For immediate release
25 November, 2021

Toronto, ON  – The Canadian Labour International Film Festival (CLiFF) announced the winners of its 13th annual festival today.

Wrapping up another extremely successful month-long virtual festival, CLiFF is delighted to announce the five films that have earned awards at the 2021 festival. 

All five award-winning films will be screened virtually this Saturday, November 27th at 4PM Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5).
* Audiences can register for this free global screening HERE. *

Ahead of the screening, the filmmakers behind these incredible stories will join CLiFF audiences for a roundtable discussion session via Zoom at 2PM Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5) on Saturday, November 27th.
* Join us for the Filmmakers’ Session HERE. *

From across Canada, to Australia to South Africa, CLiFF organizers are excited to celebrate these five films which tell important worker stories from around the globe. 

Whether it’s celebrating union history going back decades, or highlighting untold worker stories  from the ongoing pandemic, this year’s award winning films cover a range of themes, while celebrating the power of collective action. 

For more information about the remaining festival events, head to: watch.eventive.org/cliff2021

For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Frank Saptel
frank@labourfilms.ca
416 579 0481

* AWARD WINNERS *

<<Best-in-Festival>> Do Nothing And Do It Well The true story of Melbourne’s radical Chinese cabinet-makers whose militant union defied racial stereotypes and struck fear into the White Australian establishment.	<<Beating Heart Award>> I Stand for Us A social realist drama. When hotel cleaners are faced with unfair working conditions, Naomi works to unite the team in solidarity against destructive zero-hour contracts.
<<Co-Winner of Best Canadian Film>> Justice & Dignity for All: Stories from the Struggle for Pay Equity For decades the sisters and brothers who delivered the mail in rural and suburban Canada were forced to work without any benefits — just like gig-workers today. No sick leave; no maternity leave; no holiday pay. They made less than minimum wage. The vast majority of them were women. Federal legislation made it illegal to form a union. Then CUPW entered the fight.	<<LabourStart Award for Working Class Solidarity>> Street Traders On the Move On March 27th 2020, street vendors and market traders in South Africa were banned from operating under the country’s first COVID-19 lockdown. While restrictions were lifted, traders have struggled to resume work that was precarious long before the lockdown. In this short documentary, Johannesburg worker leaders Lulama Mali and Miriam Sibiya navigate the new reality and seek sustainable solutions for the city’s traders.
<<Miguel Cifuentes Radical Change Award>> <<Co-Winner of Best Canadian Film>> TREATY WALK - A Journey for Common Ground The film follows a group of Indigenous elders, Healthcare Workers, and others as they embark on a two-week long walking journey from Edmonton, Alberta/Treaty 6 Territory to Calgary, Alberta/Treaty 7 Territory. This motley crew of determined walkers explore together what it means to be treaty people, working and living on common ground. Together this group seeks to build broader coalitions for troubled times.

The Best Canadian Film award recognizes the Canadian film which best meets CLiFF’s purpose of telling stories of workers, unionized and non-unionized, thorough film by sharing the voice of those who seek justice on the job and dignity in the workplace. This year’s award was voted on by Canadian festival attendees.

The Miguel Cifuentes Radical Change Award was created in memory of CLiFF’s late board member and a longtime labour activist, Miguel Cifuentes, who passed away in 2014. The award goes to the film that best reflects his passion for social justice and commitment to social change and is chosen by his family.

The LabourStart Award for Working Class Solidarity recognizes the festival film that speaks the most to building worker-to-worker global solidarity. This award is funded by LabourStart and the recipient is voted on by the global executive of LabourStart. The award includes a $100 CAD prize.

The Beating Heart Award recognizes a filmmaker from an equity-seeking group to help support these important voices in film. Women, non-binary, LGBTQ, persons of colour or Indigenous filmmakers are eligible for this award. The recipient is voted on by CLiFF Board members and the award includes a $100.00 CAD prize.

The CLiFF Best-in-Festival Award is the film judged by CLiFF Board members to be the best in the festival.