“Island President” wins Cadillac People’s Choice Documentary Award

Jon Shenk’s documentary The Island President, has won the Cadillac People’s Choice Documentary Award at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

In a statement, Shenk paid tribute to Toronto audiences, thanking them for supporting the film. “My team has been humbled so many times during the making of this film,” he said. The president himself also delivered a short statement, adding: “I’m very pleased audiences liked the film – I thought it was quite excellent.”

The film, which has been attracting rave reviews by movie critics in America and Canada, documents the Maldives’ attempts to combat climate change.

The 100-minute documentary follows the President and government officials as they prepare for the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change conference.

The first screening of ‘The Island President’ was followed by a live conversation with President Nasheed and Director Jon Shenk. The president praised the works done on the film by Actual Films, a San Francisco based award winning documentary film company, and expressed his thanks for highlighting the delicate status of the environment of the Maldives.

Actual Films spent about $ 2 million to make the film. The government of Maldives did not spend any money on the film, nor did the government have editorial control.

The film has been gaining votes from its viewers. Media channels and newspapers of Toronto say that popularity is on the rise for the film among film goers.

The Los Angeles Times newspaper has described the film as ’stunning.’ Respected American film critic Gary Meyer recently said: “I think it’s probably the most powerful environmental film I’ve ever seen.”

Toronto International Film Festival is among the world’s biggest and most respected film festivals.

Tickets for the World Premiere of The Island President sold out early last week. The Toronto film festival said there was “unprecedented demand” from the Canadian public to see the film.

The film is due to open in Maldivian cinemas later this year. It will be aired on American network television in 2012.