Fifteenth Annual Tribeca Film Festival Announces Juried Award Winners

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Category: Entertainment News

Published on Saturday, 30 April 2016 07:04

Written by Tribeca Film Festival

The 15th annual Tribeca Film Festival, co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff, and presented by AT&T, recently announced the winners of its competition categories. Top awards went to Dean, Junction 48, and Do Not Resist. The Festival completed it run April 24, 2016.

For the first time in the Festival's history there were separate US and International narrative competition categories. In total winners were awarded in the following feature film competition categories: US Narrative, International Narrative, World Documentary, New Narrative Director, The Albert Maysles New Documentary Director, and the Nora Ephron Prize.  Awards were also given in the short film categories: Narrative, Documentary, and Student Visionary. 

In addition, the Festival announced the recipients of the Storyscapes Award, for immersive storytelling, and the inaugural Tribeca X Award, a new juried award for branded storytelling recognizing the intersection of advertising and entertainment.

This year's Festival included 102 features, 74 short films, and 38 immersive storytelling projects from 42 countries.

"We are proud to celebrate the winning filmmakers, artists, and creators from our 15th edition," said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, Tribeca Film Festival. "Their stories have entertained, inspired, and challenged us to think about the world and we are grateful to them for sharing their work with us."

Screenings of the award–winning films will take place throughout the final day of the Festival: Sunday, April 24, at various venues. Specific times and ticketing information are available atwww.tribecafilm.com/festival

The winners of the Audience Awards, powered by Infor, which are determined by audience votes throughout the Festival, will be announced on April 23.

In addition to cash awards and in-kind services provided by sponsors including AKA Hotel Residences, AT&T, Bira 91, Coach, Company 3, Freixenet Cava, HBO, Infor, and Netflix, the Festival presented the winners with original pieces of art created by 10 contemporary artists: Keith Edmier, Marc Hundley, Zak Kitnick, John Miller, Virginia Overton, Laura Owens, Josh Tonsfeldt Sara VanDerBeek, Stephen Hannock and Clifford Ross.

The winners, awards, and comments from the jury who selected the recipients are as follows:

U.S. NARRATIVE  FEATURE COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

The jurors for the 2016 U.S. Narrative Competition, sponsored by AKA Hotel Residences, were Anne Carey, James Le Gros, Chris Nashawaty, Mya Taylor and Jennifer Westfeldt.

• The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – Dean, written and directed by Demteri Martin. Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by AT&T, and the art award "Waking Up in the Painted World" by Stephen Hannock. The award was given by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal joined by Fiona Carter, SVP of Brand Marketing, Advertising, and Sponsorships, AT&T, and Jennifer Westfeldt.

Jury Comment: "We have had the great privilege of seeing ten accomplished and ambitious films over the last seven days here at Tribeca. But we all fell in love with this next film. It manages the near impossible task of breathing new life into a well-worn genre, balancing humor and pathos with an incredibly deft touch, and offering a unique perspective on the way we process loss."

• Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film –Dominic Rains in The Fixer. The award was given by Chris Nashawaty.

                Jury Comment: "For his deeply emotional and empathic portrayal of a man who's a stranger in a strange land."

• Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Mackenzie Davis in Always Shine. The award was given by Mya Taylor.

Jury Comment: "For the unapologetic, fierce, brave, compelling, and vulnerable portrayal."

• Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Michael Ragen for Kicks. Winner receives $50,000 in post-production services donated by Company 3. The award was given by Anne Carey along with David Feldman, Company 3 Director of

Feature Services.

Jury Comment: "At times lyrical and other times visceral, the seductive cinematography of this film lured us into the violent world of busted childhood."

• Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Women Who Kill written by Ingrid Jungermann. Winner receives $2,500 sponsored by Freixenet Cava. The award was given by James Le Gros along with Tom Burnet, President, Freixenet America.

Jury Comment: "As Miles Davis said, 'The hardest thing is to be original.' This unique and deftly hilarious tale told in Brooklyn is from a fresh voice and a true original.

INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE  FEATURE COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

The jurors for the 2016 International Narrative Competition were Hany Abu-Assad, Jean Reno, Lydia Dean Pilcher, Sam Taylor-Johnson and Danny Glover.

• The Best International Narrative Feature – Junction 48, written and directed by Udi Aloni. Winner receives $20,000, sponsored by Netflix, and the art award "Temple of the Moon" by Sara VanDerBeek. The award was given by Danny Glover.

                Jury Comment: "This award goes to a phenomenal, stand-out, powerful, thoughtful movie. It offers a new perspective and insightful approach to a story about how to be different and live together."

• Best Actor in an International Narrative Feature Film –Alan Sabbagh in The Tenth Man. The award was given by Jean Reno.

                Jury Comment: "A performance of natural subtlety that reflected a community that is unknown to most of us. An intriguing journey for connection in search for identity."

• Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature Film – Radhika Apte in Clean Shaven, a part of Madly. The award was given by Jean Reno.

Jury Comment: "This award goes to an actress who has conveyed bravery and emotional depth in different relationships around her.  A contemporary story that breaks through established culture."

• Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Kjell Vassdal for El Clasico . Winner receives $50,000 in post-production services donated by Company 3. The award was given by Sam Taylor-Johnson along with David Feldman, Company 3 Director of Feature Services.

Jury Comment: "This award goes to an expansive, naturalistic photography in serving the narrative and the emotional journey of the characters."

• Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature Film – Perfect Strangers written by Filippo Bologna, Paolo Costella, Paolo Genovese, Paola Mammini, and Rolando Ravello. Winners receive $2,500 sponsored by Freixenet Cava. The award was given by Hany Abu-Assad along with Tom Burnet, President, Freixenet America.

Jury Comment: "This award goes to a well-crafted, entertaining scenario, with deep character development. It's an original story about private lives and hidden secrets."