TVO announces five finalists in the 2014 TVO Doc Studio Contest

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Apr 04, 2014, 14:24 ET

Ontarians can cast their vote now for the next great documentary filmmaker at docstudio.tvo.org

TORONTO, April 4, 2014 /CNW/ - TVO is thrilled to announce five finalists in TVO's third annual short documentary competition, the TVO Doc Studio Contest. Under the theme "Docs That Matter," entrants from across Ontario were challenged to submit films that explore issues they are passionate about, in five minutes or less. Led by Emmy Award-winning director Peter Raymont (Shake Hands With the Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire), a jury of esteemed Ontario documentary filmmakers determined the shortlist of five films. Now it's time for the public to choose their winner by voting online.

Submissions came from a wide range of voices and demonstrated stories global in scope, such as the various challenges facing new Canadians; the barriers of stereotypes; and personal stories of both triumph and loss. The jury, which included TVO filmmakers Patrick Reed, Shelley Saywell and Barry Stevens, were impressed as much by the high caliber of storytelling throughout the films as by the high production value and sophisticated filmmaking techniques evident in the submissions.

"The strongest films for me reflect intimate points of view, and take you on a journey inside the filmmakers' minds or those of their subjects," says Peter Raymont, TVO's featured filmmaker. "For documentaries to be successful, they have to be entertaining, not only in their exploration of an issue, but also captivating in their use of technique, craft and production quality in order to take them to the next level."

The public can view the five films and vote on their favourite until April 16 on the TVO Doc Studio voting page. The winning film will be announced on the Doc Studio site on Thursday April 17. The winner will see his or her documentary aired on TVO, receive a pass to the Hot Docs Film Festival, and a day-long mentorship session with Peter Raymont.

For more information and full contest details, please visit docstudio.tvo.org.

The five finalists are:

Beauty with No Pigment
Directed by Ruzanna Shortstuffyan
A personal contemplation on identity and self-acceptance, this experimental film profiles albino singer/model Jane Maboreke, who shares a glimpse of her life growing up and her struggles to deal with the perceptions and opinions of others about the way she looks. The film explores the idea of beauty in a non-conventional way.

The Middle Way
Directed by Luca Tarantini
The Middle Way follows a young man's struggle to find the balance between his two passions: religion and rock 'n' roll. By day, Jasper Bendici is a theology student at a Greek Orthodox seminary. By night, he's a singer/lead-guitarist for a local rock band, The Shallow Seas. His pursuits seem to conflict on the surface, but Jasper finds the qualities that unite them both.

My Father's Daughter
Directed by Cainan Querido
Cainan Querido captures the poignant story of his aunt Arlene Doyle, as Arlene comes to terms with the loss of her father. Querido follows his aunt on an adventure at 15,000 ft through the Andean mountains in Peru, where Arlene retraces her father's last few days before his sudden death and attempts to close an emotional circle.

Ontario Bread – A Tribute
Directed by Jim Bachalo
Until its closure in June 2013, Ontario Bread on Toronto's Ossington Avenue was the oldest Polish bakery in Canada. This film pays tribute both to the bakery and to its many dedicated workers over the past 80 years, and contrasts the preservation of traditional cultural roots with the trend towards greater efficiency, homogeneity and gentrification in the marketplace.

Uprooted
Directed by Carol Nguyen
An emotional story on the strength of human willpower, Uprooted provides a filmmaker's intimate journey into her family history, retelling the story of her father's escape from his native Vietnam and how he rebuilt his life in Canada.

About Doc Studio
TVO champions documentaries on air and through Doc Studio, an online showcase for documentary filmmakers and their work and a learning community supporting point-of-view filmmaking. A leader in Canadian point-of-view documentaries, TVO devotes more than half of its primetime schedule to documentaries.

About TVO
TVO is Ontario's public educational media organization and a trusted source of interactive educational content that informs, inspires and stimulates curiosity and thought. TVO's vision is to empower people to be engaged citizens of Ontario through educational media. TVO is funded primarily by the Province of Ontario and is a registered charity supported by sponsors and thousands of donors. For more information, visit tvo.org.

Where to find TVO
On air:

Over-the-air (may vary in some areas)

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Bell Fibe TV HD: channel 1209

Bell Fibe TV SD: channel 209

Bell TV: channel 265

Shaw Direct HD: channel 39

Shaw Direct SD: channel 353

Websites:

tvo.org

tvokids.com