Film Front Online

greater saint john student filmmakers & photographers 

win seven national awards

Grand-Bay Westfield, May 31  2004 – Card players, they are not destined to be. The expressions on their faces say everything about how they feel as they sit waiting.

Filmmakers they most certainly are destined to be. They have an uncanny knack for presenting stories about the human condition and the world wrapped around it, in a surprisingly sophisticated way.   

They are the teenage filmmaking finalists of the River Valley Film and Photography Festival. Tender of age. Denim-clad dynamism.

River Valley Middle School students Rebecca Cyr, Ashlee Yeomans and Catharine Tunney are interviewed by Global TV after winning a national student film award

In a theatre choked to capacity with elected officials, teachers, parents, judges and fellow students, they wait and squirm; their hearts and minds doing crazy, unstoppable dances while they wait patiently for the moment that will tell them it was all worth it. Maybe, they are the best not just in the eyes of their parents and friends, but the minds of accomplished, industry-immersed judges.

Oh, the heart fluttering, exhilarating, fidgeting, twitching, optimistic, lip-biting, anxiety-filled, delicious agony of it all.

Forty-eight schools representing every province of Canada submitted a staggering one hundred and thirty eight short films, documentaries and photographs to the River Valley Film and Photography Festival this year. Their goals? To learn filmmaking and photography techniques, display their promise as budding filmmakers and photographers, and, perhaps, win a coveted foot-high, crystal-clear Rivee award.

Competition is tough when you’re an artist and a collaborator at heart. Even tougher is competing against friends when you’re really young and there’s a trophy and your rep at stake. Oh, and let’s throw in the potential to jumpstart your career. 

Stacks of elastic bound envelopes containing the names of winners are opened one at a time by small groups of host students. The announcement of each award winner brings squealing, hooting and palm blasting applause. Most of them not yet old enough to vote or drive, the next generation of rising professionals has now arrived. New Brunswick schools take to the stage not once, not twice, but seven times, to claim major awards.  

Supported by Industry Canada’s Network of Innovative Schools, the River Valley Film and Photography Festival is a production of River Valley Middle School in Grand-Bay Westfield; Saint John High School; and, Our Lady of Peace School in Calgary. Only in its second year, it has now drawn the attention of schools as far away as Texas.

“Texas is very keen,” says LeRoy Vincent (photo at right), teacher at River Valley and organizer of the festival, who, according to an internet poll of students, is also the coolest teacher alive… anywhere. “They asked us if they could participate. We said, well, not this year, but we could look at next year. Within days, a courier package had arrived with six tapes inside ready to compete in the next festival.”   

Plans are underway for an expanded festival in 2005. For more information on the River Valley Film and Photography Festival, please see www.rvms.nbed.nb.ca/rvsvf/index.htm. 

For more information on Industry Canada’s Network of Innovative Schools, please click on this address… www.schoolnet.ca/nis-rei/e/about_program.asp.

2004 RIVER VALLEY STUDENT FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL RESULTS

WINNERS - FILM - ELEMENTARY (K-5) 

Best Drama

“Karate Kidz”      

Royal Vale School                              Montreal, QC

Best Documentary

“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”   

Balmoral Hall School                           Winnipeg, MB

Best Comedy

“Crazy Baseball”    

Royal Vale School                               Montreal, QC

Best Animation

 “Tuck Everlasting”   

St. Mary Elementary                            Edmonton, AB

Top Film

“The Magic Remote”   

Royal Vale School                               Montreal, QC

WINNERS - FILM - MIDDLE SCHOOL (6-8) 

Best Drama 

“Bully Love”    

Dr. Losier Middle School                      Miramichi, NB

Best Comedy  

“The Matric”   

Our Lady of Peace School                   Calgary, AB

Best Animation 

“The Gift of Foresight”  

Balmoral Hall School                           Winnipeg, MB

Best Documentary 

“Give Peace a Chance”  

River Valley Middle School                   Grand-Bay Westfield, NB

Top Film

“Give Peace a Chance”   

River Valley Middle School                  Grand-Bay Westfield, NB

WINNERS - FILM - HIGH SCHOOL (9-12) 

Best Drama

 “Nowhere To Go”

Argyle Alternative School                     Winnipeg, MB

Best Animation

“Jean Talon” 

Bosissevain School                             Bosissevain, MB

Best Comedy

“CB Sportsdesk”   

Colonel By Secondary School               Toronto, ON

Best Documentary 

“Grand Manan Ferry”  

Grand Manan Community School          Grand Manan, NB 

Top Film

“Nowhere To Go”  

Argyle Alternative School                     Winnipeg, MB 

WINNER - PHOTOGRAPHY - ELEMENTARY (K-5) 

Best Photograph 

Kaitlyn Robinson

Balmoral Hall School                          Winnipeg, MB

WINNERS - PHOTOGRAPHY - MIDDLE SCHOOL (6-8) 

Best Experimental Photograph  

Rianna Randal

Joseph H. Kerr                                Snow Lake, MB

Best People Photograph

Melissa Thibodeau

River Valley Middle School                Grand Bay -Westfield, NB

Best Nature Photograph and Overall Best Picture

Brandi Estey

River Valley Middle School                Grand Bay-Westfield, NB

WINNERS - PHOTOGRAPHY - HIGH SCHOOL (9-12) 

Best Experimental Photograph

Mark Zoy

Ursula Franklin Academy                    Toronto, ON

Best Nature Photograph  

Tara Jennings

Saint John High School                       Saint John, NB

Best People Photograph and Overall Best Picture  

Chantal Henaire

Kildonan – East Collegiate                   Winnipeg, MB