The 2011 Amsterdam Film Festival Van Gogh Awards announced the winners of the prestigious Van Gogh Awards. The Grand Jury Prize was presented to four films – The Secret Friend directed by Flavio Alves (Brazil), Der Sandmann directed by Peter Luisi (Switzerland), Wish directed by Kyle Milardo (USA) and Happy directed by Roko Belic (USA).
The De grote Prijs van de Jury was presented to New Low directed by Adam Bowers (USA); a film about a neurotic twentysomething struggling to figure out which girl he really belongs with: the best or the worst one he’s ever known.
The Cinematic Vision Award was presented to The Greater Good directed by Chris Pilaro & Kendall Nelson (USA). The Greater Good looks behind the fear, hype and politics that have polarized the vaccine debate in America today. The film re-frames the emotionally charged issue and offers, for the first time, the opportunity for a rational and scientific discussion on how to create a safer and more effective vaccine program.
The Van Gogh Award was presented to Bert’s Plan directed by Yair Shvartz (USA). Bert is a struggling middle-aged writer attempting to get his book published. Downtrodden and plagued with rejection, Bert comes up with a plan. In a twist of hilariously dark, ironic and serendipitous events, Bert’s original plan takes an unexpected turn.
The Prodigy Auteur Prize was presented to Victim, directed by Leon Rowe (USA). Victim is a psychological thriller about a man who is plagued by guilt, anger and vengeance struggling with a decision that will change his life forever.
2011 VAN GOGH AWARDS:
De grote Prijs van de Jury: New Low directed by Adam Bowers
Cinematic Vision Award: The Greater Good directed by Chris Pilaro & Kendall Nelson
Van Gogh Award: Bert’s Plan directed by Yair Shvartz
Prodigy Auteur Prize: Victim directed by Leon Rowe
Grand Jury Prize: The Secret Friend directed by Flavio Alves
Grand Jury Prize: Der Sandmann directed by Peter Luisi
Grand Jury Prize: Wish directed by Kyle Milardo
Grand Jury Prize: Happy directed by Roko Belic
Best Director: The Story directed by Steve Bellamy
Documentary Directing Award: Lift Up directed by Philip Knowlton & Huguens Jean
Dramatic Directing Award: A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation directed by Stefan Leuchtenberg & Martin Wallner
World Cinema Directing Award: Ronan’s Escape directed by A.J. Carter
World Cinema Directing Award: Unravelling directed by Kuldip Powar
Excellence in Cinematography Award: Out of the Darkness directed by Stefano Levi
Excellence in Cinematography Award: Hipolito directed by Teodoro Ciampagna
Excellence in Cinematography Award: Vous Etes Servis directed by Jorge Leon
Excellence in Cinematography Award: The Big Uneasy directed by Harry Shearer
World Cinema Cinematography Award: Protect The Nation directed by C. R. Reisser
World Cinema Cinematography Award: Small Change directed by Cathy Brady
World Cinema Cinematography Award: Beatboxing – The Fifth Element Of Hip Hop directed by Klaus Schneyder
World Cinema Cinematography Award: The Girls in the Band directed by Judy Chaikin
Best Documentary Film Editing: I am Nancy directed by Arlene Marechal
Best Dramatic Film Editing: Vicissitude directed by Will Jobe
Best Feature Film Screenplay: Face to Face directed by Michael Rymer
Best Short Film Screenplay: IFAKAT directed by Orhan Tekeoglu
World Cinema Documentary Film Editing Award: May I Be Frank directed by Gregg Marks, Conor Gaffney, Ryland Engelhart & Cary Mosier
World Cinema Dramatic Film Editing Award: Vento directed by Marcio Salem
World Cinema Screenwriting Award, Feature Film: Behind the Eight Ball directed by Mike Graveline
World Cinema Screenwriting Award, Short Film: DILF directed by Geoff Edwards
Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Documentary: Sharkwise directed by Lieven Debrauwer
Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Dramatic: Sofia directed by Shervin Kermani
Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Short: Return directed by Cyd Chartier Cohn
Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Student: Landlocked directed by Jerry Melichar
Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Music Video: Corrupted Scene Behind the Stage directed by Ivan Mena Tinoco
Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Animation: Los Estrandados directed by Derek Evanick
Special Jury Prize, Dutch Documentary: Mila’s Journey directed by Annie Perkins & Rinku Kalsy
Special Jury Prize, Dutch Dramatic: In Transit directed by Kees-Jan Husselman
Special Jury Prize for Originality: How It Ended directed by Gabriel Nussbaum
Special Jury Prize for Spirit of Independence: Streets of Flamenco directed by Marisa Lloreda Saez
Special Jury Prize for Acting, World Cinema: Spinster directed by Pip Satchell
Special Jury Prize for Acting: Sissy directed by Bonnie Root
Jury Prize – Dutch Short Filmmaking: Riding Bikes with the Dutch directed by Michael Bauch
Jury Prize – International Short Filmmaking: Falling Apart directed by Christopher Valori
World Cinema – Experimental Film: Extincion II: La Cuadratura De Los Círculos directed by Fernando Usón Forniés
World Cinema – Animated Film: Searching directed by Hyun Joo Cho
World Cinema – Music Video: Stretch directed by Arturo Cubacub
World Cinema – Student: Mezzanotte Obscura directed by Lori Petchers
World Cinema – First Time Director: I’m Just Saying directed by Brian Douglas
Best Action Film: Slashimi directed by Anthony Powell
Best Avant-Garde Film: Hallucination directed by Christian Jean
Best Biography: Klondike’s Calling directed by Paola Rosà & Antonio Senter
Best Children’s Film: Little Gobie directed by Tony Tang
Best Comedy: The Winking Boy directed by Marcus Dineen
Best Coming of Age Film: Een Kleine Duw directed by Philippe Verkinderen
Best Crime Film: Una Calle Sin Salida directed by Robert Fernandez-Ferreira
Best Drama: The Price of Sex directed by Mimi Chakarova
Best Educational Film: Harvest of Loneliness directed by Adrian Salinas, Gilbert Gonzalez & Vivian Price
Best Environmental Film: Liquid Amber directed by Maggi Payne
Best Fantasy Film: A Complex Villainelle directed by Nathan Billington, Rebecca Forth, Bart Ovaitt & Ryan Porter
Best Horror Film: Message directed by Lee Yat Fung
Best Human Rights Film: Children in Exile directed by Chris Swider
Best Mockumentary: Frontman directed by Ben Hyland
Best Musical: Mr. Foley directed by D.A.D.D.Y.
Best Personal Narrative: Beautiful Enough directed by Claire Oakley
Best Romance: I Love My Woman directed by Otis Kriegel
Best Romantic Comedy: Sombras Nada Mas directed by Max Valverde
Best Sci-Fi Film: Cockpit: The Rule of Engagement directed by Jesse Griffith
Best Spiritual Film: The Time Machine directed by Mark Kendall
Best Sports Film: One Revolution directed by Amanda Stoddard
Best Student Film: Amanda directed by Michael Tanner Cusumano
Best Urban Film: Storie Urgenti directed by Joseph Edward Rozzo
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS:
Feature Screenplay Competition
First Place: You’re Sick written by Donn Warr Lewis
Second Place: Halfway Home written by David Schroeder
Third Place: The Quarry written by Adam Ford-smith
Short Screenplay Competition
First Place: Push Bike written by Tracey Walker
Second Place: Sunset Fire written by A. Wayne Carter
Third Place: Born as Ghosts written by Mark Skinner
Official Finalists
American Trash written by David Kornfield
Beyond the Horizon written by George Ferris
Borderline written by Joshua Paolino
Courting Death written by Heather Silvio
Cradle of the Stars written by Joey Kent
En Route written by Philip Howe
Neon Cactus written by Philip Sedgwick
Poetease written by Jeffrey Morin
The Kiarsidia written by Bruce Golde
The Only Living Man with a Hole in His Head written by Todd Colby Pliss
There is a Season written by Stuart Creque
Too Fat to Fly written by Anthony Amenta
Honorable Mentions
180 Proof written by Adam Sumner
A Mind of Glass written by Louise Dautheribes McKerl
China Girls written by Gary Riester
Drosselbart written by Effie Bathen
Eaglet written by Eugene Gavrilenko
Ghost Light written by Philip Marcoccio
God’s Architect written by Michael Mares
Happiness in Pieces written by Krzysztof Rostek
Hunting Paradise written by Craig Harwood
Meet Jane Doe written by Jacqueline Gault
Murder in the Lakelands written by Patrick Nash
Pot Shop written by Judah Ray Neiditch
The Parting Glass written by Philip Marcoccio
T.W.I.N written by Malaika Langa
Wrigly & King written by Cornelius Murphy