Directors Kevin D.A. Kuryntik and Carol Beecher did not believe they had won the Golden Sheaf for Best in Festival. They kept checking the big award, convinced that maybe someone said the wrong name, double checking that their film had actually taken the top prize. Engraved at the bottom of the statue were the words “Skin for Skin,” the name of their film. They had won it after all.
The directors describe their film as a historical, mythological horror film about the Canadian fur trade. Beginning with the true story of Governor Simpson going across Canada with the Hudson’s Bay Company, the film soon diverts from fact into fiction, turning into an environmental fable and a film about greed.
“We called it canoe noir,” Kuryntik said.
They felt that Canadian history was something that there was a lot to dive into for making a story. In researching the story, they thought they could build an interesting film with the country’s past as a firm foundation.
“There’s so much about Canadian history that you kind of know the surface of it. But there’s also depth to it, a mythological depth to it that isn’t often explored,” Beecher said.
The film won two awards, the other for Best Animation. Emphasizing that their film was not for kids, and quite crazy, they admit that they’re not used to animation being recognized in a film festival. The strong lineup of this year’s film festival made it especially surprising that they got the top award.
“Amazing films... We’re honoured just to be with them,” Kuryntik said.
“Animation kind of gets marginalized a lot, and a lot of the time gets dismissed as ‘that’s for kids’ and ours is... not. It’s really nice to see something because we work so hard as animators. We have to build everything, and draw everything, and sculpt everything. We’re not casting actors we’re building them from the ground up,” Beecher added.
Kuryntik is from Norquay, so it’s a home town win for the director. It’s his best festival experience so far as a result, and he’s proud to take home the award.
The Ruth Shaw Award for Best in Saskatchewan award went to a film that was made thanks to a program launched at last year’s festival. One of three films produced through the National Film Board’s Doc Lab Saskatchewan, "Talking at Night," directed by Eric Thiessen, follows one night at Saskatoon’s Mobile Crisis Centre, as they answer calls and try to help people in the city.
Proud to win the Ruth Shaw Award, Thiessen is also proud to be part of a continuing tradition of recognizing Saskatchewan talent at the festival.
“It’s great to support Saskatchewan filmmakers so the Shaw family does a great thing by offering this award and continuing the tradition,” Thiessen said.
Thiessen wanted to shine a light on the Mobile Crisis Centre because while he grew up in Saskatoon, he had not heard about who they were or what they did.
“It’s needed and used by so many people where I live. Just to draw attention to that was a great opportunity to showcase a side of the city and a service in the city that is really unrecognized.”
While he took the award for Best of Saskatchewan, he believes that all three filmmakers that were part of the Doc Lab Saskatchewan project have made great films and he is excited to see what’s next.
“It’s great to know our films have got some great recognition and hopefully help all of our careers evolve.”
