Itandehui Jansen’s Itu Ninu (Where the Cornfields Are) won Best Narrative Feature, and Juan Mejía Botero’s Igualada took the award for Best Documentary Feature at the 26th Anniversary edition of the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival (CLAIFF).
Top Audience Awards went to Laura González’s Milonga for Narrative Feature; and The Strike by JoeBill Muñoz and Lucas Guilkey won for Documentary Feature.
Cine Las Americas Executive Director Gabriel Orneles, said, “This year’s edition of CLAIFF kicked off our next quarter century with the great films and enthusiasm from our audiences that have made us a must-see Austin event for the past 25 years. Our award winners were wonderful representatives of the films and filmmakers Cine Las Americas is known for celebrating and oftentimes introducing to audiences here. As we continue to grow, we receive reminders with each screening and interaction with our filmmakers and film fans, why this film festival has become such an important part of the cultural fabric in a city that continues to be a central hub for filmmaking here in Texas and the Southwest.”
Jury prize winners in the Shorts Competition included Nüll García’s Malegro Verte (Good t’see ya) (Best Narrative Short), of which the jury said, “Beautifully acted, written and directed, this film shows how a simple interaction can completely change your life in an instant.” Also chosen by the jury was Medhin Tewolde Serrano Nyanga (Best Documentary Short). Of that film, they remarked, “Nyanga is a unique and creative retelling of a slave in colonial times dreaming of escape. It is a powerful and emotional journey about the desire to be free.”
In the Hecho En Tejas Competition, Sebastian Valdivieso’s Maria took the Jury Prize, and Samuel Díaz Fernández’s Floodplain won the Hecho En Tejas Audience Award. Milena Mendonça Decourt’s Quem Sabe? (May be?) won the Jury prize for Best Emergencia Youth Film, and Gael Paolo Garza’s Onions received the Audience Award in the Emergencia Youth Film Competition.
Cine Las Americas International Film Festival 2024 Filmmaker Award Winners
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
JURY AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
Itu Ninu (Where the Cornfields Are)
Director: Itandehui Jansen
Countries: Mexico/United Kingdom
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
Milonga
Director: Laura González
Countries: Uruguay/Argentina
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
JURY AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Igualada
Director: Juan Mejía Botero
Countries: Colombia/Mexico
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Strike
Directors: JoeBill Muñoz, Lucas Guilkey
Country: United States
SHORTS COMPETITION
JURY AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE SHORT
Malegro Verte (Good t’see ya)
Director: Nüll García
Country: Spain
JURY AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Nyanga
Director: Medhin Tewolde Serrano
Countries: Mexico
HECHO EN TEJAS COMPETITION
JURY AWARD FOR BEST HECHO EN TEJAS FILM
Maria
Director: Sebastian Valdivieso
Countries: United States/Ecuador
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST HECHO EN TEJAS FILM
Floodplain
Director: Samuel Díaz Fernández
Country: United States
MUSIC VIDEO COMPETITION
JURY AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Masa
Director: Flaminguettes
Artist: Jarina De Marco ft. Calacote & mediopicky
Country: Mexico
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC VIDEO
La Danza
Directors: Pain Lopez, Cesar Safra
Artist: Novalima
Country: Peru
EMERGENCIA YOUTH FILM COMPETITION
JURY AWARD FOR BEST EMERGENCIA YOUTH FILM
Quem Sabe? (May be?)
Director: Milena Mendonça Decourt
Country: Brazil
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST EMERGENCIA YOUTH FILM
Onions
Director: Gael Paolo Garza
Country: United States