Carol directed by Todd Haynes lead nominations for the 2016 Spirit Awards with 6 nods including Best Feature, Best Director, Best Female Lead for both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, Best Sreenplay and Best Cinematography. The other nominees for Best Feature included Anomalisa, Beasts of No Nation, Spotlight and Tangerine.
Spotlight was selected to receive the Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. The Altman Award was created in 2008 in honor of legendary director Robert Altman who was known for creating extraordinary ensemble casts.
“Spotlight is a remarkable film that excels on every level, but the Nominating Committee thought it was especially deserving of the Robert Altman Award,” said Welsh. “The film is beautifully cast with every member of the ensemble working together to tell the story of the Boston Globe investigating allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church.”
Winners will be announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 27, 2016.
2016 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS
BEST FEATURE
(Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Anomalisa
Producers: Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman, Dino Stamatopoulos, Rosa Tran
Beasts of No Nation
Producers: Daniel Crown, Idris Elba, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Amy Kaufman, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Riva Marker
Carol
Producers: Elizabeth Karlsen, Christine Vachon, Stephen Woolley
Spotlight
Producers: Blye Pagon Faust, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Michael Sugar
Tangerine
Producers: Sean Baker, Karrie Cox, Marcus Cox, Darren Dean, Shih-Ching Tsou
BEST FIRST FEATURE – Award given to the director and producer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Director: Marielle Heller
Producers: Miranda Bailey, Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit
James White
Director: Josh Mond
Producers: Max Born, Antonio Campos, Sean Durkin, Melody Roscher, Eric Schultz
Manos Sucias
Director: Josef Kubota Wladyka
Producers: Elena Greenlee, Márcia Nunes
Mediterranea
Director: Jonas Carpignano
Producers: Jason Michael Berman, Chris Columbus, Jon Coplon, Christoph Daniel, Andrew Kortschak, John Lesher, Ryan Lough, Justin Nappi, Alain Peyrollaz, Gwyn Sannia, Marc Schmidheiny, Victor Shapiro, Ryan Zacarias
Songs My Brothers Taught Me
Director/Producer: Chloé Zhao
Producers: Mollye Asher, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Angela C. Lee, Forest Whitaker
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.
Advantageous
Writer/Director/Producer: Jennifer Phang
Writer/Producer: Jacqueline Kim
Producers: Robert Chang, Ken Jeong, Moon Molson, Theresa Navarro
Christmas, Again
Writer/Director/Producer: Charles Poekel
Heaven Knows What
Directors: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie
Writers: Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie
Producers: Oscar Boyson, Sebastian Bear McClard
Krisha
Writer/Director/Producer: Trey Edward Shults
Producers: Justin R. Chan, Chase Joliet, Wilson Smith
Out of My Hand
Writer/Director: Takeshi Fukunaga
Writer/Producer: Donari Braxton
Producer: Mike Fox
BEST DIRECTOR
Sean Baker; Tangerine
Cary Joji Fukunaga; Beasts of No Nation
Todd Haynes; Carol
Duke Johnson & Charlie Kaufman; Anomalisa; Tom McCarthy
Spotlight; David Robert Mitchell
It Follows
BEST SCREENPLAY
Charlie Kaufman; Anomalisa
Donald Margulies; The End of the Tour
Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer; Spotlight
Phyllis Nagy; Carol
S. Craig Zahler; Bone Tomahawk
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Jesse Andrews; Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Jonas Carpignano; Mediterranea
Emma Donoghue; Room
Marielle Heller; The Diary of a Teenage Girl
John Magary, Story by Russell Harbaugh and Myna Joseph; The Mend
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Cary Joji Fukunaga; Beasts of No Nation
Michael Gioulakis; It Follows
Ed Lachman; Carol
Reed Morano; Meadowland
Joshua James Richards; Songs My Brothers Taught Me
BEST EDITING
Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie; Heaven Knows What
Tom McArdle; Spotlight
Nathan Nugent; Room
Julio C. Perez IV; It Follows
Kristan Sprague; Manos Sucias
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Cate Blanchett; Carol
Brie Larson; Room
Rooney Mara; Carol
Bel Powley; The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez; Tangerine
BEST MALE LEAD
Christopher Abbott; James White
Abraham Attah; Beasts of No Nation
Ben Mendelsohn; Mississippi Grind
Jason Segel; The End of the Tour
Koudous Seihon; Mediterranea
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Robin Bartlett; H.
Marin Ireland; Glass Chin
Jennifer Jason Leigh; Anomalisa
Cynthia Nixon; James White
Mya Taylor; Tangerine
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Kevin Corrigan; Results
Paul Dano; Love & Mercy
Idris Elba; Beasts of No Nation
Richard Jenkins; Bone Tomahawk
Michael Shannon; 99 Homes
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.
Spotlight
Director: Tom McCarthy
Casting Directors:Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee
Ensemble Cast: Billy Crudup, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d’Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci
BEST DOCUMENTARY – Award given to the director and producer.
(T)ERROR
Directors/Producers: Lyric R. Cabral & David Felix Sutcliffe
Producer: Christopher St. John
Best of Enemies
Directors/Producers: Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville
Heart of a Dog
Director/Producer: Laurie Anderson
Producer: Dan Janvey
The Look of Silence
Director:Joshua Oppenheimer
Producer: Signe Byrge Sørensen
Meru
Directors/Producers: Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
Producer: Shannon Ethridge
The Russian Woodpecker
Director/Producer: Chad Gracia
Producers: Ram Devineni, Mike Lerner
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM – Award given to the director.
Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia); Director: Ciro Guerra
Girlhood (France); Director: Céline Sciamma
Mustang (France, Turkey); Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (Sweden); Director: Roy Andersson
Son of Saul (Hungary); Director: László Nemes
19th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 19th annual Producers Award, sponsored by Piaget, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.
Darren Dean
Mel Eslyn
Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith
22nd ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 22nd annual Someone to Watch Award, sponsored by Kiehl’s Since 1851, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851.
God Bless the Child; Directors: Robert Machoian & Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
King Jack; Director: Felix Thompson
Songs My Brothers Taught Me; Director: Chloé Zhao
21st TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 21st annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Among the Believers; Directors: Mohammed Ali Naqvi and Hemal Trivedi
Incorruptible; Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
A Woman Like Me; Directors: Elizabeth Giamatti and Alex SichelOut of My Hand
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CAROL Leads Nominations for 2016 Spirit Awards
Carol directed by Todd Haynes lead nominations for the 2016 Spirit Awards with 6 nods including Best Feature, Best Director, Best Female Lead for both Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, Best Sreenplay and Best Cinematography. The other nominees for Best Feature included Anomalisa, Beasts of No Nation, Spotlight and Tangerine.
Spotlight was selected to receive the Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. The Altman Award was created in 2008 in honor of legendary director Robert Altman who was known for creating extraordinary ensemble casts.
“Spotlight is a remarkable film that excels on every level, but the Nominating Committee thought it was especially deserving of the Robert Altman Award,” said Welsh. “The film is beautifully cast with every member of the ensemble working together to tell the story of the Boston Globe investigating allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church.”
Winners will be announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 27, 2016.
2016 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS
BEST FEATURE
(Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Anomalisa
Producers: Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman, Dino Stamatopoulos, Rosa Tran
Beasts of No Nation
Producers: Daniel Crown, Idris Elba, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Amy Kaufman, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Riva Marker
Carol
Producers: Elizabeth Karlsen, Christine Vachon, Stephen Woolley
Spotlight
Producers: Blye Pagon Faust, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Michael Sugar
Tangerine
Producers: Sean Baker, Karrie Cox, Marcus Cox, Darren Dean, Shih-Ching Tsou
BEST FIRST FEATURE – Award given to the director and producer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Director: Marielle Heller
Producers: Miranda Bailey, Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit
James White
Director: Josh Mond
Producers: Max Born, Antonio Campos, Sean Durkin, Melody Roscher, Eric Schultz
Manos Sucias
Director: Josef Kubota Wladyka
Producers: Elena Greenlee, Márcia Nunes
Mediterranea
Director: Jonas Carpignano
Producers: Jason Michael Berman, Chris Columbus, Jon Coplon, Christoph Daniel, Andrew Kortschak, John Lesher, Ryan Lough, Justin Nappi, Alain Peyrollaz, Gwyn Sannia, Marc Schmidheiny, Victor Shapiro, Ryan Zacarias
Songs My Brothers Taught Me
Director/Producer: Chloé Zhao
Producers: Mollye Asher, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Angela C. Lee, Forest Whitaker
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.
Advantageous
Writer/Director/Producer: Jennifer Phang
Writer/Producer: Jacqueline Kim
Producers: Robert Chang, Ken Jeong, Moon Molson, Theresa Navarro
Christmas, Again
Writer/Director/Producer: Charles Poekel
Heaven Knows What
Directors: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie
Writers: Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie
Producers: Oscar Boyson, Sebastian Bear McClard
Krisha
Writer/Director/Producer: Trey Edward Shults
Producers: Justin R. Chan, Chase Joliet, Wilson Smith
Out of My Hand
Writer/Director: Takeshi Fukunaga
Writer/Producer: Donari Braxton
Producer: Mike Fox
BEST DIRECTOR
Sean Baker; Tangerine
Cary Joji Fukunaga; Beasts of No Nation
Todd Haynes; Carol
Duke Johnson & Charlie Kaufman; Anomalisa; Tom McCarthy
Spotlight; David Robert Mitchell
It Follows
BEST SCREENPLAY
Charlie Kaufman; Anomalisa
Donald Margulies; The End of the Tour
Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer; Spotlight
Phyllis Nagy; Carol
S. Craig Zahler; Bone Tomahawk
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Jesse Andrews; Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Jonas Carpignano; Mediterranea
Emma Donoghue; Room
Marielle Heller; The Diary of a Teenage Girl
John Magary, Story by Russell Harbaugh and Myna Joseph; The Mend
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Cary Joji Fukunaga; Beasts of No Nation
Michael Gioulakis; It Follows
Ed Lachman; Carol
Reed Morano; Meadowland
Joshua James Richards; Songs My Brothers Taught Me
BEST EDITING
Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie; Heaven Knows What
Tom McArdle; Spotlight
Nathan Nugent; Room
Julio C. Perez IV; It Follows
Kristan Sprague; Manos Sucias
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Cate Blanchett; Carol
Brie Larson; Room
Rooney Mara; Carol
Bel Powley; The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez; Tangerine
BEST MALE LEAD
Christopher Abbott; James White
Abraham Attah; Beasts of No Nation
Ben Mendelsohn; Mississippi Grind
Jason Segel; The End of the Tour
Koudous Seihon; Mediterranea
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Robin Bartlett; H.
Marin Ireland; Glass Chin
Jennifer Jason Leigh; Anomalisa
Cynthia Nixon; James White
Mya Taylor; Tangerine
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Kevin Corrigan; Results
Paul Dano; Love & Mercy
Idris Elba; Beasts of No Nation
Richard Jenkins; Bone Tomahawk
Michael Shannon; 99 Homes
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.
Spotlight
Director: Tom McCarthy
Casting Directors:Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee
Ensemble Cast: Billy Crudup, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d’Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci
BEST DOCUMENTARY – Award given to the director and producer.
(T)ERROR
Directors/Producers: Lyric R. Cabral & David Felix Sutcliffe
Producer: Christopher St. John
Best of Enemies
Directors/Producers: Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville
Heart of a Dog
Director/Producer: Laurie Anderson
Producer: Dan Janvey
The Look of Silence
Director:Joshua Oppenheimer
Producer: Signe Byrge Sørensen
Meru
Directors/Producers: Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
Producer: Shannon Ethridge
The Russian Woodpecker
Director/Producer: Chad Gracia
Producers: Ram Devineni, Mike Lerner
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM – Award given to the director.
Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia); Director: Ciro Guerra
Girlhood (France); Director: Céline Sciamma
Mustang (France, Turkey); Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (Sweden); Director: Roy Andersson
Son of Saul (Hungary); Director: László Nemes
19th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 19th annual Producers Award, sponsored by Piaget, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.
Darren Dean
Mel Eslyn
Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith
22nd ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 22nd annual Someone to Watch Award, sponsored by Kiehl’s Since 1851, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851.
God Bless the Child; Directors: Robert Machoian & Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
King Jack; Director: Felix Thompson
Songs My Brothers Taught Me; Director: Chloé Zhao
21st TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 21st annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Among the Believers; Directors: Mohammed Ali Naqvi and Hemal Trivedi
Incorruptible; Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
A Woman Like Me; Directors: Elizabeth Giamatti and Alex Sichel
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2015 Stockholm International Film Festival Selects Spotlight Films Under Theme “Migration” incl. ADAMA, HE NAMED ME MALALA
2015 Stockholm International Film Festival presents Migration as this year’s Spotlight theme and announces a selection of films on the topic. Stockholm Film Festival’s section Spotlight highlights current societal issues. The lineup delivers an array of compelling documents and feature film, broadening the ongoing debate with new perspectives. Previous years Spotlight has been dedicated to the topics of Hope, Freedom and Power.
“The currently increasing refugee crisis is the reason behind our decision to focus on the issue of Migration this year. The selection of films tells the stories of people fleeing or leaving their homes for different reasons,” says Git Scheynius, festival director of Stockholm International Film Festival.
2015 Stockholm International Film Festival Spotlight films:
Adama, Simon Rouby (2015), France. Nordic Premiere. (pictured in main image)
He named me Malala, Davis Guggenheim (2015), USA. Scandinavian Premiere.
Invisible, Lawrence Fajardo (2015), Philippines, Japan. European Premiere.
Lampedusa in Winter, Jakob Brossmann (2015), Italy, Austria. Swedish Premiere.
One Breath, Christian Zübert (2015), Germany, Greece. Nordic Premiere.
Out of My Hand, Takeshi Fukunaga (2015), USA, Liberia. Swedish Premiere.
The Waiting Room, Igor Drljaca (2015), Canada. Nordic Premiere.
They Call Us Beggars, Caroline Kernen, Tova Kurkiala Medbo (2015), Sweden, Romania. World premiere.
Spotlight films
Adama
BY SIMON ROUBY
Nordic Premiere
Cast Azize Diabate, Pascal Nzonzi, Oxmo Puccino
Country France
Year 2015
Length 82 min.
In this animated adventure we follow 12-year-old Adama who sets of to search for his brother when he disappears from their native village. This epic journey takes Adama from West Africa’s sunny plains to Paris and the front line during the First World War. »Adama« is a film about compassion and the courage it takes to follow your heart.
He Named Me Malala
BY DAVIS GUGGENHEIM
Scandinavian Premiere
Country: USA
Year: 2015
Length: 87 min.
Malala Yousafzai found herself at the age of 15 subjected to a brutal assasination attemp by the Taliban in Pakistan following her fight to garauntee girls right to education. This documentary portrays her everyday life and her global work, with sharpness and inspiring pathos. The result is an intimate portrait of a young hero, women’s rights activist and Nobel price winner.
Invisible
BY LAWRENCE FAJARDO
European Premiere
Cast Allen Dizon, Ces Quescada, Bernardo Bernardo
Country Philippines, Japan
Year: 2015
Length: 132 min
In Japan they are virtually invisible but in this intimate drama three Filipino migrant workers take front stage. Linda hides some of them in her apartment much to the dismay of her Japanese husband. »Invisible« conveys through long takes and tasteful photography an equally exciting and important film about prejudice and class inequalities.
Lampedusa in Winter
BY JAKOB BROSSMANN
Swedish Premiere
Country Italy, Austria, Schwitzerland
Year: 2015
Length: 93 min
The media often describes “refugee island” Lampedusa as a conflict area with widespread racism. Jakob Brossmann has however chosen to portray a different side. He paints a touching portrait of the local people’s daily lives and how the refugees have become a part of their identity. The result is a highly relevant and insightful portrayal of migration and reception.
One Breath
BY CHRISTIAN ZÜBERT
Nordic Premiere
Cast Jördis Triebel, Chara Mata Giannatou, Benjamin Sadler
Country: Germany, Greece
Year: 2015
Length: 96 min,
A greek nanny and a career-driven mother in Frankfurt collide in this thrilling drama from German director Christian Zübert. When a child disappears the two women are forced to confront their fears and responsibilities. »One Breath« is a stylistic and fast paced depiction of a desperate hunt that stretches from Germany to Greece.
Out of My Hand
BY TAKESHI FUKUNAGA
Swedish Premiere
Cast: Bishop Blay, Zenobia Taylor, Duke Murhpy Dennis
Country: USA, Liberia
Year: 2015
Length: 88 min
Cisco is a rubber plantation worker in Liberia who barely earns enough to feed his family. A trip to New York and a new job as a taxi driver forces him to move to a city that elicits buried memories. »Out of My Hand« is a beautiful and compelling drama that connects two continents whilst introducing bold new talents from Liberia.
The Waiting Room
BY IGOR DRLJACA
Nordic Premiere
Cast: Jasmin Geljo, Filip Geljo, Masa Lizdek
Country: Canada
Year: 2015
Length: 92 min
Actor Jasmin Geljo from former Yugoslavia utilizes his own experiences in his depiction of a unhappy immigrant living in Canada. His job as a construction worker combined with a declining film career makes him yearn for the past. However a new role raises hopes but also heavy war memories. »The Waiting Room« is a quiet drama about not belonging.
They Call Us Beggars, Caroline Kernen, Tova Kurkiala Medbo (2015), Sweden, Romania. World premiere.
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‘Out of My Hand’ ‘Flocken’ Among Winners of Los Angeles Film Festival
The Los Angeles Film Festival announced the winners of the 2015 Festival at the Awards Cocktail Reception. The Festival hosts juried awards for U.S. Fiction, World Fiction, Documentary, Zeitgeist, LA Muse, and Nightfall, as well as Best Short Fiction and Best Short Documentary. Audience awards are presented to Best Fiction Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature Film, Best Short Film and Best Web Series.
“Our mission includes connecting filmmakers with the industry so we are grateful to our jurists for lending their time and expertise,” said Stephanie Allain, Festival Director. “Congratulations to all the winners!”
The U.S. Fiction Award went to Takeshi Fukunaga for Out of My Hand (pictured above), which made its North American Premiere at the Festival.
The World Fiction Award went to Beata Gårdeler for Flocken, which made its North American Premiere at the Festival.
The Documentary Award went to Mo-Young Jin for My Love, Don’t Cross That River, which made its North American Premiere at the Festival.
The LA Muse Award was given to Delila Vallot for Can You Dig This, which had its World Premiere at the Festival.
The inaugural Nightfall Award went to Viet Nguyen for Crush the Skull, which had its World Premiere at the Festival.
Also newly established this year, the Zeitgeist Award was given to Bradley Kaplan for Stealing Cars, which also had its World Premiere at the Festival.
The Audience Award for Best Fiction Feature Film went to POCHA (Manifest Destiny), directed by Michael Dwyer and co-directed by Kaitlin McLaughlin. The Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature Film was a tie, and was given to two films: I Am Thalente, directed by Natalie Johns, and Be Here Now, directed by Lilibet Foster.
The Award for Best Short Fiction went to Drama, directed by Tian Guan. The Award for Best Short Documentary went to Dolphin Lover, directed by Kareem Tabsch. The Audience Award for Best Short Film went to In Her Place, directed by Kevin Hamedani. The Audience Award for Best Web Series went to The Genderton Project, directed by Anna Martemucci and Victor Quinaz.
A number of Special Awards were also given across categories. The Documentary jury awarded a special mention to The Babushkas of Chernobyl, directed by Holly Morris and Anne Bogart. The World Fiction jury awarded special mentions to White Moss, directed by Vladimir Tumaev, and Ayanda and the Mechanic, directed by Sara Blecher. The Nightfall jury awarded a special mention toCrumbs, directed by Miguel Llansó, and a special jury “high five” to Dude Bro Party Massacre III, directed by Michael Rousselet,Tomm Jacobsen, Jon Salmon and Joey Scoma. The LA Muse jury awarded a special mention to Elsa Biedermann for her role as a supporting actress in French Dirty, directed by Wade Allain-Marcus and Jesse Allain-Marcus. The Zeitgeist jury awarded a special mention to Pocha (Manifest Destiny), directed by Michael Dwyer and co-directed by Kaitlin McLaughlin.
Also announced during the Festival at the Film Independent Fast Track finance market were two Alfred P. Sloan Grants given to films that engage with science and technology themes and characters. The Alfred P. Sloan Fast Track Grant was awarded to writer/director Elena Greenlee and producer Márcia Nunes for their project Dark Forest. The grant includes a $20,000 production grant and year-round support from Film Independent. Film Independent’s inaugural Alfred P. Sloan Distribution Grant was awarded to Michael Almereyda’s Experimenter, produced by Uri Singer, Fabio Golombek, Isen Robbins, and Aimee Schoof. The filmmakers will receive $50,000 in funds to support the release of the film, which will be released by Magnolia Pictures in October.
This year marked the second year of a special collaboration with Funny Or Die for the Make ’em LAFF internet talent competition to discover content creators of color and underrepresented voices who specialize in comedy. The winner was selected by a jury comprised of comedians Jason Mantzoukas (Kroll Show, Parks and Recreation), Beth Stelling (@midnight, Jimmy Kimmel Live!) andRon Funches (Kroll Show, Undateable) as well as Film Independent curator Elvis Mitchell. The winner is Marisha Mukerjee’s Open House. Marisha will have her next video produced by Funny Or Die.
Grants were also awarded to Imani Peterkin and Maya Suchak, winners of the Ed Elias Future Filmmaker Grant for Best Narrative Film for Falling, Grace Hoffman and Michelle Miles, winners of the Ed Elias Future Filmmaker Grant for Best Documentary Filmfor Beatrix, and Katie Speare, winner of the Ed Elias Future Filmmaker Grant for Best Animated or Experimental Film for Mask.Special Mentions were also awarded to Sour Lemonade for Narrative Film, Curt Lowens: A Life of Changes for Documentary Filmand How Do You Pronounce Pho? for Animated or Experimental Film.
The Los Angeles Film Festival kicked off on Wednesday, June 10 with the LA Premiere of Paul Weitz’s Grandma and will close tomorrow with a Live Read of Fast Times at Ridgemont High directed by Eli Roth. Gala Screenings included the World Premiere of the new television series Scream, Todd Strauss-Schulson’s The Final Girls and Benson Lee’s Seoul Searching. The 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival Guest Director was Rodrigo García; the recipient of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award wasGale Anne Hurd, this year’s Spirit of Independence Award was bestowed upon Lily Tomlin. The Los Angeles Film Festival is a qualifying festival in all categories for the Film Independent Spirit Awards and for the Narrative and Animated Short Film categories at the Academy Awards.
Awards were given out in the following categories:
U.S. Fiction Award
Winner: Out of My Hand, directed by Takeshi Fukunaga
Screenwriter: Takeshi Fukunaga, Donari Braxton
Producer: Donari Braxton, Mike Fox
Cast: Bishop Blay, Zenobia Taylor, Duke Murphy Dennis, David Roberts, Shelley Molad
Film Description: A struggling Liberian rubber plantation worker risks everything to begin a new life as a New York City cabbie but is haunted by his wartime past. North American Premiere.
World Fiction Award
Winner: Flocken, directed by Beata Gårdeler
Country: Sweden
Screenwriter: Emma Broström
Producers: Agneta Fagerström Olsson, Annika Hellström
Cast: Fatime Azemi, John Risto, Eva Melander, Malin Levanon, Jacob Öhrman
Film description: Breathtaking cinematography captures the desolation of a tiny Swedish village when a tight-knit community turns against a 14-year-old girl and her family after she reports being sexually assaulted by a popular classmate. North American Premiere
The World Fiction Jury awarded special mentions to:
Ayanda and the Mechanic, directed by Sara Blecher
Country: South Africa
Screenwriters: Trish Malone
Producers: Terry Pheto, Busi Sizani, Robbie Thorpe
Cast: Fulu Moguvhani, OC Ukeje, Nthati Moshesh, Kenneth Nkosi, Jafta Mamabolo, Thomas Gumede, Sihle Xaba, Venessa Cooke
Film description: Within a multi-African Johannesburg community, a young hipster-designer saves her deceased father’s prized garage by refurbishing classic cars – until family secrets and a corrupt legal system threaten her passionate resolve. World Premiere
White Moss (Belyy Yagel), directed by Vladimir Tumaev
Country: Russian Federation
Producers: Svetlana Dalskaya
Cast: Evgeniy Sangadzhiev, Galina Tihonova, Irina Mihaylova, Efim Stepanov, Dolzhin Tangatova
Film description: Love and betrayal in the arctic Russian tundra. A young indigenous man struggles with the obligations of an arranged marriage, while yearning for the love of his life, who has left for the city. International Premiere
Documentary Award, Sponsored by Netflix
Winner: My Love, Don’t Cross That River, directed by Mo-Young Jin
Country: South Korea
Producer: Kyungsoo Han
Featuring: Byong-man Jo, Gye-Yeul Kang
Film Description: A loving, elderly couple who have been married for 76 years face the final moments of their marriage and life. This story of “the 100-year-old lovebirds” broke Korean box office records as the biggest Korean indie film of all time. North American Premiere.
The Documentary Jury awarded a special mention for directing:
The Babushkas of Chernobyl, directed by Holly Morris, Anne Bogart
Producers: Holly Morris, Anne Bogart
Featuring: Valentyna Sochenok, Hanna Zavorotnya, Maria Shovkuta
Film Description: In the radioactive “dead zone” surrounding Chernobyl’s Reactor No. 4, a defiant community of elderly women cultivates an existence on some of the most toxic land on Earth. World Premiere.
LA Muse Award
Winner: Can You Dig This, directed by Delila Vallot
Producers: Rafael Marmor, Christopher Leggett
Cast: Ron Finley, Mychael “Spicey” Evans, Kenya Johnson, Quimonie Lewis, Hosea Smith
Film Description: In South Central Los Angeles, one of the largest food deserts in the US, inspirational stories of new gardeners reveal the beginnings of an urban gardening revolution and the lasting impact of planting seeds for a better life. World Premiere.
The LA Muse Jury awarded a special mention to Elsa Biedermann for her role as a supporting actress in:
French Dirty, directed by Wade and Jesse Allain-Marcus
Screenwriters: Peter K. Hagen, Wade Allain-Marcus
Producers: Jason Wolf, Mel Jones
Cast: Wade Allain-Marcus, Melina Lizette, Arjun Gupta
Film Description: After committing the carnal sin of sleeping with his best friend’s girlfriend, Vincent must deal with the consequences of his betrayal and hope that his bond with his brother-from-another-mother can withstand the blow. World Premiere
Nightfall Award
Winner: Crush the Skull, directed by Viet Nguyen
Screenwriter: Viet Nguyen, Christopher Dinh
Producers: Jimmy Tsai, Aya Tanimura, Viet Nguyen, Christopher Dinh
Cast: Christopher Dinh, Katie Savoy, Chris Riedell, Tim Chiou, Lauren Reeder, Walter Michael Bost
Film Description: A couple of master thieves find themselves trapped within a house they intend to rob, only to discover they’ve wandered into the lair of a deranged serial killer. World Premiere.
The Nightfall Jury awarded special mentions to:
Crumbs, directed and written by Miguel Llansó
Country: Ethiopia/Spain
Producer: Sergio Uguet de Resayre
Cast: Daniel Tadesse, Selam Tesfaye, Tsegaye Abegaz
Film description: An unlikely hero embarks on an epic quest across a surreal, Ethiopian post apocalyptic landscape in search of a hovering spacecraft that has become a landmark in the skies. North American Premiere
Dude Bro Party Massacre III, directed by Michael Rousselet, Tomm Jacobsen, Jon Salmon and Joey Scoma
Screenwriters: Michael E. Peter, Ben Gigli, Tomm Jacobsen, Michael Rousselet, Jon Salmon, Alec Owen, Tim Ciancio, Brian Firenzi,Joey Scoma, Mike James
Cast: Alec Owen, Olivia Dudley, Kelsey Gunn, Brian Firenzi, Jimmy Wong, Jon Salmon, Michael Rousselet, Joey Scoma, Greg Sestero,Mike James, Ben Gigli, Maria del Carmen, Patton Oswalt, Nina Hartley, Andrew W.K., Nick Kocher, Brian McElhaney, Larry King
Film description: Deranged serial killer “Motherface” is back for one final, blood-spattered rampage in the most notorious ’80s teen slasher flick that never existed! World Premiere
Zeitgeist Award
Winner: Stealing Cars, directed by Bradley Kaplan
Screenwriter: Will Aldis, Steve Mackall
Producers: Rachel Winter, Dan Keston
Cast: Emory Cohen, John Leguizamo, William H. Macy, Paul Sparks, Mike Epps, Felicity Huffman, Heather Lind, Al Calderon
Film Description: An intelligent, but deeply troubled teenager is sentenced to a juvenile detention center, where attempts at reformation are thwarted by his own nihilistic agenda. World Premiere.
The Zeitgeist Jury awarded a special mention for directing to:
Pocha (Manifest Destiny), directed by Michael Dwyer, co-directed by Kaitlin McLaughlin
Producers: Alicia Dwyer, Kathleen Dwyer
Cast: Veronica Sixtos, Julio César Cedillo, Roberto Urbina, Jorge A. Jimenez, Sandra Santiago, Jessie Garcia, María del Carmen Farías
Film description: When a young woman is deported to Mexico, she must choose between reconciling with her estranged father or partnering with a local smuggler to return to the US. World Premiere
Award for Best Short Film
Winner: Drama, directed byTian Guan. USA.
Film Description: A young couple who are having sex in a car but they realize that there are no more condoms left…
Award for Best Documentary Short
Winner: Dolphin Lover, directed by Kareem Tabsch, USA
Film Description: A true story set in a 1970s Florida roadside amusement park explores Malcolm Brenner’s romantic and sexual love affair with Dolly, a captive dolphin.
Audience Award for Best Fiction Feature Film
Winner: POCHA (Manifest Destiny), directed by Michael Dwyer, co-directed by Kaitlin McLaughlin
Producers: Alicia Dwyer, Kathleen Dwyer
Cast: Veronica Sixtos, Julio César Cedillo, Roberto Urbina, Jorge A. Jimenez, Sandra Santiago, Jessie Garcia, María del Carmen Farías
Film Description: When a young woman is deported to Mexico, she must choose between reconciling with her estranged father or partnering with a local smuggler to return to the US. World Premiere.
This award is given to the fiction feature audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Select fiction feature-length films screening in the following sections were eligible for the Audience Award for Best Fiction Feature: U.S. Fiction, World Fiction, Zeitgeist, LA Muse, Nightfall, and Premieres.
Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature Film
Winner: I Am Thalente, directed by Natalie Johns
Producers: Colin Kennedy, Oualid Mouaness, Selema “Sal” Masekela, Jason Bergh, Julia Lebedev
Featuring: Thalente Biyela, Tony Hawk, Kenny Anderson, Guy Mariano, Lance Mountain
Film Description: One of the most promising young skaters in the world, Thalente Biyela, navigates growing up within the demands of professional skateboarding from the skate parks of Durban, South Africa to Venice, California. World Premiere.
Winner: Be Here Now, directed by Lilibet Foster
Producers: Lilibet Foster, Sam Maydew
Featuring: Andy Whitfield, Vashti Whitfield
Film Description: After landing the lead role in Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Andy Whitfield learns he has non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Armed with resilience, courage and the adoration of his family, he prepares for the battle of his life. World Premiere.
This award is given to the documentary feature audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Select documentary feature-length films screening in the following sections were eligible for the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: Documentary, LA Muse, and Premieres.
Audience Award for Best Short Film
Winner: In Her Place, directed by Kevin Hamedani
Country: USA
Film Description: An Iranian-American man suffering from a mid-life crisis visits his homeland to meet and wed a young Iranian woman.
This award is given to the short film audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Short films screening in the Shorts Programs or before feature films in the Festival were eligible for the Audience Award for Best Short Film.
Audience Award for Best Web-series
Winner: The Genderton Project, directed by Anna Martemucci, Victor Quinaz
Description: A modern group of young gay men head to Palm Springs for a gay wedding weekend, when their story is interrupted by the tale of a 1960’s Pasadena housewife whose life is anything but a piece of cake in this gender-swapped comedy.