CALGARY, June 4, 2016 /CNW/ - Big Rock Brewery Inc. ("Big Rock") (TSX:BR) Top prize for the 2016 Eddies Short Film festival has been awarded to Calgary producer, Gabriel Yee and his production, "Olga – An Arequipa Story." The Peru shot documentary tells the story of a mother, desperate to find medical treatment for her 12-year old daughter Olga.  Yee, who owns 403K Films, picked up the $10,000 cash prize at the Big Rock Eddies Short Film Festival at Theatre Junction Grand in Calgary, Alberta, Saturday.

For the 23rd year of The Eddies, Big Rock's theme, was TRAILBLAZER, inspired by its founder, Ed McNally whose vision was to create a craft brewery long before many had ever seen one, or heard such a term.

Yee says two narratives tell the story of a trailblazer in his winning short. "The first is Olga, the second is that of Jodee's [Olga's therapist]. Both embark on a journey that has never been walked, or even ran. They cling to the prospect that the path unexplored is sometimes the path to healing," says Yee.

Second place and a cash prize of $5,000 was awarded to "Recollection Cinema Presents Shotgunning" by Daniel Code, Cam Macleod and Nima Gholamipour. The trio are partners in a small comedy group out of Vancouver called Comedyloaf. Their short, set in 1983 is about washed up rock star roadie, Frankie Lawson, "the beer drinking sensation."

Ali Hamzah Virk's compelling film called "Change" picked up 3^rd place and $2,500. In it, Joe Roberts shares his story of trailblazing as he travels a road to recovery, after years of heroin addiction. A psychologist is able to connect with Roberts and help save his life.

The only criteria to submit a film for The Eddies was a 5 minute short with a connection to the theme "trailblazing." An experienced panel of judges included Emmy Award winning Calgary producer Chad Oakes, Calgary Underground Film Festival founder Brenda Lieberman, Calgary International Film Festival executive director Steve Schroeder, Canadian Entertainment Blogger Michael Morrison, and Jamie M. Dagg, an award winning Canadian director and writer.

View The 2016 Eddies Shorts here….

About Big Rock Brewery Inc.: Big Rock Brewery Inc. headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, also has a local brewery in Vancouver, BC, a brewery in Etobicoke, Ontario (opening July 2016), and a brewpub slated to open in Toronto's Liberty Village, in the fall of 2016. As one of Canada's founding craft brewers with over 30 years of brewing experience, Big Rock boasts a family of exceptional ales and lagers, Rock Creek Cider®, and an ongoing selection of seasonal beers.

Contact us: bigrockbeer.com, Twitter: @BigRockBrewery

SOURCE Big Rock Brewery Inc.

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