After screening 47 features and 196 shorts, from more than 35 countries around the world, the virtual 18th Annual Tallgrass Film Festival announce this year’s award winners. The award for Outstanding Narrative Feature – went to Itchy Fingers directed by Anna Nilles and Marco Jake; and Whirlybird directed by Matt Yoka won for Outstanding Documentary Feature.
For this hybrid Covid-19 edition, the 33rd edition of exground filmfest, which runs from November 13 to 22, will present a total of 121 independent short and feature-length films from 45 countries in various Wiesbaden, Germany venues. The festival will share large portions of the film program via on-demand streaming, and for the first time, the festival opening and awards ceremony will be broadcast live, and panels and film talks will be recorded for presentation on the festival’s YouTube channel.
The 2020 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival announced the winning film, video, audio, and digital media works from Canadian and international Indigenous artists. The award for Best Dramatic Feature along with a $7,500 cash prize went to The Legend of Baron To’a directed by Kiel McNaughton; and the award for Best Documentary Work Long Format along with a $5,000 cash prize Miguel Hilari’s Compañía.
The Polish film Sweat directed by Magnus von Horn won the Gold Hugo for Best International Feature Film at the 56th Chicago International Film Festival. The film also won the Silver Hugo for Best Art Direction for Jagna Dobesz. The insightful drama about loneliness and insecurity in the digital age chronicles three days in the candy-colored life of social media celebrity Sylwia Zajac played by stage actress Magdalena Kolésnik.
BendFilm Festival announced the 27 films and filmmakers awarded jury prizes and more than $12,000 at the 17th Annual Festival with the top prize – Best of Show going to Warrior Women directed by Christina D. King and Elizabeth A. Castle. Other winners include Best Narrative Feature going to Freeland directed by Mario Furlon, Kate McLean; and Best Documentary Feature went to Sapelo directed by Nick Brandestini. Sapela also won the awards for Best Directing along with Special Jury Award for Documentary Cinematography for Nick Brandestini.
Duty Free, filmmaker Sian-Pierre Regis’ touching story of his mother’s struggles to find a new job at the age of 75, and the adventure he gives her to help her reclaim her life will World Premiere online at DOC NYC 2020.
REVOLT will premiere its new documentary “From Pain to Power: A REVOLT Special” that takes a close look at the passionate struggle for social equality happening today, and the robust grassroots efforts propelling the movement forward. “From Pain to Power: A REVOLT Special” will premiere on Monday, Oct. 26.
Michael Strahan along with Constance Schwartz-Morini executive produce the four-part documentary series The Cost of Winning, the story of the St. Frances Academy Panthers football program in Baltimore, an unlikely and uplifting tale of possibility, perseverance and leadership in the face of adversity.
Nomadland director Chloé Zhao will be honored with the American Perspectives Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema at the 33rd Annual Virginia Film Festival running October 21-25.
Showtime released a first look trailer for the upcoming provocative documentary series Supervillain, profiling hip-hop artist Tekashi 6ix9ine’s epic rise to notoriety. Directed by Karam Gill and Featuring a Post-Prison Interview, the three-part docu-series is set to premiere in early 2021.
AFI FEST 2020 presented by Audi announced the films that received this year’s Jury and Audience awards. The Audience Award – Narrative Feature went to Wolfwalkers directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart and the Audience Award – Documentary Feature went to 76 Days directed by Hao Wu, Weixi Chen, Anonymous.
Investigation Discovery exposes the injustices of the juvenile criminal justice system through the tragedy of one single family in the documentary premiere of “The Witmans” directed by Academy-award nominee David Petersen.