Burning Cane, directed and written by teen filmmaker Phillip Youmans won the top honor at the 18th Annual Tribeca Film Festival – the Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature. The film also won the prizes for Best Cinematography and Best Actor for Wendell Pierce. Other top awards went to House of Hummingbird (Beol-sae) for Best International Narrative Feature, and Scheme Birds for Best Documentary Feature.
Rania Attiehwon the Nora Ephron Award and a $25,000 prize for Initials S.G. (Iniciales S.G.). The award, created seven years ago, honors excellence in storytelling by a female writer or director embodying the spirit and boldness of the late filmmaker.
Tribeca honored innovation in storytelling with its Storyscapes Award, which went to The Key, created by Celine Tricart.
U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – Burning Cane, directed by Phillip Youmans.
Jury comment: “The Founders Award goes to a voice that is searingly original. One of the jurors compared this filmmaker’s unique voice to a latter day Faulkner, Welty, Williams. We loved this filmmaker’s vision and we love this filmmaker’s inevitable brilliant future. We are honored to present this award to Phillip Youmans for Burning Cane.”
Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Haley Bennett in Swallow.
Jury special mention: “For her always surprising and deeply engaging work in Stray Dolls, Geetanjali Thapi.
Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Wendell Pierce in Burning Cane.
Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Phillip Youmans for Burning Cane.
Special Jury mention: Todd Banhazl for Blow the Man Down.”
Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film – Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy for Blow the Man Down.
Special jury mention: Ani Simon-Kennedy for The Short History of the Long Road.”
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Best International Narrative Feature – House of Hummingbird (Beol-sae) (South Korea, USA) directed and written by Bora Kim.
Jury comment: “In this beautiful film, a seemingly un-exceptional girl is truly seen by another human being for the first time. Through that random connection, her perspective of herself, and hence her life, is transformed. The award for Best International Narrative Feature goes to Bora Kim for House of Hummingbird.
Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature Film – Ji-hu Park in House of Hummingbird (Beol-sae)(South Korea, USA).
Best Actor in an International Narrative Feature Film – Ali Atay in Noah Land.
Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Kang Gook-hyun for House of Hummingbird (Beol-sae) (South Korea, USA) directed by Bora Kim.
Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature Film – Noah Land (Nuh Tepesi)written by Cenk Ertürk (Germany, Turkey, USA).
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Best Documentary Feature – Scheme Birds (Scotland, Sweden) directed and written by Ellen Fiske, Ellinor Hallin.
Jury Comment: “For its poetic, haunting depiction of compelling characters living on the edge. Every element of the film, from editing to cinematography to point of view, is superb. The filmmakers convey their voice in a unique and present-tense way. We’re proud to present the award for best documentary feature to Scheme Birds.”
Best Cinematography in a Documentary Film – Cinematography by Yang Sun, Shuang Liang for Our Time Machine (China) directed by Yang Sun, S. Leo Chiang.
Best Editing in a Documentary Film – Editing by Jennifer Tiexiera for 17 Blocks (USA) directed by Davy Rothbart.
BEST NEW NARRATIVE DIRECTOR COMPETITION
Best New Narrative Director – The Gasoline Thieves (Huachicolero) (Mexico, Spain, UK, USA) directed by Edgar Nito.
BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR COMPETITION
Albert Maysles New Documentary Director Award – Scheme Birds (Scotland, Sweden) directed by Ellen Fiske and Ellinor Hallin.
THE NORA EPHRON AWARD
The Nora Ephron Award – Rania Attieh for Initials S.G. (Iniciales S.G.) (Argentina, Lebanon, USA) directed by Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia.
SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Best Narrative Short – Maja (Denmark) directed by Marijana Jankovic.
Special Jury Mention: The Dishwasher directed and written by Nick Hartanto, Sam Roden.”
Shorts Animation Award – My Mother’s Eyes (UK) directed and written by Jenny Wright.
Best Documentary Short – Learning To Skateboard In a Warzone (If You’re A Girl) (UK) directed by Carol Dysinger.
Special Jury Mention: St. Louis Superman.
Student Visionary Award – Jebel Banat (Egypt) directed and written by Sharine Atif.
Special Jury mention: Pearl (Zhen Zhu)
STORYSCAPES AWARD
Storyscapes Award – The Key (USA, Iraq), created by Celine Tricart.
TRIBECA X AWARD
Feature
The winner of the Best Feature Film was awarded to Almost Human for The Carlsberg Foundation. Directed by Jeppe Rønde.
Short
The winner of the Best Short Film was awarded to The Face of Distracted Driving for AT&T. Directed by Errol Morris for BBDO New York.
Episodic
The winner of the Best Episodic Film was awarded to History of Memory for HP. Directed by Sarah Klein and Tom Mason for Redglass Pictures, The Garage by HP.
VR
The winner of the Best VR Film was awarded to The 100% by Stand Up to Cancer, HP and Intel. Directed by Hernan Barangan for Springbok Entertainment.