The 2020 Naples International Film Festival Announces Filmmaker Award Winners
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- Category: Entertainment News
- Published on Friday, 30 October 2020 13:48
- Written by Contributing Editor
The 2020 Naples International Film Festival announced the filmmaker award winners during the Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, October 27. The jury prize for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $1,250) went to David Gutnik's MATERNA.
The jury prize for Best Documentary Feature (and $1,250) was given to Brian Morrison's BASTARDS' ROAD. Audience Awards went to Lanie Zipoy's THE SUBJECT (Best Narrative Film) and Lynn Montgomery's AMAZING GRACE (Best Documentary Film), which each won a cash prize of $1000.
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NIFF's trio of judges for the 2020 edition included Academy Award-nominee Candy Clark (AMERICAN GRAFITTI, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH), CineCina Film Festival Co-Director of Programming, Frank Yan, and journalist Eric Althoff (Screen Comment).
The filmmaker awards selected by the programmers' committee included; Olympia Stone winning NIFFs Focus on the Arts Award for her film, ACTUALLY, ICONIC: RICHARD ESTES; Ondi Timoner's COMING CLEAN winning the Impact Award for the light her film shines on the country's opioid crisis; Hannah Black and Megan Petersen's DROUGHT winning the Indie Spirit Award; and Stephen Kunken and Jack Lewars' BEFORE/DURING/AFTER selected as the Programmers' Choice honoree. Casimir Nozkowski's.
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THE OUTSIDE STORY took the Best First Feature honors, while The Bragg Brothers directing tandem won this year's Rising Star Award for their work on the short film A PIECE OF CAKE. Doug Roland's FEELING THROUGH received NIFF's Audience Award for "Best Short Film" and the cash prize of $500 that comes with that award.
"While this was a different year for NIFF in terms of format, one thing – incredible films – remained the same," said Shannon Franklin, festival producer. "The award winners reflect the high quality of independent film that was on view throughout the virtual and in-person screenings at NIFF 2020."
In a year which demanded innovation and creativity for film festivals, NIFF successfully offered a hybrid approach which included outdoor screenings on a large screen in the newly renovated and expanded Norris Garden on the Artis─Naples Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus and virtual presentations of 66 films (13 narrative features, 12 documentary features, 41 short films) from 16 countries.
The virtual screenings were made available to film fans throughout the state of Florida, and some films available worldwide. Audiences were also able to see select filmmakers discuss their films in virtual live and pre-recorded TalkBack Q&A sessions, and filmmakers gathered in online "filmmaker lounge" events with several also participating in a virtual press junket.
Artis—Naples offers thanks to the following for their generous support of the 12th Annual Naples International Film Festival: Collier County Tourist Development Council and the Convention and Visitors Bureau; Stan and Sarann Kraushaar (TalkBack Q&A Sponsor); Gulfshore Life and Pixel Lightening Productions, Inc. (Media Partners); Bill, Ann and Heather Hoffman; Lisa and Andy Lipman; Dr. Jonathan Sonne and Dr. Rebecca Lambert; and Entech (Closing Night Film and Awards Sponsor).
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The 2020 Naples International Film Festival Award Winners:
NIFF JURY AWARDS
Best Narrative Feature - $1250
MATERNA
Director: David Gutnik
Best Documentary Feature - $1250
BASTARDS' ROAD
Director: Brian Morrison
NIFF PROGRAMMERS' AWARDS
Focus on the Arts Award
ACTUALLY, ICONIC: RICHARD ESTES
Director: Olympia Stone
Impact Award
COMING CLEAN
Director: Ondi Timoner
Indie Spirit Award
DROUGHT
Directors: Hannah Black, Megan Petersen
Programmers' Choice Award
BEFORE/DURING/AFTER
Directors: Stephen Kunken, Jack Lewars
Best First Feature
THE OUTSIDE STORY
Director: Casimir Nozkowski
Rising Star Award
The Bragg Brothers
A PIECE OF CAKE
NIFF AUDIENCE AWARDS
Audience Award Winner, Narrative Feature - $1000
THE SUBJECT
Director: Lanie Zipoy
Audience Award Winner, Documentary Feature - $1000
AMAZING GRACE
Director: Lynn Montgomery
Audience Award Winner, Best Short Film - $500
FEELING THROUGH
Director: Doug Roland
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ABOUT ARTIS—NAPLES
Home of The Baker Museum and the Naples Philharmonic, Artis—Naples is unique among cultural institutions nationwide, equally dedicated to both the visual and performing arts featuring artists of global distinction.
KIMBERLY K. QUERREY AND LOUIS A. SIMPSON CULTURAL CAMPUS
Led by CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen and Sharon and Timothy Ubben Music Director Andrey Boreyko, we typically offer audiences more than 800 paid and free events annually within a variety of venues and settings situated throughout the 8.5-acre Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus. Artis—Naples traditionally welcomes 300,000 visitors each year for a broad array of artistic and educational opportunities perfect for audiences of all backgrounds and interests.
The Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus is home to five buildings, including two performance halls (Frances Pew Hayes Hall and Myra J. Daniels Pavilion), The Baker Museum, the Toni Stabile Education Building and the Kohan Administration Building.
In the 2014-15 season, Andrey Boreyko assumed the title of Music Director and serves in this capacity for Artis—Naples. Boreyko is internationally recognized as one of the most exciting and dynamic conductors working today. This appointment, extended through 2022, marks his first American post. The Wall Street Journal says van Bergen and Boreyko have ushered in "an impressive new phase" for classical music in Southwest Florida.
NAPLES INTERNATIONAL FLM FESTIVAL
In 2017, Artis—Naples acquired the Naples International Film Festival (NIFF), expanding its film offerings and providing a platform for the festival's continued excellence and growth. In 2018, NIFF celebrated its tenth year in the community, and in 2019, NIFF was named one of MovieMaker Magazine's Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World.
In choosing the festival, which enters its fourth year as part of Artis—Naples, a multidisciplinary arts organization based in Southwest Florida, the panel cited the festival's "strong backing to grow and add new dimensions to its carefully curated lineup." The full description can be found at moviemaker.com.
NIFF, which prides itself on its support of independent filmmakers and the diversity and quality of films selected for screening, has matured into a destination festival, drawing emerging and established filmmakers eager to experience its unique atmosphere of keen appreciation for cinema.
NAPLES PHILHARMONIC
The Naples Philharmonic has long been recognized as one of the cornerstones of Southwest Florida's arts community. As part of Artis—Naples, the Naples Philharmonic typically performs more than 140 orchestral and chamber music concerts, as well as opera and ballet, education, community and special event concerts annually between September and June in the 1,477-seat Hayes Hall, the 283-seat Daniels Pavilion and around the Southwest Florida region.
Jack Everly is Principal Pops Conductor and in the 2020-21 season celebrates 11 years in this role, bringing pops performances that celebrate music in its many forms. In 2017, Romanian conductor Radu Paponiu was named Assistant Conductor of the Naples Philharmonic and director of the Naples Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and in 2019 was promoted to Associate Conductor.
THE BAKER MUSEUM
The Baker Museum is one of the foremost fine art museums in Southwest Florida and celebrates its 20th anniversary season in 2020-21. Each year, The Baker Museum hosts several traveling exhibitions to complement the exhibitions curated from its permanent collection.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary milestone, two traveling exhibitions celebrate the three-dimensional artistry of Dale Chihuly and Auguste Rodin. Comprising more than 4,000 objects, the museum's broad holdings of 20th and 21st century art reflect the generosity and commitment of area collectors. Of particular strength are The Baker Museum's collections of American and Mexican modern art and significant gifts from the personal collection of Olga Hirshhorn.
With two decades of collecting and exhibiting, the museum is dedicated to stewardship and scholarship from both its growing permanent collection and outside sources. At the same time, The Baker Museum seeks out the best traveling exhibitions from the leading arts institutions in the world—including recently the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institutions and École des Beaux-Arts, Paris—to enrich the Southwest Florida community.
The Baker Museum exhibitions reopened to the public on December 1, 2019, after being closed for more than two years in the wake of Hurricane Irma. The repair of the museum was paired with a simultaneous expansion of the building to the south, which created new spaces for multidisciplinary exploration, education and social interaction, and was completed in 2020.
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY
In addition to creating and presenting visual and performing arts, Artis—Naples provides robust education and community activities for students of all ages. Typically, thousands of Collier County Public Schools interact with Artis—Naples education programming each year both on its cultural campus and in classrooms. The Lifelong Learning program provides engaging lectures and study opportunities for adults seeking to engage more deeply with the arts.
The Friends of Artis—Naples, with more than 4,000 households who give more than $75, offers activities, travel experiences and events geared toward creating a deeper relationship between patrons and the arts.
