Posted on October 4, 2021

CIFF is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 TELUS Audience Awards. These films are recognized as the best of the festival by the audience, awarded based on the collective score of audience ballots collected during the festival - online and in the cinema. 

Here are the winners...

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Audience Choice Award Alberta Feature - HERE & AFTER

Director shaun crawford

Audience Choice Award Alberta Short or Mid-Length - mean hakeem

Director Evan Bourque

Audience Choice Award Animated Short - step into the river

Director MA Weijia

Audience Choice Award Canadian Documentary Feature - kimmapiiyipitssini: the meaning of empathy

Director Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers

Audience Choice Award Canadian Narrative Feature - drinkwater

Director Stephen Campanelli

Audience Choice Award Documentary Short - joe buffalo

Director Amar Chebib

Audience Choice Award Generation Next - raise the bar

Director Guðjón Ragnarsson

Audience Choice Award International Documentary Feature - the rescue

Director E. Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin 

Audience Choice International Narrative Feature - mass

Director Fran Kranz

Audience Choice Award Late Shift - titane

Director Julia Ducournau

Audience Choice Award Live Action Short - just delivered

Director Rosie Gaunt-Mathieson

Audience Choice Award Music on Screen - we are the thousand

Director Anita Rivaroli

Audience Choice Award Special Presentations - JULIA

Director Betsy West & Julie Cohen

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TOP 10 audience voted narrative FEATURES

1. DRINKWATER

2. HERE & AFTER

3. OFFICIAL COMPETITION

4. MASS

5. PEACE BY CHOCOLATE

6. ALL MY PUNY SORROWS

7. HANDS THAT BIND

8. HIVE

9. PETITE MAMAN

10. DRIVE MY CAR

TOP 10 audience voted documentary FEATURES

1. JULIA

2. THE RESCUE

3. KIMMAPIIYIPITSSINI: THE MEANING OF EMPATHY

4. WE ARE THE THOUSAND

5. THE LAST TOURIST 

6. ONE OF OURS

7. RETURNING HOME

8. FLEE

9. LAST OF THE RIGHT WHALES

10. THE SANCTITY OF SPACE

TOP 10 SHORTS

1. JOE BUFFALO

2. THE QUEEN OF BASKETBALL

3. STEP INTO THE RIVER

4. JUST DELIVERED

5. SHARK

6. HOMEBIRD

7. MISS FORTUNATE

8. FRANK & EMMET

9. MEAN HAKEEM

10. THE CRIMINALS

“In many ways, the Telus Audience Choice Awards are the most important of the festival. Not only do they showcase the top creative talent of the festival, but they paint a fascinating picture of what resonates with Calgarians and CIFF’s Western Canadian audiences. These are the stories that challenge, entertain, and empower them,” said Brian Owens, CIFF’s Artistic Director. “With the online expansion to the entirety of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, these awards reflect the flavour of movie lovers across the Prairies.”