Steve James’ The Interrupters, about violence mediators in Chicago, took two top awards at the 5th Annual Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Filmmaking at the Museum. James took the prize for Outstanding Achievement in Direction, and the film was named as this year’s winner for Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking. It is the first time that a film has received both the Feature Film and the Directing award in the history of Cinema Eye. “Tonight, I don’t care about the Oscars!” James said.
Cinema Eye presented an award for Nonfiction Short Filmmaking, going to the late Tim Hetherington’s Diary (accepted by his parents), as well as the Heterodox Award for Narrative Filmmaking, going to Mike Mills’ Beginners.
This year’s Legacy Award was presented to the landmark 1967 documentary, Titicut Follies, a stark and graphic portrayal of the conditions that existed at the State Prison for the Criminally Insane at Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
Cinema Eye also awarded its first-ever Hell Yeah Prize, given to filmmakers who have created works of incredible craft and artistry that also have significant, real-world impact, to Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky for their HBO Documentary Films trilogy Paradise Lost, which played a critical role in securing the release from prison of the wrongly prosecuted and convicted West Memphis Three. Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky and Jason Baldwin, one of the West Memphis Three, accepted the award.
“The Hell Yeah Award, right! It’s always been no, no, no,” said Baldwin. “Since August, my life has begun.”
“It’s been a dream come true for us,” said Berlinger. “You can make a difference when you make these films. We’ve had this amazing journey the past 20 years. We’re really appreciative of HBO.”
The following is a complete list of Cinema Eye Honors winners for 2012: {jathumbnail off}
