A docudrama exploring the life of Bahamian icon Sir Harold Christie and his role in the development of The Bahamas has won two
prestigious international awards in the 2023 Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA) Communicator Awards.
Directed by leading Bahamian film-maker Kareem Mortimer of Best Yet Entertainment and produced by Paola Alvino Christie of HG Christie Ltd., Vision: The Story of Sir Harold Christie, received the top accolade of Excellence in the History/Biography category of Film and Video and an Award of Distinction in the Documentary category of Branded Entertainment.
The film, which was released in November 2022 to celebrate the Christie family’s 100 years of business in real estate in The Bahamas, was the recent highlight of the Island House Film Festival in April and will soon be seen at the Fusion Superplex in Nassau.
Sir Harold’s history – and that of The Bahamas generally – unfolds through interviews with family, contemporaries and cultural figures, as well as through narration and archival footage. There is also a no-holds-barred account of the murder of Sir Harry Oakes.
Executive Producer of the film John Christie, CEO and President of HGC, said it was a great honour to be recognized by the Communicator Awards, one of the largest and most competitive award shows of its kind with over 3,000 entries from companies, agencies, studios, and boutique shops all around the world.
“We are thrilled that the film is being commended for its documentation of some of the key moments in the development of our island nation,” said Christie. “As well as for exploring the enduring and compelling legacy of one of its leading historical figures.
“The Award of Excellence – the highest honour given to entrants whose ability to communicate positions them as the best in the field – is an incredible endorsement of HGC’s commitment to serving The Bahamas in the best way possible.”
Christie was also quick to add that the success of the movie was thanks to the creative excellence and artistry of its director, Kareem Mortimer.
Mortimer said winning the award was an incredible honour and testament to the power of storytelling: “I am grateful to the entire cast and crew who poured their hearts and souls into this project, and to the Communicator Awards for recognizing our efforts. This award is a validation of our collective dedication to crafting a compelling narrative that resonates with audiences on a profound level. I hope that ‘Vision’ continues to spark conversations and ignite imaginations.”
Other winners of the coveted Award of Excellence for 2023 include Pepsico, FedEx, Bank of America, Pizza Hut, Mercedes-Benz, Paramount, NASA, American Express, Pan American Energy and T-Mobile.
AIVA Managing Director Lauren Angeloni said submissions for the 29th season of The Communicator Awards were some of the “…most diverse and powerful yet. I am truly blown away by the quality of the work. I want to congratulate all of the honorees for their well-deserved wins. I also would like to extend deep and sincere thanks to our jurors, who gave so much time and care in the face of this massive undertaking.”
The AIVA, an invitation-only member-based organization of leading professionals in the visual arts, list amongst its membership executives from Amazon, Big Spaceship, Chelsea Pictures, Conde Nast, Disney, ESPN, GE Digital, IBM, Spotify, Time, Inc., the Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones, Wired and more.
Source: Barefoot News
