BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 2011 Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition, now in its fourth year of spotlighting original films that focus on the need for responsible water use, honored three short films as the winners of the competition earlier this evening. Presented by irrigation manufacturer Rain Bird and event partners The Chronicles Group, Film L.A., Denver Botanic Gardens, Southern Nevada Water Authority, and Questex Media, the public was invited to a screening of six finalists, chosen from nearly 200 entries, at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, California.
The screening event was presided by Jack Hanna, renowned environmental documentary filmmaker and animal expert, who presented the finalists’ films to a live audience and judges that included representatives from the film, water, green and irrigation industries. After a brief deliberation, the judges chose the Jury Award Winner and the audience voted for the Audience Choice Award winner. The following films were selected as winners of the 2011 Film Competition:
2011 Jury Award Winner
Fun and Games – Filmmaker: Ben Mills,
Basingstoke, Hants, U.K.
2011 Audience Award Winner
Just Don’t Flush It – Filmmaker:
Brian McAndrew, North Bend, Oregon, United States
Rain Bird presented filmmaker Ben Mills with an accolade and a check for $6,000 for the Jury Prize Award and filmmaker Brian McAndrew was awarded $3,000 and an accolade for winning the Audience Choice Award.
The evening also included the presentation of the annual Green Industry Award which was presented to the finalist who received the most votes from green industry professionals – landscape architects, landscape contractors, irrigators, golf course superintendents, etc. Rain Bird, in partnership with the Questex Media Group, publishers of leading landscape and building publications including Athletic Turf, Golfdom and Landscape Management, presented the Green Industry Award to Jall Cowasji, who received an award and $6,000 for his film Water Ways.
“The high level of ingenuity and creativity we found in this year’s film competition has truly demonstrated how important it is to be efficient with water, our most precious resource,” said Rain Bird’s Director of Corporation Marketing, Dave Johnson. “Rain Bird’s Intelligent Use of Water platform was built so that filmmakers like these finalists would have an influential platform where they can inspire others to take personal action by effectively expressing the important issues surrounding water conservation.”
The 2011 Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition judging panel included Doug Bennett, Conservation Manager at the Southern Nevada Water Authority; Jennifer Riley-Chetwynd, Director of Marketing, PR and Special Events at the Denver Botanic Gardens; Patrick Roberts, Group Publisher of Golfdom and Landscape Management Magazines; Philip Sokoloski, Manager of Communications at Film L.A. and Jim Thebaut, Chief Executive Officer of The Chronicles Group, Inc.
Now in its 4th year of providing a platform to actively raise awareness of the need for water conservation, Rain Bird’s Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition encourages filmmakers to use the power of film to creatively explore methods and ideas that responsibly manage and use the Earth’s most precious resource.
ABOUT RAIN BIRD CORPORATION
Headquartered in Azusa, Calif.,
Rain Bird Corporation is the world’s leading manufacturer and provider
of irrigation products and services. From simple beginnings in 1933,
Rain Bird now offers the industry's broadest range of irrigation
products for farms, golf courses, sports arenas, commercial developments
and homes, available in more than 130 countries. Rain Bird has been
awarded hundreds of patents, including the first in 1935 for the impact
sprinkler. Rain Bird’s philosophy called The Intelligent Use of Water™
is about using water wisely. Its commitment extends beyond products to
education, training and services for the industry and the community.
Rain Bird maintains state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities around the
world. www.rainbird.com
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