Liz Fish to Receive Top Environmental Honor at Banff

TORONTO: The Banff World Media Festival is presenting South African investigative journalist Liz Fish with the inaugural David Suzuki Green Producer Award.

The award has been renamed this year in honor of Dr. David Suzuki, the long-time host of CBC’s The Nature of Things. The award recognizes individuals whose acheivements have raised public awareness and understanding of scientific and environmental issue though the use of visual media. The David Suzuki Green Producer Award is selected by an international Green Jury comprised of broadcast and environmental leaders from around the world. This year, the president of the Green Jury is Sun Jianying of the Sichuan Television Festival.

Fish started making social activism docs during the 1980s. Among her best-known works is The Long Journey of Clement Zulu. Her focus has recently shifted from social justice to environmental justice, as she regularly produces work for Carte Blanche, M-Net’s flagship magazine program. Fish is also currently producing and directing promotional materials for Working on Fire, a South African NGO that helps prevent and control wildfires by training fire fighters and running education programs.

"Liz Fish’s incisive environmental journalism has made an outstanding impact in South Africa and around the world," said Georges Leclere, the director of the Banff World Media Awards. "Her work has educated the public on critical issues and been a major influence on a new generation of environmentally-conscious filmmakers. She is an ideal recipient of this award, and we a delighted to be honoring her in this way."