Sunday, June 29, 2008

20th Newfest Award Winners


Recently the fest closed and here are the award winners.

SPECIAL AWARDS:
The Showtime Vanguard Award: THE AMAZING TRUTH ABOUT QUEEN RAQUELA, directed by Olaf de Fleur.
The NewDraft Screenplay Competition winners are Day Dream by Rodney Evans and Love Marriage by Soman Chainani.

AUDIENCE AWARDS
Best Feature: PAGEANT, directed by Ron Davis and Stewart Halpern.
Best Short: COWBOY, directed by Til Kleinert.

JURIED AWARDS
The Best US Narrative Feature Award
: THE LOST COAST, directed by Gabriel Fleming, for its emotionally engaging narrative, raw and accomplished performances, and technical craftsmanship and beauty.
Honorable Mention: Sam Zalutsky's YOU BELONG TO ME for its play with genre conventions and for its wonderful casting.

The US Narrative Feature Jury was composed of Angel L Brown (Queer Black Cinema), Tom Cunha (Mammoth), and Frank DeCaro (The Frank DeCaro Show).

The Best International Narrative Feature Award: THE AMAZING TRUTH ABOUT QUEEN RAQUELA, directed by Olaf de Fleur, for its eye for detail and emotional honesty, and its ability to blend documentary and fiction.

Honorable Mention: Roberto Cuzzillo's Senza Fine (No End) for showing the difficult and painful journey of two women on their way to motherhood and sickness, and for avoiding simple clichés, by instead creating a remarkable sense of intimacy and moments of raw, emotional power.

The International Narrative Feature Jury was comprised of Charlie Olsky (indieWIRE), Michael Stuetz (Berlin International Film Festival), and Sarah Warn (AfterEllen.com).

The Best Documentary Feature Award: BE LIKE OTHERS, directed by Tanaz Eshaghian, for its careful and sensitive examination and exploration of a complicated issue, the status of gender and sexual variance among Iranians.

Honorable Mention: Taylor Greeson's MEADOWLARK for exposing his personal story with emotional intensity and raw honesty, and for doing so in a creatively challenging manner.

The Documentary Feature Jury consisted of Katherine Linton (Linton Media), David Nugent (The Hamptons International Film Festival), and Pauline Park (NYAGRA).

The Best Narrative Short Award: Claudia Morgado Escanilla's NO BIKINI, for its innocent celebration of gender non-conformity by a tomboy at swimming lessons.

The Best Documentary Short Award: Charlotte Hoogakker's ODD ONE OUT, VERY NORMAL REALLY: FROM LUCAS TO LUUS, FROM BOY TO GIRL, for its candid, endearing, and humorous depiction of one pre-adolescent’s transition.

To check the awards at the fest site go here.

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