Banff June 10, 2015---The 36th edition of the Banff World Media Festival, the global content, storytelling and monetization market wrapped today at the Fairmont Banff Springs. The organizers are announcing the official dates for next year’s Festival, which will take place June 12-15, 2016 at the Fairmont Banff Springs.
Delegates from over 40 countries participated in this year’s festival, which saw a remarkable increase in participation and global engagement over previous years. This year’s Banff World Media Festival had over 1500 delegates, an increase of approximately 5% over the previous year, indicating continuing strength in the storytelling industry.
The festival also witnessed a record number of Face-to-Face meetings this week as Banff’s .Connect system facilitated thousands of transactional meetings between delegates and development executives.
The Rockie Awards were presented in 2 separate events, The Rockies Program Competition lunch hosted by Canadian American Actor Jason Priestley and the Rockie Awards Gala, which was held last night and hosted by Jane The Virgin star Jaime Camil. During the gala, actress Kathryn Hahn star of Showtime’s new series HAPPYish was presented with the Sir Peter Ustinov Comedy Award presented by CraveTV. Program Munya in Me took home the top Jury Grand Prize.
Acclaimed producer Robert Lantos presented Vikings star Katheryn Winnick the Serendipity Films Award of Excellence. Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy at Amazon Studios was on hand to accept Banff’s Award of Innovation for Amazon, which was honored for their amazing innovation and success in original programming.
At the Rockie Award program lunch hosted by Jason Priestley, Jill Soloway, Creator and Writer of Amazon’s multi-Golden Globe award-winning series Transparent was honored with BANFF’s Showrunner of the Year Award for her accomplishments on the cultural phenomenon.
Below is a recap of some of the highlights from this week’s festival:
Company of Distinction A+E Networks President and CEO Nancy Dubuc delivered a keynote presentation to attendees. During the session Dubuc mentioned how she sees the possibility for two-hour drama episodes airing week-to-week in this era of binge viewing. Veteran Producer Carlton Cuse presented a special Master Class about the creative process behind his A&E hit series Bates Motel. Cuse teased delegates the promise of Norman Bate’s character plot and transition for a season 4.
Honorable Minister Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages delivered a Featured Address where she welcomed all of the standing room of delegates and festival’s global contingency.
During a special keynote presentation from Jean-Pierre Blais, Chair of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Blais pointed out that traditional media and producers will look to generate revenue by selling products directly to consumers. “Imagine creating a sitcom set in a clothing shop,” he commented. “Now imagine empowering the viewer to click on a designer dress that appears in the show and having it delivered to his or her home the next day.”
Attendees had the opportunity to build relationships with key international decision makers during the Connect one on one meetings and face-to-face session. Some of the participating companies included: CBC, Maker Studios, Zodiak Media, Mar Vista Entertainment, Hit Entertainment, Fremantle, Discovery, Warner Bros., Disney, Corus Entertainment, Super Channel, Summit Crescent Productions, Fox, TNT, Bell Media, Shaw Media, ITV, A+E Networks, Counterfeit Pictures, National Geographic, MTV, and many others. Netflix hosted a reception for attendees while Entertainment One hosted their annual private reception after the Rockies Gala.
Commented Barbara Williams, EVP and President, Shaw Media and Chair of the Banff World Media Festival who co-hosted this week’s inaugural Women’s Power Lunch at BANFF alongside Nancy Dubuc: “It’s been an honor to bring together the top leaders in media and new media this week here at the 36 edition of the Banff World Media Festival, this is an industry that’s truly on the rise. We’ve had an inspiring week and we’ve witnessed deals getting made as well as new relationships being forged---all because of this important annual gathering. As the landscape continues to evolve with digital we want to continue to be the leading destination for the brightest minds to collect, share ideas on how to monetize their properties, companies and platforms.”
The 2015 Banff World Media Festival Partners included:
Banff World Media Festival Partners included: Shaw Media, Bell Media, Canada Media Fund, CBC, Telefilm Canada, Rogers Communications, Entertainment One, A+E Networks, Alberta Film, Crave TV, NBC Universal Canada, The Banff Centre, Hairun Pictures, Netflix, Quebecor, Corus Entertainment, RBC Royal Bank, ProMexico, Scenic Drive Systems, Insight Productions, Lionsgate, Telus, RUSHCUT, Canadian Media Production Association, Cogeco Fund, Independent Production Fund, William F. White International Inc., shomi, Deluxe, REDspace, Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, APA Talent Agency, you.i.tv<http://you.i.tv>, DHX Media, Don Carmody Television (DCTV), Sony Pictures Television, Serendipity Point Films, Aver Media, CAA, BBC Worldwide, Calgary Economic Development, Amaze Film & Television, Breakthrough Entertainment, Buck Productions, Cinecoup, The Spoke Club, Freeman Audio Visual, Shaftesbury Smokebomb, WestJet, Blue Ant Media, Scott Brothers Entertainment, Tricon Films & Television, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network “APTN”, SeaChange International, Rezolution Pictures, Rightster, AOL Canada, Maker Studios, Yahoo, Ontario Media Development Corporation, CAFDE, Robot Communications, Paperny, Joe Media Group, Force Four, Directors Guild of Ontario, Cineplex, Revival 629, Meridian Artists, Grant Thornton Ireland, Fresh TV, AMPIA, New Media Manitoba, Irish Film Board and On Screen Manitoba, National Screen Institute, ASUS, SAIT, TV Media Insights, Playback, CableFax, C21, VideoInk, Festival Music House, Women in Film & Television Toronto, Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, Canadian Media Production Association, Film Ontario, Interactive Ontario, Input 2016, Ladies of Comedy Association, On Screen Manitoba, MIPCOM, Saskatchewan Motion Picture Industry Association, SODEC, TFO, CULT, The Entertainment Master Class, Television Academy, Sell Your TV Concept Now, AMPIA, Women in Film & Television Vancouver (WIFTV), NATPE, Writers Guild of Canada, Eye on Canada, Women in Film, Hollyshorts Film Festival, Comedy Gives Back, Canadian Women in Communications and Technology, Screen Producers Australia, Travel Yukon, Producers Guild of America and The Crag and Canyon.
About the Banff World Media Festival
The Banff World Media Festival is the world's largest and most important gathering of entertainment industry and digital media executives dedicated to media content development, production, broadcast and distribution within TV and digital media. BANFF provides a platform for the evolving media industry to develop its creative and business objectives – it serves as the leading destination for co-production and co-venture partners and is an unparalleled marketplace for over 2,000 international decision-makers to connect with new partners, learn from industry leaders and execute new business deals. The 37th annual BANFF World Media Festival will take place June 12-15, 2016 at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Canada.
