The Sun-Beaten Path Wins VIFF Dragons & Tigers Award  for Young Cinema    The Vancouver International Film Festival is pleased to announce that The Sun-Beaten Path directed by Tibetan director Sonthar GYAL from China has won the 18th annual Dragons & Tigers Award for Young Cinema and a cash prize of $10,000. The winner was announced prior to the Dragons & Tigers Award Gala screening of ISHII Yuya's MITSUKO DELIVERS in the Visa Screening Room at the Vogue Theatre today. Donors Brad Birarda and Robert Sali generously sponsor the award. The Jury had this to say about the winner: THE SUN-BEATEN PATH by the Tibetan director Sonthar GYAL from China. The jury admired its remarkable cinematic qualities and its ability to tell a moving story with complex emotions through one face and one landscape. We were also impressed by the way the film draws such distinctive characters and by its persuasive evocation of Tibetan culture. It brings us a powerful voice from a new ethnic cinema. The Sun-Beaten Path will receive another screening Saturday, Oct 8, 4:00 pm at the Vancity Theatre.  <DTWIN>     This year's distinguished jurors were: Ann HUI, the world-famous director whose latest film, the Venice-prize-winning A Simple Life, was screened in VIFF this year; Simon FIELD, former Head of Cinema at the ICA in London and former director of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, who is currently a consultant to the Dubai Film Festival and was co-producer of the 2010 Palme d'Or winner in Cannes, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives; and actor/director YANG Ikjune, whose feature Breathless has won many domestic and international prizes.   The Dragons & Tigers Award goes to a new director from the Asia-Pacific region for a creative and innovative film, made early in the director's career, which has not yet won significant international recognition. The jurors saw a range of eight features from East Asia and have decided to give Special Mentions to two films: The first goes to BABY FACTORY by Eduardo ROY Jr from The Philippines. The jury admired the film's unique mixture of documentary and fiction. The film addresses the cruel realities of overpopulation in a country where birth control is neither taught nor freely available, and we salute it for its candour and directness. The second goes to RECREATION by NAGANO Yoshihiro from Japan. The film focuses on a case of lethal youth crime. We admired its unique atmosphere of ennui mixed with apprehension, and the brilliant interaction of the cast. Strangely enough, given the cruelty and desperation of the story, the film never for a moment loses its sympathy for the characters. This year's eight nominees were:   

• BABY FACTORY (Eduardo ROY Jr) Philippines International  Premiere
• FATIGUE (KIM Dongmyung) South Korea International Premiere   
• INVASION OF ALIEN BIKINI (OH Youngdoo) South Korea 
• OUR FUTURE (IIZUKA Kashou) Japan International Premiere 
• RECREATION (NAGANO Yoshihiro) Japan International Premiere
• SEÑORITA (Vincent SANDOVAL) Philippines North American  Premiere   
• THE SUN-BEATEN PATH (Sonthar GYAL) China (Tibet) North American Premiere
• WOMAN IN A SEPTIC TANK (Marlon N RIVERA) Philippines  International Premiere     

The Vancouver International Film Festival acknowledges the generous support of Telefilm Canada. Major corporate partners are Rogers Communications and Visa Canada.