The financier behind powerhouse film brand Lionsgate Entertainment is the first recipient of the Vancouver International Film Festival’s Screen Industry Builder Award.
Frank Giustra – CEO of Fiore Group and board member of North Vancouver’s Lionsgate Entertainment – will receive VIFF’s inaugural Screen Industry Builder Award at a ceremony on Oct. 1.
The award is the brainchild of VIFF and BC Creates, and aims to (according to the press release) “recognize individuals who have greatly contributed to the success of British Columbia's creative industries; have elevated the international profile of British Columbia as a destination for excellence; and support the development and advancement of the local economy.”
Giustra’s impact on the local economy is far-reaching: He invested heavily in Lionsgate Entertainment (now one of the world’s largest independent film companies), Thunderbird Films (a company focused on content and distribution in the television and film sector; Thunderbird’s locally shot productions include Some Assembly Required and Olympus), and Sea To Sky Entertainment.
“As a creator, visionary and savvy businessman with interests in film, philanthropy and British Columbia as a destination for innovation, Frank Giustra is the ideal inaugural honouree for VIFF's Screen Industry Builder Award,” says Jacqueline Dupuis, Executive Director of VIFF.
Giustra’s interests extend to food, music, lifestyle, and philanthropy. In 2007, Giustra and former President Bill Clinton launched the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership, with the focus of creating social and economic development programs through impact investing in parts of the world where poverty is widespread.
For tickets to the awards ceremony, visit VIFF.org.
