Oil Change nominated for Golden Sheaf

North America’s longest-running film festival has nominated Oil Change for its 2014 Golden Sheaf Award.

Yorkton Film Festival’s jurors listed the Edmonton-based Aquila Productions’ series in their Lifestyle category.

The Yorkton Film Festival (YFF for short) was established in 1947. Guided by the Yorkton Film Council, it opened in 1950.

This year’s edition of the festival runs May 22 to 25.

The festival features Canadian productions or international productions directed by Canadians. It focuses on films that are under 60 minutes in length.

This is not the first time Aquila Productions and Oil Change have been in the spotlight. The company has also received seven AMPIA (Alberta Media Production Industries Association) nominations for Oil Change: Game On.

The series that has developed a cult-like following across North America is now in its fourth season, documenting the rebuilding of the Edmonton Oilers hockey club.

Broadcast on TSN in its first season, it has become an integral part of Sportsnet’s programming. NHL Network airs it regularly for its audiences in the U.S.

Oil Change has become known not only for its crisp camera work, dramatic editing, effective use of sound and music and for letting the pictures do most of the talking.

It takes viewers behind the scenes to show what makes a professional sports team work. It tackles the issues top-notch athletes face both on- and off-the-ice. It doesn’t shy away from difficult topics, but it handles them with tact, making sure it does not embarrass either its subjects or its fans.

Oil Change is an honest documentary series, and that is what brings viewers back again and again.

And that is what YFF jurors must have noticed when they nominated Oil Change for their award.

Aquila Productions is one of Canada’s most accomplished television production and entertainment companies. Known for more than 30 years as one of Canada’s leading independent producers of original television, Aquila has also gained international recognition for covering the world of athletics through broadcast and long form documentary programming. Aquila was recently honoured with a Canadian Screen Award as part of TSN’s CFL 100th anniversary football series, Engraved on a Nation.