2000 Woodstock Film Festival Maverick Awards
Woodstock, NY - September 24, 2000 -- The Woodstock Film Festival Maverick Awards took place tonight, following five days of on-going screenings, seminars, concerts, and marking the penultimate event of the inaugural festival.
The awards ceremony was emceed by Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia) and Martha Frankel, celebrity interviewer for New York Times, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, and more. The jurists included Julie Goldman (Wintar), Nancy Abraham (HBO), Mike Maggiore (Film Forum), Gill Holland (CineBlast), Sabine Hoffman (Editor), Lisa Krueger (Director, Screenwriter), Sarah Plant (Film Composer), Catherine Delbuono (Show Your Shorts), Larry Russo (Short Cuts), Shawn Calia Folz (ReelShort.com), Zachary Sklar (Screenwriter, JFK), and Barbara Salzman (Alternative Video).
Each Maverick Award was beautifully handcrafted by Woodstock Artist,
Jonah Meyer (see other statues below)
Honorary Maverick Award
Sponsored by:
A special Honorary Maverick Award was presented to Les Blank
whose films on "Real Food, Roots Music and people full of passion for what they do" exemplify the Maverick spirit.
Les Blank has been called "the finest music documentarian in American Cinema today." Blanks film are uniquely life-affirming and have manage to capture and preserve aspects of American culture that have disappeared over the last fifty years. There are no ad placements, logos or corporate strings attached - only real people with heart and soul and time to smell the 'flowers'. His subjects express a deep appreciation for life and its simple pleasures, especially music and food. You're guaranteed to leave a Les Blank film feeling hungry and with an extra beat in your step. -- We recognize Les Blank for capturing these vivid, unforgettable images and reflections, through cinematic poetry.
The award was presented to Blank by D.A PENNEBAKER (Startup.com, Woodstock Diary, Moon Over Broadway, The War Room).
Perhaps the biggest winner at the festival was the town of Woodstock itself.
As summed up by Tom Hodges, Director of the short Last Request, at a press
briefing earlier in the day, "I've been to film festivals all over the world, and I've never seen such community support, not only from the people who volunteered their time and services, but also from all those who came out to see the films and participated in the other events."
Nearly every event at the inaugural Woodstock Film Festival was sold out.
BEST FEATURE NARRATIVE
THE DREAM CATCHER, directed by Ed Radtke
The paths of two juvenile runaways merge in this funny and touching film.
Ed Radtke accepts Maverick trophy and certificate for $5,000 in services from Cineric, Inc. from Stephen Nemeth (Rhino Films)
BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
FREESTYLE, directed by Kevin Fitzgerald
A mesmerizing look at the street poetry that is African-American hip-hop.
Alex Rubin (producer), Les Blank & Kevin Fitzgerald pose with their Mavericks
Honorable mention to:
THE TARGET SHOOTS FIRST directed by Chris Wilcha
LIVE FREE OR DIE directed by Marion Lipschutz and Rose Rosenblatt
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
THE SUNSHINE, directed by Phil Bertelsen
An intimate exploration of one of NY's skidrow's last remaining flop houses.
Phil Bertelsen with Maverick Award
Honorable mention:
DEATH OF A CORNER DRUGSTORE directed by Brooke Maroldi
BEST SHORT NARRATIVE
A FEELING CALLED GLORY, directed by Coreen Mayrs
A simultaneously morbid and life-affirming story based on an oddball friendship.
Honorable mention:
LAST REQUEST directed by Tom Hodges
TALK TO YOU LATER directed by Steven Hentges
BEST STUDENT SHORT
LANDSCAPE, directed by Nick Regalbuto
Explores the strange things that people do on hot days, beginning with the drinking of a glass of water.
Honorable mention:
NIGHT SWEATS directed by David Lebow
TODAY’S MATINEE directed by Joseph Guerrieri
Best Feature, Best Short & Best Student Film award was sponsored by Cineric, Inc.
Best Documentary & Best Short Documentary award was sponsored by Tapehouse, NY.
