Austin Film Festival (AFF) announced its 2018 Jury Award winners, Hiscox Audience and Courage Award Winners, and the Screenplay Competition winners.
One film was selected to receive the Hiscox Courage Award. Voted on by the audience, the Hiscox Courage Award is presented to the film that best embodies the virtue of courage and to the filmmaker who best embraced the risk to share the story. The 2018 Hiscox Courage Award was awarded to The Interpreters, directed by Andres Caballero and Sofian Khan. The Interpreters is a documentary feature that follows local interpreters from Iraq and Afghanistan who worked with US forces and are now trying to rebuild their lives.
2018 Austin Film Festival Jury Award Winners
Narrative Feature: Clara, written by Akash Sherman and James Ewasiuk
Documentary Feature: The Interpreters, directed by Andres Caballero and Sofian Khan
Comedy Vanguard Feature: In Reality, written by Ann Lupo, Esteban Pedraza, and Aaron Pryka
Dark Matters Feature: Ghost Light, written by Geoffrey Taylor and John Stimpson
Narrative Short presented by ShortsTV: Judas Collar, written by Alison James
Narrative Student Short: Woman in Stall, written by Josh Boles
Documentary Short: Father K, directed by Judd Ehrlich
Animated Short: Sister, written by Siqi Song
Scripted Digital Series presented by Stage 13: Song in the Sky, created by Samuel Frederich
2018 Austin Film Festival Hiscox Audience Award Winners
Narrative Feature: Above the Clouds, written by Simon Lord
Documentary Feature: Care to Laugh, directed by Julie Getz
Dark Matters Feature: Alive, written by Jules Vincent and Chuck McCue
Comedy Vanguard Feature: In Reality, written by Ann Lupo, Esteban Pedraza, and Aaron Pryka
Texas Independent Feature: The Iron Orchard, written by Gerry De Leon and Ty Roberts
Narrative Short: Everything Mattress, written by Chase Joliet
Documentary Short: Father K, directed by Judd Ehrlich
Animated Short: Lost & Found, written by Bradley Slabe
Narrative Student Short: Tiny Warriors, written by Jono Chanin
Scripted Digital Series: The Gary Gold Story, created by Greg Ash
Marquee Feature: Green Book, written by Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, and Peter Farrelly
2018 Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition Winners
Drama Screenplay Award presented by the Writers Guild of America, East: Horsehead Girls by Wenonah Wilms
Comedy Screenplay Award presented by Sony Pictures Animation: Sex APPeal by Tate Elizabeth Hanyok
Sci-Fi Screenplay Award: Our Own Devices by Paul Vance
Enderby Entertainment Award (scripts that can be produced under $10 million): Project Horizon by Charles Morris, II
Horror Screenplay Award: The Patience of Vultures by Greg Sisco
AMC Drama Teleplay Pilot Award: Worth by Stuti Malhotra
Comedy Pilot Award: What Will Jessie Do? by Kevin Luperchio
Short Screenplay Award: Ruby Throat by Sarah Polhaus
Scripted Digital Series Award presented by Stage 13: Epizootic by Dan Young
Drama Teleplay Spec Award: The Handmaid’s Tale, “Rebels” by Angela Jorgensen
Comedy Teleplay Spec Award: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, “Kimmy Volunteers!” by Maggie Gottlieb
Playwriting Award: Particular Disposition by Benjamin Fulk
Fiction Podcast Award: The Rest Stop at the End of the Universe by Samuel Suksiri
2018 Austin Film Festival Josephson Entertainment Screenwriting Fellowship Winners
In addition, producer Barry Josephson announced the selected fellows for the inaugural Josephson Entertainment Screenwriting Fellowship, which will provide a one-on-one mentorship with Josephson and his team in Los Angeles for the writers of one feature screenplay and one teleplay pilot.
The winners were:
Feature Screenplay: The Death of Colm Canter by Revati Dhomse & Hector Lowe
Teleplay Pilot: Lifers Anonymous by Sean Collins-Smith