The 47th Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) announced the winners of the 2021 Golden Space Needle and Audience Awards. There Is No Evil won the Golden Space Needle Audience Award – Best Film and Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America won the Golden Space Needle Audience Award – Best Documentary.
Little Girl (Petit fille) won the Grand Jury Prize in the Official Competition, This Is My Desire (Eyimofe) won the New Directors Competition Grand Jury Prize, Fly So Far won the SIFF Ibero-American Competition Grand Jury Prize, Son of Monarchs won the New American Cinema Competition Grand Jury Prize, The Earth is Blue as an Orange won the Documentary Competition Grand Jury Prize.
“The last 11 days have been an incredible testament to the passion of filmmakers around the world, and their commitment to connecting to audiences through film and storytelling. SIFF-goers immersed themselves in the 220 films presented this year, many engaging with one of our 38 live Q&As, roundtable discussions, and forums, and traveling the world through the SIFF Channel,” said Beth Barrett, SIFF Artistic Director.
Festival Programming Manager Stan Shields added “Our programmers delivered a program that was broadly representative—films hailing from 69 countries of production, 56% of films directed by women, and more than 70% currently without US distribution. SIFF 2021 was a true discovery festival, with many first- and second-time filmmakers finding audiences and telling their stories.”
“I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results of the 47th annual Seattle International Film Festival. I am especially proud of the SIFF team that pulled off the first ever virtual International Festival. There were so many amazing films. The momentum and dedication of the pass and ticket holders was inspiring. It felt great to receive so much positive energy and feedback. Many thanks to the SIFF Board, Members, Donors, Sponsors, and Partners for their support. Congratulations to the filmmakers, staff, and programmers on a great success,” said Andrew Haines, SIFF Executive Director.
47th Seattle International Film Festival Winners
SIFF 2021 GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARD – BEST FILM
There Is No Evil | dir: Mohammad Rasoulof (Germany/Czech Republic/ Iran)
First runner-up: Under the Open Sky | dir. Miwa Nishikawa (Japan)
Second runner-up: Riders of Justice | dir. Anders Thomas Jensen (Denmark)
Third runner-up: Potato Dreams of America | dir. Wes Hurley (USA)
Fourth runner-up: When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit | dir. Caroline Link (Germany)
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARD – BEST DOCUMENTARY
Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America | dir. Sarah Kunstler, Emily Kunstler (USA)
First runner-up: Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street | dir. Marilyn Agrelo (USA)
Second runner-up: Youth v Gov | dir. Christi Cooper (USA/New Zealand)
Third runner-up: Writing With Fire | dir. Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh (India)
Fourth runner-up: Little Girl | dir. Sébastien Lifshitz (France)
GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARD – BEST SHORT FILM
My Neighbor, Miguel | dir. Danny Navarro (USA)
First runner-up: Pluck | dir. Kirsty Griffin (Ngati Porou, Ngati Awa), Viv Kernick (New Zealand)
Second runner-up: Rogue | dir: Lina Larson (USA)
Third runner-up: Ethereal (Ka tatishtipatakanit) | dir: Isabelle Kanapé (Innu) (Canada)
Fourth runner-up: Intermission (Entracte) | dir: Anthony Lemaître (France)
LENA SHARPE AWARD FOR PERSISTENCE OF VISION
Under the Open Sky |dir. Miwa Nishikawa (Japan)
This award is given to the female director’s film that receives the most votes in public balloting at the Festival. Lena Sharpe was co-founder and managing director of Seattle’s Festival of Films by Women Directors and a KCTS-TV associate who died in a plane crash while on assignment. SIFF created this Award as a tribute to her efforts in bringing the work of women filmmakers to prominence.
SIFF 2021 FEATURE FILM COMPETITION AWARDS
SIFF 2021 OFFICIAL COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Little Girl | dir. Sébastien Lifshitz (France)
2021 Entries:
Downstream to Kinshasa | dir .Dieudo Hamadi (Democratic Republic of Congo/France/Belgium)
Goddess of the Fireflies | dir. Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette [Canada (Québec)]
Little Girl | dir. Sébastien Lifshitz (France)
Sanremo | dir. Miroslav Mandić (Slovenia/Italy)
There Is No Evil | dir. Mohammad Rasoulof (Germany/Czech Republic/Iran)
Under the Open Sky ;| dir. Miwa Nishikawa (Japan)
When I’m Done Dying | dir. Nisan Dağ (Turkey/Germany)
SIFF 2021 IBERO-AMERICAN COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Fly So Far (Nuestra libertad) | dir. Celina Escher (El Salvador/Sweden)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet (El perro que no calla) | dir. Ana Katz (Argentina)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR OUTSTANDING ACTING
Valentina | dir. Cássio Pereira dos Santos (Brazil)
2021 Entries:
Criollo | dir. Pablo Banchero (Uruguay)
Fly So Far | dir. Celina Escher (El Salvador/Sweden)
Nudo Mixteco | dir. Ángeles Cruz (Mexico)
Rebel Objects | dir. Carolina Arias Ortiz (Costa Rica/Colombia)
The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet | dir. Ana Katz (Argentina)
The Pink Cloud | dir. Iuli Gerbase (Brazil)
The Song of the Butterflies | dir. Núria Frigola Torrent (Peru)
Valentina | dir. Cássio Pereira dos Santos (Brazil)
SIFF 2021 NEW DIRECTORS COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
This Is My Desire (Eyimofe) | dir. Arie Esiri, Chuko Esiri (Nigeria)
2021 Entries
Beans | dir. Tracey Deer (Canada)
Bebia, à mon seul désir | dir. Juja Dobrachkous (Georgia/United Kingdom)
Charter | dir. Amanda Kernell (Sweden)
The Salt In Our Waters | dir. Rezwan Shahriar Sumit (Bangladesh/France)
This Is My Desire | dir. Arie Esiri, Chuko Esiri (Nigeria)
This Town | dir. David White (New Zealand)
Wisdom Tooth | dir. Liang MING (China)
SIFF 2021 NEW AMERICAN CINEMA COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Son of Monarchs | dir. Alexis Gambis (USA/Mexico)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Mother’s Milk | dir. Larry Powell, Nick Ducassi, Adriana DeGirolami, Kameron Neal, Bianca LaVerne Jones, Shinelle Azoroh, Alex Ander, John MacDonald, Lelund Durond Thompson (USA)
2021 Entries:
I’M FINE (Thanks for Asking) | dir. Kelley Kali, Angelique Molina (USA)
Mother’s Milk | dir. Larry Powell, Adriana DeGirolami, Kameron Neal, Bianca LaVerne Jones, Shinelle Azoroh, Alex Ander, John MacDonald, Lelund Durond Thompson (USA)
Potato Dreams of America | dir. Wes Hurley (USA)
Son of Monarchs | dir. Alexis Gambis (USA/Mexico)
Strawberry Mansion | dir. Albert Birney, Kentucker Audley (USA)
Topside | dir. Celine Held, Logan George (USA)
Waikiki | dir. Christopher Kahunahana (Kanaka Maoli) (USA)
Wyrm | dir. Christopher Winterbauer (USA)
SIFF 2021 DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
The Earth is Blue as an Orange | dir. Iryna Tsilyk (Ukraine/Lithuania)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Writing With Fire | dir. Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh (India)
2021 Entries:
Captains of Zaatari | dir. Ali El Arabi (Egypt)
Chuck Connelly: Into the Light | dir. Benjamin Schwartz (USA)
Faya Dayi | dir. Jessica Beshir (Ethiopia/USA/Qatar)
The Earth is Blue as an Orange | dir. Iryna Tsilyk (Ukraine/Lithuania)
The Return: Life After ISIS | dir. Alba Sotorra Clua (Spain/United Kingdom)
Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America | dir. Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler (USA)
Writing With Fire | dir. Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh (India)
SIFF 2021 YOUTH JURY FEATURES & FUTUREWAVE SHORTS AWARDS
YOUTH JURY PRIZE FOR BEST FILMS4FAMILIES FEATURE
The Legend of Hei | dir. MTJJ (China)
YOUTH JURY PRIZE FOR BEST FUTUREWAVE FEATURE
Summertime | dir. Carlos López Estrada (USA)
WAVEMAKER AWARD
Ambivalent | dir. Kayla Li (USA)
FUTUREWAVE SHORTS AUDIENCE AWARD
A Really Dark Comedy | dir. Manasi Ughadmathe (USA)
SIFF 2021 SHORT FILM JURY PRIZES
LIVE ACTION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Bruiser | dir. Miles Warren (USA)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR DIRECTION
Breaking Ground | dir. Inès Girihirwe (Rwanda)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR SOUND DESIGN & CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Pond, At Night | dir. Olivia Bordreau (Canada (Québec))
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR PERFORMANCE
Are You Still There? | dir. Rayka Zehtabchi, Sam Davis (USA)
DOCUMENTARY
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Souvenir Souvenir | dir. Bastien Dubois (France)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR DIRECTION
Breaches | dir. Maria Elorza, Koldo Almandoz (Spain)
ANIMATION
GRAND JURY PRIZE
Crowded | dir. Nathania Rubin (the Netherlands)
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN PUPPETRY
The Haunted Swordsman | dir. Kevin McTurk (USA)