Lupe Under The Sun, a film inspired by the life of the director’s own grandfather and shot with a cast of non-actors in real locations won the top prizes at the Brooklyn Film Festival. The film directed by Rodrigo Reyes, won the Grand Chameleon Award and the prize for Best Narrative Feature. A Cambodian Spring by Chris Kelly , and An Insignificant Man by Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla shared the award for Best Documentary.
Catherine Eaton’s The Sounding received the Audience award for Feature Narrative while the East Coast premiere of Kyle Eaton’s Shut Up Anthony grabbed the Spirit award for Feature Narrative.
“I couldn’t have wished for a better 20th anniversary! Everything fell into place as if it was always meant to be great from the start. A perfect combination of solid practical experience and pure magic,” said Marco Ursino, BFF Executive Director.
The Brooklyn Film Festival awarded the winners a total of $60,000 in prizes (products, services, and cash).
2017 WINNERS
GRAND CHAMELEON AWARD
LUPE UNDER THE SUN by RODRIGO REYES
Best Narrative Feature
LUPE UNDER THE SUN by RODRIGO REYES
Best Documentary – EX EQUO
A CAMBODIAN SPRING by CHRIS KELLY
AN INSIGNIFICANT MAN by KHUSHBOO RANKA & VINAY SHUKLA
Best Short Documentary
THE FOURTH KINGDOM by ALEX LORA & ADAN ALIAGA
Best Narrative Short
WATU WOTE: All of by KATJA BENRATH
Best Animation
TANGO by PEDRO GIONGO & FRANCISCO GUSSO
Best Experimental
COOKING WITH CONNIE by STAVIT ALLWEIS
Best New Director
EL REVENGE by FERNANDO FRAIHA
Brooklyn Pride Award
SWEET PARENTS by DAVID BLY
Spirit Awards
Feature Narrative
SHUT UP ANTHONY by KYLE EATON
Feature Documentary
MANIC by KALINA BERTIN
Short Documentary
SCRAP by CHRISTIAN FILIPPONE
Short Narrative
RHONNA & DONNA by DAINA ONIUNAS-PUSIC
Experimental
EXQUISITE CORPS by MITCHELL ROSE
Animation
PANIC ATTACK by EILEEN O’MEARA
Audience Awards
Feature Narrative
THE SOUNDING by CATHERINE EATON
Feature Documentary
DISCO’D by MATTHEW SIRETTA
Short Documentary
ASHLEY ASHLEY by TED SANANMAN
Short Narrative
PUNCHLINE by CHRISTOPHE SABER
Experimental
LIVE YOUR LIGHT by JENDRA JARNAGIN
Animation
COIN OPERATED by NICHOLAS ARIOLI
Certificates of Outstanding Achievement
Producer
ESTELLE ARTUS & FRANCES BOXE for ACCORDING TO HER
Screenplay
SLOAN COPELAND for LIFE HACK
Cinematography
VEDAT ÖZDEMIR for RAUF
Editing
JOANNA NAUGLE for KATE CAN’T SWIM
Style
CATHERINE EATON for THE SOUNDING
Original Score
DAN VEKSLER for ACCORDING TO HER
Actor Female
GOLAB ADINEH for THE SIS
Actor Male
JOSH HELMAN for KATE CAN’T SWIM