NSI ZeD Drama Prize Participants Announced

The National Screen Institute – Canada (NSI), in association with
CBC ZeD congratulates the selected NSI ZeD Drama Prize participants,
announced today at the NSI FilmExchange Canadian Film Festival.

From the 85 submissions, 18 teams were short listed, then chosen by jury
down to the selected 2004-05 participants:

Kathleen’s Closet, by producer Diana Wilson, and writer-director Sheila
Jordan (British Columbia)
The Snow Queen, by producer Sara Lazer, and writer-director Danishka
Esterhazy (Manitoba)
Noise, by producer Jason Charters, and writer-director Greg Spottiswood
(Ontario)
The King Hunt, by producer Anna Petras, and writer-director Justin Simms
(Newfoundland)
Changing Room, by producer Kirsten Carthew and writer-director Tyson Koschik
(Northwest Territories)

“We were overwhelmed by the calibre of this year’s NSI ZeD Drama Prize
applicants,” said Program Manager Brandice Vivier-Burns. “It was definitely
a challenge to narrow the field to the five remaining teams, but we’re very
confident the selected participants will thrive in this program, and achieve
many successes in the future.”

NSI ZeD Drama Prize is a respected program in the Canadian film industry,
because of its support and training commitment to its participants.

“It is exciting to watch how the NSI ZeD Drama Prize Program provides a
significant stepping stone for emerging filmmakers,” said Susan Millican,
National Screen Institute – Canada CEO. “We have seen great accomplishments
from past NSI ZeD Drama Prize winners, including Gary Yates (Seven Times
Lucky), Keith Behrman (Flower & Garnet) and Jennifer Holness (Love, Sex &
Eating the Bones), so we’re looking forward to seeing where the program will
take this year’s participants.”

This year’s selected NSI ZeD Drama Prize participants will now work on films
scheduled for their world premiere at the 2005 NSI FilmExchange Canadian
Film Festival. NSI ZeD Drama Prize provides support and training for the
filmmakers, while developing and producing a 10-minute short film. The teams
will receive $8,000 in cash support, over $15,000 in services and a $1,500
national broadcast license with NSI ZeD Drama Prize sponsor, CBC ZeD.

The 2003 NSI ZeD Drama Prize Program participants will be celebrating their
world premieres this week during NSI FilmExchange. Each short film will
screen prior to the evening’s 7:00 p.m. movie, at the Globe Cinema, Portage
Place.

Wednesday, March 3
My Original Sin (Toronto, ON)
Writer: Bill Campbell
Director: Lucie Pagé
Producer: Deborah MacDonald

Thursday, March 4
Redeemable in Merchandise (Lachine, QC)
Writer: Maureen Marovitch
Director/Producer: David Finch

Friday, March 5
Big Mother (Saskatoon, SK)
Writer: Teri Armitage
Director: Torin Stefanson
Producer: Anand Ramayya

Saturday, March 6
Any Niagara (Vancouver, BC)
Writer/Producer: Lisa Celotto
Director: Jeffrey Moneo

Each short will also screen in one of the Showcase of Canadian Shorts
Programs, running Wednesday to Saturday, March 3 to 6 at 1:30 p.m., Globe
Cinema Portage Place.