For Immediate Release
October 8, 2009

Toronto, ON – Women in Film & Television-Toronto (WIFT-T) is pleased to announce the winners of the 21st Annual Crystal Awards. The awards will be presented at a gala luncheon on Monday, November 30, 2009 at The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto.

“This year’s winners competed against a slate of exceptional nominees in all categories,” says Sadia Zaman, Executive Director of WIFT-T. “The winners are a testament to hard work, passion, and creativity. We are honoured to celebrate their achievements.”

The 21st Annual Crystal Award winners, selected by an independent jury of former Crystal Award recipients, are:

Outstanding Achievement Award
CHRISTINE SHIPTON, Senior Vice President, Drama/Factual Content, Canwest Broadcasting

Creative Excellence Award
TASSIE CAMERON, Screenwriter & Producer

Mentorship Award
LISA MEECHES, Executive Producer, President, Eagle Vision Inc., Meeches Video Production

Special Jury Award of Distinction
CHRISTA SINGER, Independent Producer & Director (retired)

Biographies of the 2009 Crystal Award winners are available at www.wift.com.

The 2009 Crystal Awards are presented by NBC Universal and CanWest Broadcasting.

The Crystal Awards recognize the extraordinary achievements of women in film, television, and digital media, and are acknowledged as one of the industry’s most prestigious accolades. Each year, the Crystal Awards bring together industry, business, government, and media from across the country to celebrate the outstanding achievements of women in Canadian screen-based media.

Since the awards’ inception in 1988, more than 90 remarkable people have been honoured. Many of today’s senior executives and industry leaders are past recipients of a Crystal Award—a testament to the impact of women on the Canadian screen-based industry, as well as the global entertainment community at large.

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