Family Film project A Shine of Rainbows recently took home first place in the category of Best Live-Action Feature Film at the 2009 Chicago International Children's Film Festival.  Written by Vic Sarin, Catherine Spear and Dennis Foon, and directed by Vic Sarin, the heartwarming family film also won the Audience Choice for Best Dramatic Feature at the Heartland Truly Moving Pictures Festival and the Audience Choice Award at the Ibiza International Film Festival.

A Shine of Rainbows tells the story of Tomas, a frail eight-year-old orphan boy who is swept away to Ireland by the kind-hearted and extraordinary Maire O’Donnell.  There, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, befriending a pair of island children, rescuing an orphan seal pup and gradually winning over Maire’s reticent husband Alec.  But when tragedy strikes, Tomas is faced with his greatest challenge yet, for he’ll lose everything unless he can find – and share – the magic that’s inside of him.

The Canada-Ireland co-production, which was supported by The Harold Greenberg Fund’s Family Film Program, has been busy making the rounds at prestigious international festivals in Toronto, Vancouver, Whistler and London, England.  It is slated for theatrical release in the spring of 2010.