A film project highlighting a French experiment using roadway solar panels to generate electricity has won two major awards in the 2016 US International Film & Video Festival. “Wattway – Solar Road,” from Colas, a civil engineering firm based in Paris, was selected Best of Festival (Grand Prix) in Corporate and also received the One World Award. The One World Award is given by the International Quorum of Motion Picture Producers (IQ) to a film that best promotes understanding of world issues and cooperation.
“Wattway,” produced by Arizona Films in Brussels, explains a test project in which France expects to lay 621 miles of solar roadway in the next five years, enough, if successful, to furnish electricity to 5 million people. The project is a collaboration between the National Institute of Solar Energy and Colas, considered a world leader in road infrastructure with operations in more than 45 countries. The product can be placed on existing roadways and is being promoted as a “Smart City” solution. The film producer was Didier Clerens with Patrick Vandebroeck as director and Phoenix Post as editor. Cinematographer was Oliver Imfeld, and Ronald Vanhuffel was responsible for sound.
Best of Festival winners also were announced in three other categories.
"Touch the Limits: Being Better When It Counts," from the Swiss Armed Forces, Electronic Media Center, Bern, Switzerland, won Best of Festival in Education. The film was done for SPHAIR, a flight aptitude testing company in Dübendorf. It reveals the challenges faced by young men who want to be parascouts. Simon Kull was head of marketing on the project with Mike Lüscher as producer, Markus Lengen as director and Simon Kipfer as editor. Cinematographer was Christian Dietiker with sound by Silvio Ramseier.
An animated children’s show, "Alamat: Alamat ng Bayabas (The Legend of The Guava)" from GMA Network Inc., Quezon City, was selected Best of Festival in Entertainment. This weekly program tells Filipino stories and celebrates local culture. It is voiced by various artists from GMA.
The production manager was J. Jimeno with M. Mosura-Dumont as EVP/production manager. J. Imutan directed with R. Gaucho as music production head and T. Adriano as non-linear editor. Original Music was by A. Figueroa and J. Gapasin. Production administrator was K. Grajo.
Wildlife filmmakers Will and Lianne Steenkamp directed the Best of Festival-Documentary, "Vanishing Kings – Lions of the Namib." The film traces the amazing story of survival of a small population of lions that live in the arid conditions of the northern Namib Desert. It was filmed in and around Wilderness Safaris’ Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp by Interspot Film GmbH, Vienna, for ORF, the national public service broadcaster based in Vienna. It also focuses on Dr. Flip Stander’s Desert Lion Conservation project.
Producers were Heinrich Mayer-Moroni with Alan Miller as editor, and Roman Kariolou and Johannes Ratheiser responsible for sound. Lianne Steenkamp was the cinematographer.
In addition to One World and the Best of Festival awards, the competition granted 19 Gold Camera, 35 Silver Screen, 89 Certificates for Creative Excellence and three Student Awards. Information on all winners can be found at www.filmfestawards.com along with videos related to the top winners.
