No bluffs at Banff: it really happened!

"Phew!" is probably the best way to describe the collective sentiment at this year's silver anniversary Banff TV Festival. Narrowly avoiding bankruptcy and pulling off a successful festival was definitely a unique way to celebrate 25 years in business.

Last April, the Board of Directors of the Banff Television Foundation announced that financial difficulties required the Foundation to make a voluntary assignment in bankruptcy and to appoint Richter Allan & Taylor Inc. ("Richters") as trustee in bankruptcy. The Foundation and Richters obtained an order of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta approving the sale of the Foundation's assets to a new not-for-profit foundation (the "New Foundation"). As part of these proceedings, a subsidiary of Achilles Partners, LLC has contracted to take over responsibility for staging the Banff Television Festival. The parties agreed to a long-term license agreement providing for professional management of the Banff Television Festival and ensuring its continuing status as a world-class media event.

As part of the restructuring, W. Paterson Ferns resigned as the Festival's CEO and was replaced by Robert Montgomery who, along with Johnathan Bulkeley out of New York, is a principal of Achilles Partners. "The Banff Television Festival and the Rockie Awards are recognized brands not only in Canada, but around the world. Banff is a must-attend event and year-in, year-out, a veritable who's who of the television industry participate. Our aim is not only to maintain Banff as the Canadian television industry's most important place to learn and to do business, but also to continue to develop the event so that it provides opportunities for people engaged in all aspects of the business from commissioning editors to writers, from producers to senior management."

Approximately 1,300 delegates from around the world took part in this year's Festival, which featured a dazzling line-up of seminars, workshops, networking opportunities and a special Salute to Canada.

The Banff Rockie Awards Show, presented by CBC/Radio-Canada, featured a moving acceptance speech from celebrated Canadian actor, writer and director Gordon Pinsent, recipient of the 2004 Award of Excellence, sponsored by Kodak Entertainment Imaging.

Winning the $50,000 Global Television Grand Prize for "Best of the Festival" was the NHK Family and Youth Category winner, Children--Full of Life: Learning to Care. Rockies were also awarded in 15 program categories. HBO's Angels in America took home the $25,000 NHK President's Prize. Two Special Jury Awards went to Reinventing the Taliban, produced by Discovery Times Channel and New York Times Television, and to Canada's Amelia, produced by AmerimageSpectra/Media Principia in association with CBC/Radio-Canada.

Monday's tribute celebration honored HBO with the Global Television Outstanding Achievement Award and Steadicam with the Deluxe Outstanding Technical Achievement Award. While accepting the Technical Achievement Award, inventor Garrett Brown released his recently rediscovered original 30-year-old footage, shot with the Steadicam prototype.

Pitching opportunities continued throughout the week and included the 20th International Market Simulation and the fourth annual New Players Pitch, both sponsored by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. The National Film Board of Canada awarded $5,000 in technical services to New Players Pitch presenter Brett Gaylor of EyeSteelFilm, for his pitch, Basement Tapes. The Audience Choice Award ($5,000 of Kodak Motion Picture Film) also went to Brett Gaylor for Basement Tapes.

The winner of the $50,000 top prize in the CTV Canadian Documart--the world's richest pitch--was Jeff Newman of Numan Productions for Hockey Gladiators: Behind the Brawl.

Second place ($30,000) went to Lauren Millar of Omni Film Productions, for Finding Fletcher Christian. The third place winner was Dugald Maudsley from Infield Fly Productions for his pitch, Hearts of Darkness--Pol Pot & The Man Who Found Him.

A total of $15,000 was awarded to Dale Hildebrand and Jil Amadio of Hildebrand Productions for "Peace in the HDTV Pitch," a high-def competition sponsored by Discovery Networks and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation).

Four projects competed for up to $10,000 in development funding, courtesy of the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, in Telefilm Canada's Cyberpitch Competition. The winner was Urban Legend, pitched by Allan Novak and Marshall Golden of Nexus Interactive Inc. and Indivisual Productions.

ANFF 2005 will take place June 12 to 15 at the Fairmont Banff Springs in Banff, Alberta.

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