Pic from Queens University Film Studies
CBC 5/4/06: Tom McCamus
Two CBC Television Opening Night programs have won awards at the 43rd International Television Festival Golden Prague competition.
Burnt Toast, produced by Rhombus Media Inc., won the Grand Prix Golden Prague.
The comic opera is made up of eight vignettes about the foibles of modern love with stars such as Colin Mochrie, Paul Gross and Cathy Jones.
It had "very high standards of direction, production and story-telling," the jury said in its citation. "This program turns contemporary music into a most amusing, humorous and comic TV show, with prime-time qualities."
The other winner was Black Widow, a film noir musical drama loosely based on the Evelyn Dick 'Torso' murder case. The production, from Enigmatico Films, won the Czech Crystal in the category of music or dance programs made for television.
Sarah Slean, Martin Tielli, Mary Margaret O'Hara and Tom McCamus starred in the stylish black-and-white production.
The jury enjoyed its "Philip-Marlow-B-film" ethic and called it "an intriguing, suspenseful and enjoyable film with good taste and refinement."
Opening Night is CBC Television's much-celebrated showcase for the performing arts.
The Student Prize, awarded by a group of film students from Czech Republic and other EU countries, went to another Canadian production, Amérimage-Spectra's Wire Frame. The dance film tells the story of sacrificing love for work.
"Wire Frame combined an excellent choreography, good performance, innovative direction and post-production," the jury said. "Movement of the dancers is driven by almost hypnotizing music, enhancing the story's primordial and universal aspect."
First held in 1964, the ITF Golden Prague competition is one of the oldest and most prestigious television festivals in the world.
Running April 29 to May 4, the festival featured 147 programs from 28 countries. The competition has four categories: music or dance programs made for TV, music or dance programs adapted for TV, music or dance documentaries and recordings of live performances and theatre for TV.
© CBC
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