Over the Fence won the Award for Best Live Action Short at Worldwide Short Film Festival in Toronto

The novella film Over the Fence (Viikko ennen vappua) by Hamy Ramezan has won the Deluxe Award for Best Live Action Short at the Worldwide Short Film Festival in Toronto, Canada. The award includes $ 2,500 and eligibility for 2010 Academy Awards®.

"This year´s selection of award-winning shorts represents an eclectic artistic range that has pushed short films to the next level," said Eileen Arandiga, Festival Director. The jury members were Jason Ryle, João Garção Borges, Rachelle Lefevre, Jing Haase and Aparna Kapur.

In late May, Over the Fence won the Best Fiction Award in the international competition of Curtocircuito - International Short Film Festival in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Last January it won France the Mention Ada Solomon at the prestigious International Short Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand.

Over the Fence is written by Ilmari Aho and Hamy Ramezan. Other artistic team includes cinematographer Arsen Sarkisiants, editor Joona Louhivuori, sound designer Olli Huhtanen, composer Pietari Mikkonen and costume designer Kirsi Gum. Main cast includes Jesse Martin, Emilia Laine, Matleena Kuusniemi and Eero Milonoff. Over the Fence is produced by Cilla Werning / For Real Productions Oy.

Over the Fence is the story of 15-year-old Tomi and his 12-year-old sister Aino who are best friends, united by their love of football. Tomi is a fanatical supporter of Aino´s team, and it´s important to him that they win the championship. Marjo, the mother of Tomi and Aino, makes her children´s lives difficult by her constant partying. Tomi is used to his mother´s unpredictable behaviour and only gets worried when he realises that his sister is changing too. Aino is no longer the sweet and harmless little sister he knows. She no longer concentrates on football. Tomi realizes Aino is changing fast. He tries to stop her sister but must finally face the fact that one can´t control other people. Tomi must learn to trust both himself and others. That is the only way he and Aino can move on.

The festival website:
Worldwide Short Film Festival (1.-6.6.2010): www.worldwideshortfilmfest.com