Encounters announces African Trailblazer for 2009

The Trailblazers are directors selected for creativity, innovation and personal vision in documentary-making, running since 2006. Encounters South African International Documentary Festival has partnered with MIPDOC, the international showcase for documentary screenings held annually in Cannes, for the past four years in the International Trailblazer Awards.

Encounters' director, Mandisa Zitha said: “South African filmmaker Craig Matthew, whose films have screened at Encounters, has been selected specifically for his Living Archive Project. Matthew is making use of an extensive archive of material and new forms of multi-layered and multi-sensory media, harnessing new technologies to seamlessly navigate landscape, physical archives and memory. We celebrate his inventiveness in developing new forms of presenting and developing documentary materials. Unlocking new revenue streams for filmmakers and offering viewers a more interactive experience than linear films illustrates that Craig is breaking new ground and creating new opportunities.”

“As both a market and a forum for creativity, MIPDOC is delighted to welcome the International Trailblazers who reflect the diversity of visions in documentary-making,” said Laurine Garaude, Reed MIDEM's acting director of the Television Division.

The seven International Trailblazers 2009 are:

• Marianna Kaat - European Trailblazer selected by the European Documentary Network (EDN, Denmark)
  
• Craig Matthew - African Trailblazer selected by Encounters (South Africa)
  
• Nahed Awwad - Middle East Trailblazer selected by the Al Jazeera Documentary Channel (Qatar)
  
• Robert Lang - North American Trailblazer selected by the Documentary Organisation of Canada (DOC)
  
• Mark Hartley - Australian Trailblazer selected by the Australian Film Institute (AFI)
  
• Jeong Ook Lee - Korean Trailblazer selected by the EBS International Documentary Festival (EIDF, Korea)
  
• Ayumi Ito - Japanese Trailblazer selected by the Association of All Japan TV Program Production Companies (ATP)

Now in their fourth year, the International Trailblazers awards 2009 are supported by the Sundance Channel, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB/ONF), the Korean Broadcasting Institute (KBI), the Al Jazeera Documentary Network and the Australian Film Institute (AFI).

Laura Michalchyshyn, executive vice president and general manager of the Sundance Channel said: “We are constantly looking for original and surprising documentaries to share with our viewers. The Sundance Channel is continuing to work with the International Trailblazers as we want to encourage visionary and passionate directors and help their works be seen.”

“The Al Jazeera Documentary Channel confirms its commitment to promoting independent directors and the International Trailblazers awards,” added Ahmed Mahfouz Nouh, Documentary Channel manager for the Al Jazeera Documentary Channel. “We were so won-over by Middle East Trailblazer Nahed Awwad's documentary that we decided to buy the film and to broadcast it on our Arabic and English-language channels.”

Directors and producers Rory Kennedy and Liz Garbus will present the awards to the seven Trailblazers during a ceremony on Sunday, 29 March. A get-together with the Trailblazers on the theme of creativity and innovation will be held on Saturday, 28 March and is open to all MIPDOC participants. The Trailblazers' documentaries will be available for screening by buyers throughout MIPDOC.

For more information on African Trailblazer, Craig Matthew, click here.

For more on the International Trailblazer Awards go to http://www.mipdoc.com/en-gb/trailblazers.cfm.