The Polish drama Ida, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski, took the top narrative feature prize at the 2014 Sarasota Film Festival. Shot stunningly in black and white, IDA finds a novice nun coming face-to-face with her family’s past in 1960s Poland. In the documentary category, Happy Valley directed by Amir Bar-Lev won the documentary feature award. In Hapy Valley, director Amir Bar-Lev explores the Jerry Sandusky controversy as it unfolded on the ground, as students, alumni and fans of the program rallied around legendary football coach Joe Paterno, who denied any role in the affair but who lost his job in the wake of the controversy. The thriller Thou Wast Mild and Lovely directed by Josephine Decker won the Independent Vision Prize. Thou Wast Mild and Lovely follows a hired hand whose interactions with the father and daughter who hired him become awful in the most lovely of ways.
The audience voted Michael Tully’s Ping Pong Summer best narrative feature, and Mike Myers’ Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon winning for best documentary feature.
Narrative Feature Competition Winner
Ida — Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Narrative Feature Competition Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Acting
We Are The Best! — Director: Lukas Moodysson
Documentary Feature Competition
Happy Valley — Director: Amir Bar-Lev
Documentary Feature Competition Special Jury Prize For Direction
Rich Hill — Director: Tracy Droz Tragos & Andrew Droz Palermo
Independent Vision Prize Winners
Independent Vision Prize
Thou Wast Mild and Lovely — Director: Josephine Decker
Outstanding Performance Award
Joy Kevin
Actor – Tallie Medel
Director – Caleb Johnson
Best Ensemble Award
BFE — Director: Shawn Telford
Audience Awards
Best Narrative Feature
Ping Pong Summer — Director: Michael Tully
Best Documentary Feature
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon — Director: Mike Myers
Audience Award: Best Short Film
Chub — Director: Samuel Albis
Audience Award: Best In World Cinema
Bicycling with Moléire — Director: Philippe le Guay
via mysuncoast