The 23rd Philadelphia Film Festival, which ran from October 16-26, ended with a sold-out closing night screening of Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. In the award ceremony preceding the closing night festivities, the festival presented a series of awards to this year’s festival stand-outs. The Award for Best Narrative Feature went to The Duke of Burgundy directed by Peter Strickland, and the Award for Best Documentary Feature went to The Overnighters directed by Jesse Moss.
Archie Award: Myroslav Slabosphytsky, director of The Tribe. The Archie Award is a juried award presented in honor of the late Archie Perlmutter to a first-time director.
Narrative Award: Grand Jury Prize // The Duke of Burgundy // Director Peter Strickland
Special Jury Prize // Girlhood // Director Céline Sciamma
Best Director Prize // ‘71 // Director Yann Demange
Documentary Award: Best Documentary Feature // The Overnighters // Director Jesse Moss
Pinkenson Award for Best Local Film: Best Feature // Crescendo! The Power of Music // Director Jamie Bernstein
Honorable Mention for Innovation in Storytelling // Listen Up Philip // Director Alex Ross Perry
Honorable Mention for World Vision // Tomorrow We Disappear // Director Adam Weber and Jimmy Goldblum
Short Award: Best Short // Port Nasty // Director Rob Zywietz
Honorable Mention for Best Live Action Short // The Cut // Director Geneviève Dulude-De Celles
Audience Award: Crescendo! The Power of Music, directed by Jamie Bernstein.
Audience Award Honorable Mention // I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story // Directors Chad Walker and David LaMattina