay of a Borsos Film. Additionally, a Post Production Prize of $15,000from Encore Vancouver will be presented to the winning Borsos film.Launched in 2004 in honor of legendary Canadian filmmaker Phillip Borsos, the Borsos Competition for BestCanadian Feature Film celebrates independent vision, original directorial style and the diversity of talent foundin Canadian film.

For the past nine years, the Borsos Competition entries have exuded the creative fire andartistry embodied by filmmaker Philip Borsos who was known for his inspiring work on the Genie Award-winningfilms The Grey Fox (1982), and Bethune: The Making of a Hero (1990).

The following six films will compete for the esteemed award and directors will be in attendance:

AFTER THE BALL, Director Sean Garrity, World PremiereAfter two entries in the 2012 Borsos Competition, Sean Garrity presents a fairy tale retelling of the Cinderellastory set in the world of fashion design. Co-written by Kate Melville, a previous Borsos Best Picture winner forPICTURE DAY and produced by Don Carmody, Gabriella Martinelli, Jane Silverstone-Segal and Robin Crumleythe film stars Portia Doubleday, Marc-Andr Grondin, Chris Noth and Lauren Holly.

BANG BANG BABY, Director Jeffrey St. Jules, Western Canadian PremiereWith his debut feature, Jeffrey St. Jules delivers this wildly original musical set in the 60s following a small townteenager dealing with her dreams of becoming a singing sensation, even as a toxic chemical leak threatens thelocal population with mutations. Produced by Daniel Bekerman, Don Allan and Jonathan Bronfman, BANGBANG BABY stars Jane Levy, Peter Stormare, Justin Chatwin and Nick Bateman

FLIX AND MEIRA (Flix et Meira), Director Maxime Giroux, Western Canadian PremiereJust off of a win for Best Canadian Film at the Toronto International Film Festival, director Maxime Giroux (JOFOR JONATHON, WFF 2010) presents this unusual love story, between a lonely francophone man in Montrealand the married Hasidic Jewish mother to whom he feels a connection. Tradition, loneliness and desire make forstrange bedfellows in this contemporary Canadian tale of longing. Produced by Nancy Grant and Sylvain Corbeil,FLIX AND MEIRA stars Martin Dubreuil, Hadas Yaron and Luzer Twersky. Whistler Film Festival Society ai??? 213-1200 Alpha Lake Road, Whistler, B.C. V0N 1B1 Tel 604.935.8035 / 1-877-838-FILM (3456) www.whistlerfilmfestival.com

MOUNTAIN MEN, Director Cameron Labine, World PremiereOur Whistler setting provides particular relevance to director Cameron Labine’s spectacular comedic/dramatictale of survival in the harsh Rocky Mountain winter, as two estranged brothers must bury their differences if theywish to survive their struggle to descend a mountain against incredible odds. Produced by Jason James andstars Tyler Labine and Chace Crawford.

RELATIVE HAPPINESS, Director Deanne Foley, Western Canadian PremiereIn this hilarious romantic comedy directed by Deanne Foley, Lexie, an overweight but feisty bed and breakfastoperator in Nova Scotia, is running out of time to find a date to her beautiful sister’s wedding when in walks thehunk of her dreams. Produced by Jill Knox-Grosse, Lynne Wilson, Allan Collins and Executive Producer AviFedergreen, RELATIVE HAPPINESS stars Australian actress Melissa Bergland, Aaron Poole and JohnathanSousa.

WOLVES (Les Loups), Director Sophie Deraspe, World PremierePrevious Borsos award winner Sophie Deraspe (VITAL SIGNS, WFF 2009) tells the story of lie, a youngconvalescent woman, who lands on a remote North Atlantic island during the spring thaw. In this isolated world,people’s lives and deaths are shaped by the brute forces of nature. lie feels both drawn to and repelled by themen engaged in the annual seal hunt. lie’s presence arouses curiosity and mistrust. Maria, the village matriarchand den mother, seeks to uncover the secret reason behind lie’s visit. Wolves explores the profound need forbelonging. Produced by Marc Daigle of ACPAV, one of the most consistent producers of quality Quebec filmsand Sophie Salbot of AthnaA?se/France, this film stars Evelyne Brochu, Louise Portal and Gilbert Sicotte.

“We cast a wide net in terms of the diversity of style and content with this year’s selection of Borsos Competitionfilms, and I can confidently say that all six films are very different from each other, although they seeminglyevoke that recurring Canadian theme of searching for one’s identity, for one’s place in the world,ai??? says WFFDirector of Programming, Paul Gratton. ai???All of the films are viable contenders for this year’s top Borsos awards,and we believe that the Borsos jury will have as hard a time choosing the winners as we had in selecting theseexcellent entries from amongst a particularly strong offering for Canadian cinema this year.”

Allan Harmon, Chairman, Directors Guild of Canada, British Columbia commented, ai???It is once again our pleasureto support and encourage those filmmakers who have been chosen to compete in this year’s Borsos Competition.The Directors Guild of Canada B.C. District Council members join me in wishing them all the very best with theirfilms at the 2014 Whistler Film Festival, as well as continued success with audiences worldwide. We lookforward to meeting them all in Whistler and joining them for the screenings of their films.ai???

Suzanne Thompson, Vice President Sales, Encore Vancouver commented, ai???We are immensely proud to supportthe British Columbia filmmaking community and to help talent realize their creative visions through our postproduction services. The Directors Guild of Canada and Whistler Film Festival have a longstanding reputation forfostering excellence in cinema, so we couldn’t be happier to partner with them this year in presenting the BorsosAward.ai???

To compete in the Borsos Competition, films must be at least Western Canadian premieres. An esteemedinternational jury of three will announce the winner at the Whistler Film Festival’s awards ceremony on Sunday,December 7, 2014 at the Whistler Conference Centre. Past jury presidents include Luc Dry, Martin Katz, BruceGreenwood, Ivan Reitman, Donald Sutherland, Atom Egoyan, Norman Jewison, and Robert Lantos. This year’sWhistler Film Festival Society ai??? 213-1200 Alpha Lake Road, Whistler, B.C. V0N 1B1 Tel 604.935.8035 / 1-877-838-FILM (3456) www.whistlerfilmfestival.comjury members will be announced in November. The 2013 Borsos Competition winner was Bruce McDonald’sTHE HUSBAND.

The Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature is presented by Directors Guild of Canada ‘ BritishColumbia and supported by Telefilm Canada and Encore Vancouver.

The Festival’s online box office is now open for early bird industry registration and festival passes until October31. The Festival lineup and film schedule will be available online on November 5. Individual film and specialevent tickets will go on sale online on November 5 (until December 7). The Festival Box Office opens November5 for phone sales and on November 28 for walk-in sales.

Best accommodation rates are also available starting from $79* per night until November 18 subject toavailability. The Westin Whistler Resort and Spa is WFF’s official host hotel. WFF has 17 accommodationpartners to choose from that offer special rates to Whistler Film Festival attendees. Book your accommodationearly to ensure your perfect match and price. For information, go to whistlerfilmfestival.com.

The Whistler Film Festival is supported by Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the ResortMunicipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, and is sponsored by Variety, ELLE Canada, the Directors Guild ofCanada – British Columbia, Creative BC, The Harold Greenburg Fund, Cineplex, CTV, Pandora, Sorel, Columbia,Whistler Blackcomb and the Westin Resort & Spa Whistler.-30-Media inquiries, please contact:Kim Bowie | Account Manager I Jive Communicationskim@jivecommunications.ca | p. 604.790.2301About the Whistler Film Festival: From December 3rd to 7th, 2014, the Whistler Film Festival (WFF) willcelebrate its 14th edition as one of Canada’s leading festivals. Featuring innovative and original films from aroundthe world and opportunities to connect with the people who made them, this year’s five day Festival will be filledwith a solid lineup of premieres, star-studded guests, lively celebrations and unique industry initiatives. Find outmore at www.whistlerfilmfestival.com.About the Whistler Film Festival Society: The Whistler Film Festival