FOGO ISLAND/CHANGE ISLANDS -
It's good to be Cranky.
Just ask Henge Production and Consulting in St. John's who produced the film Cranky about The Great Fogo Island Punt Race - From Here to There and Back and they'll tell you all about it.
They are in Banff this week where they were nominated for a 2010 Rockie, one of the most prestigious international television awards in the broadcast industry. Cranky is one of six films nominated in the Best Sports Documentary Category at the Banff World Television Awards that were handed out Monday evening (after The Pilot deadline). Nominees were selected from over 900 submissions from 43 countries.
The nomination was a welcome surprise for Cranky producer/director Christopher Richardson.
"We couldn't believe it," said Mr. Richardson. "Our company is just a little over three-years-old and to be told that a documentary you produced is considered one of the six best sports documentaries in the world is quite a thrill.
"This is truly an international award. Forty-five countries have put projects they have broadcasted at (their) home up for submission. When the announcement came out of Cannes France that Cranky was going to be one of the projects nominated we couldn't believe it."
Henge is very proud of their film and the nomination.
"For a filmmaker this is exactly what you want, you want other people to see something and say that this has value to me, even outside of the group of people you may have made it for or with," said Mr. Richardson. "To have an international jury say they think this film is worth nominating says a lot about the subject matter that is in the film. It says a lot about Fogo Island and the story that is there, the people that are there.
"I guess that's why it makes this nomination that much more special for us, because we went out there and made a film where all of us were looking at each other and saying this is a really cool place and we really like coming out here, but to now have that recognized by an international jury, that this is a special place and it is a special story and we want to recognize it just makes this so much more sweet for us."
Cranky was filmed at the 2008 race, but it wasn't the first time Henge had been at the event. From the first event in 2007 they produced a short documentary on the race that was broadcast mainly in the province. At that time Mr. Richardson said the people of Fogo Island really didn't know what to make of the crew there filming them and the race.
"They were wondering 'why are these guys here, do we trust them, do we talk to them, they've got a camera in my face'," he said. "Once people saw that film they realized we were going to come out and make a real documentary next.
"The second time we came back to Fogo Island was a completely different experience for us. People were so welcoming. They knew that we were there to do something that was a positive story and we had a great experience following the teams because they knew what we were up to. There was no concern about how people were going to be portrayed in the film - they already knew that we were out there to tell the story of Fogo Island and Change Islands and give people outside of the area the chance to see just what a special place it is."
Mr. Richardson said the film nomination is also great for Fogo Island.
"The film has such a passionate feel to it for that place and a way of life," he said. "It's so much more than just a boat race that's portrayed in the film. It's really like a love letter to Fogo Island and Change Islands. You really can't watch the film without falling in love with the participants who are portrayed and also just the place itself."
Cranky has done really well for Henge. It premiered on the CBC digital Documentary channel this time last year. Since then it's also been broadcast on the main CBC network. Mr. Richardson said the film's career is not over yet.
"It's only been broadcast in Canada at this point," he said. "We think that this nomination will really help the film in terms of its distribution outside of Canada.
"That's one of the things we are trying to do going to Banff this year, is find international distribution for the film - so it may possibly be seen in places like Ireland, England, Australia and New Zealand."
To view a trailer from Cranky visit the Henge website at www.henge.ca. People can purchase DVD copies, but Mr. Richardson noted that while in Banff they will be looking into ways where the film can be downloaded online for a fee. They have already had talks with iTunes and a couple of other companies about digital distribution.
The idea for the punt race originated with the Shorefast Foundation.
Shorefast founder Zita Cobb said they are all proud of the nomination.
"Cranky is a super film which tells the wonderful story of some of the participants of in the Great Fogo Island Punt Race," said Ms. Cobb. "What could be better than a film about a culturally meaningful sporting event featuring eloquent, charming and very real local heroes."
While Mr. Richardson feels the story of the punt race has been told as best they could in Cranky, he sees more opportunities for an array of stories coming out of Fogo Island and Change Islands that go beyond the race that Henge would like to be a part of.
"Any excuse to come out to Fogo Island is always a happy day for us.
editor@pilotnl.ca
.jpg)
.jpg)
