2019 Naples Intl Film Festival Filmmaker Awards - INTERNATIONAL FALLS, RUNNER, MISS VIRGINIA Win Awards

(L to R): Artis-Naples’s David Filner, Akio “Jimmy” Sakurai (MR. JIMMY), NIFF’s Shannon Franklin, Nick Reid (MISS VIRGINIA), Peter Michael Dowd (MR. JIMMY), R.J. Daniel Hanna (MISS VIRGINIA), Bill Gallagher (RUNNER), Guor Mading Maker (RUNNER), Bill Margetson (HOUSEKEEPING), Isis Masoud (SOUTH MOUNTAIN), Andrew Aiello (INTERNATIONAL FALLS), Rebecca Tansley (THE HEART DANCES), John Hermann (STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN), Andrew Murton (ABOVE THE CLOUDS), Hilary Brougher (SOUTH MOUNTAIN), Leon Chambers (ABOVE THE CLOUDS), Artis-Naples’ Kathleen van Bergen (Photo by Charlie McDonald)

2019 Naples International Film Festival Filmmaker Awards Winners — (L to R): Artis-Naples’s David Filner, Akio “Jimmy” Sakurai (MR. JIMMY), NIFF’s Shannon Franklin, Nick Reid (MISS VIRGINIA), Peter Michael Dowd (MR. JIMMY), R.J. Daniel Hanna (MISS VIRGINIA), Bill Gallagher (RUNNER), Guor Mading Maker (RUNNER), Bill Margetson (HOUSEKEEPING), Isis Masoud (SOUTH MOUNTAIN), Andrew Aiello (INTERNATIONAL FALLS), Rebecca Tansley (THE HEART DANCES), John Hermann (STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN), Andrew Murton (ABOVE THE CLOUDS), Hilary Brougher (SOUTH MOUNTAIN), Leon Chambers (ABOVE THE CLOUDS), Artis-Naples’ Kathleen van Bergen (Photo by Charlie McDonald)

The 2019 Naples International Film Festival announced the filmmaker award winners during the Closing Night Awards Ceremony with the jury prize for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $7,500) going to Amber McGinnis’ INTERNATIONAL FALLS, and the jury prize for Best Documentary Feature (and $7,500) given to Bill Gallagher’s RUNNER. Gallagher’s film RUNNER also took NIFF’s Audience Award for Documentary Feature (and an additional $2,000), while R.J. Daniel Hanna’s MISS VIRGINIA was the Audience Choice for Narrative Feature (also receiving $2,000).

In addition to their best Narrative and Best Documentary selections chosen from four films competing in each category, the jury also awarded a Special Achievement in Direction Award to Hilary Brougher for her work on SOUTH MOUNTAIN. The special award also included a $2,500 cash prize.

The filmmaker awards included; New Zealand filmmaker Rebecca Tansley winning NIFFs first Focus on the Arts Award and $5000 for her film, THE HEART DANCES; Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts’ FOR SAMA winning the Impact Award for the social and racial awareness explored through their documentary work; Leon Chambers’ ABOVE THE CLOUDS winning the Indie Spirit Award; and Peter Michael Dowd’s MR. JIMMY selected as the Programmers’ Choice honoree. Matt Ratner’s STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN took the Best First Feature honors, while PRINCESS OF THE ROW star Tayler Buck won this year’s Rising Star Award. British filmmaker Andrew Margetson’s HOUSEKEEPING received NIFF’s Audience nod (and $1000) for “Best Short Film”.