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).

A trophy resembling a rake with four metal tines, mounted on a black base with engraved text.

Each Maverick Award was beautifully handcrafted by Woodstock Artist,
Jonah Meyer (see other statues below)

Honorary Maverick Award

Sponsored by:

An older man with glasses, a beard, and a red shirt speaking into a microphone, holding a wooden object with electronic components attached.

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.

Two men on stage at an event, one holding an award and the other speaking into a microphone.

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.

Three men posing with trophies, one wearing a red shirt and glasses, the others in casual clothing, in an indoor setting.

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.

A man with glasses and a goatee holding a glass trophy, smiling at the camera.

Phil Bertelsen with Maverick Award

Honorable mention:

A woman with curly dark hair is holding a camera, taking a picture. An elderly woman with white hair and glasses is nearby, and a man with blonde hair is visible in the background.

DEATH OF A CORNER DRUGSTORE directed by Brooke Maroldi

BEST SHORT NARRATIVE

A woman and a young girl sitting on a staircase outside a building with a sign that reads 'CIRZ'.

A FEELING CALLED GLORY, directed by Coreen Mayrs
A simultaneously morbid and life-affirming story based on an oddball friendship.

Honorable mention:

Two men on a field with mountains in the background, one with a gun pointing at the other, who is holding a spear or staff.

LAST REQUEST directed by Tom Hodges

TALK TO YOU LATER directed by Steven Hentges

BEST STUDENT SHORT

Kitchen with wooden cabinets, white countertops, and a window with potted plants. A person wearing a white shirt stands near the right side of the image.

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:

A black-and-white illustration of an elderly man with a beard, sitting in bed and holding a small object in his hand, with a somber expression.

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.