2011 Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition in photos

The 2011 Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition is over, and everything I've heard about the event was that it was a wild success. Looking at these photos, I'd have to agree! Looks like a blast. I'm putting this event on my calendar for next year in Sharpie marker. (The only reason I didn't go this year is because we're expecting the arrival of our second child any day now!)

Thanks to everyone who voted in the Green Industry Award competition... the film "Water Ways" took the gold and the $6,000 prize in that category. Great film, it was well deserving of the honor. Below that's a photo of (left to right) Dave Johnson, Rain Bird's director of corporation marketing, "Water Ways" creator Jall Cowasji, Kevin Stoltman, vice president, Questex Media (AKA my boss) and Jack Hanna, renown environmentalist and animal expert.

Click after the jump to see the complete release and a BUNCH of photos (thank you Dan Jacobs) from the evening as well as the full rundown of who won what.

Rain Bird's fourth 2011 Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition honored three short films as the winners of the competition at a screening event on September 20. Held at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, California, the event was presented by Rain Bird and event partners The Chronicles Group, Film L.A., Denver Botanic Gardens, Southern Nevada Water Authority and Questex Media Group.


Jack Hanna, renowned environmental documentary filmmaker and animal expert,  presented the six finalists’ films to a live audience and a panel of judges from the film, water, green and irrigation industries. After a brief deliberation, the judges chose the Jury Award Winner, and the audience voted for the Audience Choice Award Winner:

2011 Jury Award Winner
"Fun and Games" by Ben Mills, Basingstoke, Hants, U.K.

2011 Audience Award Winner
"Just Don’t Flush It" by Brian McAndrew, North Bend, Oregon, United States

Rain Bird presented Jury-Award-winning filmmaker Ben Mills with a check for $6,000 in recognition of his efforts, while Audience-Choice-Award-winning filmmaker Brian McAndrew received a check for $3,000.

The evening also included the presentation of the annual Green Industry Award to the film receiving the most votes from green industry professionals – landscape architects, landscape contractors, irrigators, golf course superintendentsand grounds maintenance professionals. Rain Bird and Questex Media Group, publishers of landscape and building publications including Athletic Turf, Golfdom and Landscape Management, presented this award and a $6,000 check to Jall Cowasji for his film "Water Ways."

“The high level of ingenuity and creativity we found in this year’s film competition truly demonstrates the importance of water conservation,” said Rain Bird’s Director of Corporation Marketing, Dave Johnson. “Rain Bird’s Intelligent Use of Water platform is designed to provide filmmakers like these with a voice that can inspire others to take personal action."