BANFF to Celebrate 25th Anniversary with a Salute to Canada

Last week in Ottawa Pat Ferns, president and CEO of the Banff Television Foundation, unveiled the first details on the silver anniversary Banff Television Festival, June 13-17.
During the Canadian Film and Television Production Association’s annual conference, Pat Ferns announced that Tuesday, June 15 will be a day of celebrations including a special Salute to Canada during the evening Tribute show. The Salute to Canada will feature the best of Canadian achievement in two and a half decades of the Banff Rockie Awards. The Gala Dinner to follow will have a birthday theme

“The growth of the Banff Television Foundation has paralleled the rise of the Canadian productions industry which is now a $5 billion sector,” observed Ferns. “We will honour the great public-private partnership that built an industry and enabled BANFF to become a world-class, worldwide brand of quality.”

In addition to the focus on Canada, BANFF 2004will feature small countries (like Canada) that live next to large countries (like the United States) with all the opportunities and challenges that proximity brings. How do such countries reach their audiences with a distinctive voice and identity? Austria, for example, lives next to Germany, the world’s second richest television market; Belgium is next to France; Ireland to the United Kingdom; and New Zealand next to Australia. What about tiny Singapore in the heart of Asia? What can we learn from each other’s strategies about living next to the elephant?

BANFF's new-look schedule will concentrate on business opportunity and industry issues in the mornings, and provide craft and creative inspiration in the afternoons. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Market Simulation, a BANFF originated pitching format now playing around the world. The Festival opens with the Banff Rockie Awards on Sunday, June 13 and concludes with the world famous Western Barbecue on Thursday, June 17. The tent-pole for the anniversary gathering will be the birthday celebrations on Tuesday, June 15.

Entries are pouring in for the 25th Banff Rockie Awards, often referred to as ‘the Olympics of television’. Deadline for entries is February 20. Banff’s special Snow Bird registration rate has attracted unprecedented interest resulting in a record number of registrations to date.

“We have a great 25th anniversary edition coming together with a line up of stars to announce over the next few months. Innovation, excellence and opportunity are the hallmarks of BANFF,” reported Ferns.


The Banff Television Festival is an annual celebration of excellence in international television programming and an exploration of the issues, challenges, creative and business opportunities in television and new media. The 25th Anniversary Banff Television Festival takes place June 13 – 17 at the Fairmont Banff Springs in the Canadian Rockies. It is expected to draw over 1,800 producers, broadcasters, commissioning editors, content creators and other industry stakeholders from around the world who will take part in an array of plenary sessions, seminars, Master presentations, pitching and networking opportunities. For more information go to BANFF.

Bruno Chatelin