Deborah Fletcher Award
Deborah Fletcher Award of Excellence in Filmmaking on International Development
Purpose of Award
Eligibility
Nomination Process
Selection Process and Criteria
Presentation of the Award
Biography
Purpose of Award
This award recognizes one outstanding international development film by a Canadian producer/filmmaker each year. It was established in memory of Deborah Fletcher, a journalist and filmmaker who worked with CIDA from 1980 until her death in February 2003. As a project manager with CIDA’s Development Information Program (DIP), Ms. Fletcher helped documentary filmmakers create films that brought stories of international development to life for Canadian viewers. Ms. Fletcher fostered excellence in development filmmaking, and helped create an enduring body of work that will continue to have a profound impact on Canadians for years to come.
Eligibility
- Films must have received a financial contribution from DIP.
- Films must have been completed during the previous calendar year.
Nomination Process
All eligible films produced during the previous calendar year are candidates for the award. Throughout the year, CIDA staff will nominate films. A selection committee will evaluate the nominated films at the beginning of the next calendar year and announce the award recipient in February or March.
Selection Process and Criteria
The winning film will be selected by a committee composed of:
- A member of the Fletcher family
- A representative of a non-governmental organization or an independent filmmaker
- A CIDA representative
The selection committee will look for films that clearly demonstrate superior production values, both in terms of the creative and technical elements, and that reflect the qualities for which Deborah Fletcher strove: creativity, compassion, insight, and strength.
Other merits by which members of the committee will judge the nominated films include:
- The uniqueness of perspective, the context presented, and the depth of interpretation of international development issues
- The perceived impression the film leaves on viewers
- The demonstrated artistic and creative values
Presentation of the Award
The winner of the Deborah Fletcher award will be announced in the spring of each year. The award represents an opportunity to enter into a contribution agreement with CIDA to further promote the winning film, adapt the film into a second language version (English or French), or do research and development for a new film on international development. The value of the prize is $10,000.
Biography
Deborah Fletcher
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Deborah Fletcher was a journalist and filmmaker who worked at CIDA from 1980 until her death in February 2003. As a project manager with CIDA’s DIP program, she helped documentary filmmakers create films that brought stories of international development to life for Canadian viewers.
After graduating from Ottawa’s Algonquin College with a diploma in journalism, Deborah went on to become a gifted writer and documentary filmmaker, greeting each new challenge with considerable talent, compassion, and humour. Working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Aga Khan Foundation, and CIDA, allowed Deborah to further her interest in international issues and actively contribute to making the world a better place.
An avid traveler, Deborah made friends easily wherever she went. Even when diagnosed with cancer, Deborah dealt with her illness with humour and grace. As her close friend and CIDA colleague Blaine Marchand wrote in The Globe and Mail following her death: “She was the one who searched for beauty and sought out the best, the one who made every moment a celebration.”
Whether writing a news story, producing a documentary film, or managing a teen drop-in centre, Deborah’s approach to life exemplified her commitment to improving the world around her. As a project manager at CIDA, Deborah fostered excellence in development filmmaking, and helped create an enduring body of work that will continue to have a profound impact on Canadians for years to come.
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