Award Winners from the 23rd Annual Woodstock Film Festival
On Saturday, October 1st, the Woodstock Film Festival announced our annual jury award winners in each category for this year's films in competition, along with the recipients of their Maverick Award, Transcendent Talent Award, Trailblazer Award, and Fiercely Independent Award.
GIGANTIC PICTURES AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE NARRATIVE
AMERIKATSI, directed by Michael Goorjian
Cast and crew for Amerikatsi. 2022 Woodstock Film Festival. Photo by Zach Sirkin
Jurors:
Blair Breard (Producer, SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE, THE HALF OF IT, ONE MISSISSIPPI, LOUIE)
Ritesh Batra (Director, THE LUNCHBOX, THE SENSE OF AN ENDING, OUR SOULS AT NIGHT)
Fran Kranz (Actor, Director, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, CABIN IN THE WOODS, JULIA, MASS)
Jury Statement:
AMERIKATSI is a story of a rarely told diaspora. And the telling of it, the quality, is equally rare and original. Beautifully designed, acted, directed, executed - it’s told with such subtlety and delicate emotion that you’ll find yourself moved in ways you’ll never see coming. You empathize with these characters, you end up sharing in their longing, and connecting to them in unexpected ways. It’s a transportive movie that connects you across time, culture, and ethnicity. Profoundly human and bursting with heart, and clearly, deeply personal.
With tones of LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL and REAR WINDOW you find yourself in a wholly original world.
The film begins with such charm and seeming innocence, and by the end it was so convincing in its message of shared humanity, that it’s hard to reflect on it as anything but masterful.
Nihilism and cynicism are easy bedfellows in today’s world but Amerikatsi, without being saccharine and without any naïveté, refutes these - humbly, joyfully, and defiantly.
What an incredible feat - to have pulled this movie off, without one misstep! Beautifully crafted on every level, and navigating three languages!
We unanimously felt that this film must be given the award of Best Narrative Feature film!
THE LEON GAST AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
LAST FLIGHT HOME, directed by Ondi Timoner
Honorable mention: AFGHAN DREAMERS, directed by David Greenwald
2022 Woodstock Film Festival. Photo by Jay Ballesteros. Ondi Timoner
Jurors:
Joe Berlinger (Director, BROTHER'S KEEPER, PARADISE LOST trilogy, METALLICA: SOME KIND OF MONSTER)
Barbara Kopple (Director, HARLAN COUNTY USA, AMERICAN DREAM, SHUT UP & SING)
Shari Sant (Producer, MISSION BLUE, CHASING CORAL)
Jury Statement:
We honor LAST FLIGHT HOME as the Best Documentary for its intimacy, courage and mastery of observational cinema in a film that is simultaneously deeply personal and yet profoundly universal.
Honorable Mention, AFGHAN DREAMERS: Against the backdrop of war-torn Afghanistan, this moving documentary provides an intimate perspective on the struggles and triumphs of young Afghan women through the lens of the Girls Robotic Team. Through artful storytelling Director David Greenwald creates a bond between the viewer and these young women, and we empathize and root for them throughout their journey. Though this beautiful film is ultimately an inspiring story of courage and hope, it is also a timely warning of how fast hard earned gains in equality can be instantly taken away under misguided leadership.
BEST EDITING: NARRATIVE
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS, edited by Ruben Östlund, Mikel Cee Karlsson
Jurors:
Shelby Siegel (Editor, HELVETICA, THE STAIRCASE, HIGH MAINTENANCE)
Blair McClendon (Editor, Writer, AMERICA FOR AMERICANS, LAPS, AFTERSUN)
Sabine Hoffman (Editor, PACHINKO, PASSING, THE GLORIAS, MAGGIE’S PLAN)
Kate Sanford (Editor, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL, FOSSE / VERDON, BOARDWALK EMPIRE, SEX AND THE CITY)
Jury Statement:
The jury was unanimous in its support for the razor-sharp, undeniably creative and effective editing of TRIANGLE OF SADNESS, a complex, multi-part story held together stylistically and tonally with absolute rigor and sure-handedness. The care and craft are evident in every frame, as these fully realized and problematic characters are taken on a ferocious ride- its outcome is always surprising.
If we were simply considering the challenges inherent in the highly compelling Captain’s Dinner sequence, we would have awarded this film a special Jury prize; but we are happy to have been captivated by every moment in this wildly entertaining, very pointed social critique.
BEST EDITING: DOCUMENTARY
THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER- FEATURING BRANDI CARLILE, edited by Brady Hammes
THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER. 2022 Woodstock Film Festival. Photo by Nolan Slay
Jurors:
Sabrina Schmidt Gordon (Producer, Editor, Director, QUEST, UNDOCUMENTED)
David Teague (Editor, CUTIE AND THE BOXER, LIFE ANIMATED)
Sabine Hoffman (Editor, PACHINKO, PASSING, THE GLORIAS, MAGGIE’S PLAN)
Jury Statement:
For its intimate portrayal of the kinship and friendship between two artists, the Documentary Editing Award jury acknowledges THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER- FEATURING BRANDI CARLILE. Edited with patience and empathy, the film allows us to experience the beauty of creation as Tucker and Brandi Carlile "relaunch" Tucker's career and share a musical and emotional journey along the way.
WORLD OF HA CHANGE-MAKER AWARD
REMEMBER THIS, directed by Jeff Hutchens, Derek Goldman
Jury Statement:
This year's Change Maker Award goes to a film that is driven by commitment and passion to commemorate the human resilience against atrocities of the past, so that going forward no one will forget and no one will repeat them or anything like them ever again. And so the Change Maker Award goes to REMEMBER THIS, by Jeff Hutchens, Derek Goldman and Eva Anisko, starring the incomparable David Strathairn who gives a solo powerhouse performance.
ULTRA INDIE AWARD
HANNAH HA HA, directed by Jordan Tetewsky and Josh Pikovsky
Jurors:
Harris Doran (Director, F^¢K '€M R!GHT B@¢K, BEAUTY MARK)
Carter Logan (Producer, Composer, PATERSON, THE DEAD DON’T DIE, ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE)
Dori Begley (Executive Vice President, Magnolia Pictures)
Jury Statement:
This film's late-coming-of-age story faithfully captures small-town ennui and the hazy journey of finding oneself, all while navigating well-intentioned (and frequently misguided) demands of family.
With an ultra real and affecting performance by Hannah Lee Thompson, the jury gives this year's Ultra Indie Award to HANNAH HA HA.
HASKELL WEXLER AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
AMERIKATSI, cinematography by Ghasem Ebrahimian
Honorable mention: ROOST, cinematography by Bobby Bukowski
Jurors:
Pamela Yates (Director, GRANITO, 500 YEARS, WHEN THE MOUNTAINS TREMBLE, STATE OF FEAR: THE TRUTH ABOUT TERRORISM)
Rick Rowley (Director, KINGDOM OF SILENCE, 16 SHOTS, DIRTY WARS)KINKI
Jury Statement:
Ghasem Ebrahimian’s careful, classic naturalism allows beauty to emerge quietly, even within the gray stone walls of a prison. His camera lingers on the eyes of its protagonist, and that gaze softens the hard shadows of his cell with a humor and humanity that cannot be contained.
The Haskell Wexler Award for Excellence in Cinematography goes to Ghasem Ebrahimian for AMERIKATSI.
The honorable mention goes to a film that creates a particularly evocative visual style of envisioning the story of a young woman’s overwhelming desire and the mystery of her mother’s past. The cinematography foreshadows the unpredictability of the film and contributes to the fiercely independent ROOST lensed by the cinematographer Bobby Bukowski.
NYWIFT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN DIRECTING
NARRATIVE:
MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH MARRIAGE, directed by Signe Baumane
Signe Baumane, Maverick Awards. 2022 Woodstock Film Festival. Photo by John Mazlish
NYWIFT Statement:
We are honored to present The New York Women in Film & Television Award for Excellence in Narrative Directing to Signe Baumane for MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH MARRIAGE. This visually stylistic fairytale is a whimsically entertaining look at gender and identity. Signe has created a style of her own with a relatable character who introspectively navigates love through the lens of cultural expectations.
DOCUMENTARY:
EXPOSURE, directed by Holly Morris
Holly Morris, Maverick Awards. 2022 Woodstock Film Festival. Photo by John Mazlish
NYWIFT Statement:
We are thrilled to present The New York Women in Film & Television Award for Excellence in Documentary Directing to Holly Morris for EXPOSURE. The beautifully directed film is about perseverance, acceptance and courageously tackling new challenges. It inspires risk taking and adventure as we root for the characters along their difficult journey to The North Pole. The beauty of the film stays with us long after it has ended.
BEST SHORT NARRATIVE
MOSHARI, directed by Nuhash Humayun
Honorable mention: NORTH STAR, directed by P.J. Palmer
Jurors:
Mary Stuart Masterson (Director, Actress, THE CAKE EATERS, BENNY & JOON, FRIED GREEN TOMATOES)
Noah Hutton (Writer, Director, LAPSIS, IN SILICO, CRUDE INDEPENDENCE)
Alex Smith (Writer, Director, WALKING OUT, WINTER IN THE BLOOD, THE SLAUGHTER RULE)
Jury Statement:
From its arresting opening sequences to its thrilling finale, one film seized all of us in equal measure. Its smartly orchestrated world-building and genre elements are bound together by a brilliantly conveyed human relationship at its core so full of warmth and relatability, operating in the heart and the head in equal measure. And speaking of relatability, we found there to be a wonderful catharsis in its original and utterly horrifying portrayal of mosquitoes. We award the GRAND JURY PRIZE to MOSHARI.
For its courage to buck conventions with its characters, and for its dedication to carving out narrative space for true tenderness and intimacy, all anchored by strong performances and gorgeous cinematography, we award a SPECIAL MENTION to NORTH STAR.
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
AS FAR AS THEY CAN RUN, directed by Tanaz Eshaghian
Jurors:
Sara Bernstein (Producer, THE CRASH REEL, MEA MAXIMA CULPA: SILENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD)
Hugo Perez (Producer, Writer, Director, Editor, ONCE UPON A TIME IN UGANDA, WONDERFULLY MADE - LGBTQ+R(ELIGION), BETTY LA FLACA)
Lacey Schwartz Delgado (Director, Producer, LITTLE WHITE LIE, DIFRET, THE LOVING GENERATION)
Jury Statement:
Our shorts jury was impressed with the compelling stories and narrative diversity we found in this year’s nominees for best short documentary: An aspiring young filmmaker’s coming of age in Puerto Rico. An animated tale of a singer who overcame personal challenges and tragedies to realize her dreams later in life. An african-american artist struggling with how success in the art world doesn’t relate to the communities he wants to serve. A portrait of iconic lesbian experimental filmmaker as seen through the love of her partner. The story of a factory that makes American flags and how it represents the cultural diversity and challenges of the United States. A young Palestinian girl struggling with being separated from her father as she grows up in a time of continual strife.
This year's nominees exemplify the idea that documentary filmmakers should strive to tell the untold stories and cast a light into the sometimes dark corners of our society. We felt that no film so strongly represented this ideal than this year’s winner: An intimate, unflinching look at disabled children in rural Pakistan who have been deemed "useless" by their communities. We were moved with the compelling and sometimes shocking story, and the empathy and compassion with which the filmmaker treated all of the subjects of the film. In addition, we felt that the craft employed to capture the story was of the highest order.
And that’s why we selected AS FAR AS THEY CAN RUN as this year’s Best Documentary Short.
BEST STUDENT SHORT
EL CARRITO, directed by Zahida Pirani
Honorable Mention: CALL ME ANYTIME, I’M NOT LEAVING THE HOUSE, directed by Sanjna Selva
Jurors:
Jeff Roda (Director, Writer, 18 TO PARTY)
Jane Applegate (Producer, MUCH ADO IN MOSTAR, ICARUS STOPS FOR BREAKFAST)
Brandi Savitt (Producer, OUR ITALIAN HUSBAND, DOUBLE EXILE)
Jury Statement:
EL CARRITO: We thought the story was gritty and dramatic, the cast was terrific…plus it was well shot and the editing was very professional.
Honorable mention, CALL ME ANYTIME, I’M NOT LEAVING THE HOUSE: It was emotional, timely and intimate.
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
BUZZKILL, directed/animated by Peter Ahern
Honorable Mention: BETWEEN LINES, by Sarah Beth Morgan
Jurors:
Noelle Melody (Animator, Netflix, NBC, Cartoon Network, Amazon Studios)
Joy Buran (Animator, Netflix, NBC, Cartoon Network, Amazon Studios)
Jury Statement:
First we’d like to recognize the Honorable Mention - a highly anticipated film from a director who tells their own unique, personal story in order to connect with the viewer. Every frame of the film is executed in meticulous detail, and artfully communicates the scarring impact of school bullying through its poetic words and imagery. Honorable Mention goes to BETWEEN LINES by Sarah Beth Morgan.
The award for Best Animation goes to a film that is so authentic to this creator—someone with a distinctive approach who truly represents what it means to be fiercely independent. From writing and directing to animating and voice acting, nearly every aspect of production was done on their own to dazzling effect. The result is a wild ride that follows in the footsteps of the filmmaker’s previous work, yet is elevated in style, performance, and craft. We knew it would completely capture our audience with both its mastery of story and animation. The award for Best Animation goes to BUZZKILL by Peter Ahern.
AUDIENCE AWARDS
NARRATIVE:
REMEMBER THIS, directed by Jeff Hutchens, Derek Goldman
DOCUMENTARY:
IMMEDIATE FAMILY, directed by Denny Tedesco
HONORARY MAVERICK AWARD
RECIPIENT: Ethan Hawke, four-time Academy Award®-nominated artist and one of Hollywood’s most multi-faceted stars.
Presented by Amanda Seyfried
“A couple of times tonight the word ‘interdependence’ has been used, and I believe it. I believe interdependence is so thorough and complete that there is no actor without an audience, there’s no filmmaker without a producer. We are all as strong or as broken as the time we live in.
So how do we challenge each other beyond the pursuits of greed, status, and accumulation of wealth? And it takes the community for us to do that for each other. It takes a community for one person to break through a closed door. Once that’s open, we can all fly in. And more and more I see the arts –what we do– as a representation of the collective consciousness of our culture, and that we together decide what stories we tell. And like thought leads action, our stories and what we deem important leads our behavior. What we do is absolutely essential, and that there is no such thing as standing apart or standing alone. We exist in relationship to each other. We create each other.”
HONORARY TRANSCENDENT TALENT AWARD
RECIPIENT: Awkwafina, award-winning actress, writer and producer.
Presented by producer Peter Saraf (THE FARWELL)
“I used to intern for a paper called the Times Union. I went to SUNY Albany...every time the Woodstock Film Festival happened, it was always, ‘Shut up, the Woodstock Film Festival’s happening!’ It was like no one had time for anything. So, I’m very honored to be here.
In general, I think my entire career has been defined by just constant imposter syndrome...but I’d say that’s my career. I don’t know what I’m doing at any given time but I follow a feeling that somehow feels right.
For all the amazing and talented filmmakers here tonight, I hope that you don’t know what you’re doing the whole time and that you follow that feeling and hopefully it leads you to a place like here.”
HONORARY TRAILBLAZER AWARD
RECIPIENT: Arianna Bocco, President of IFC Films.
Presented documentary filmmaker Marina Zenovich.
“I feel incredibly privileged to be working in this community today where there is so much possibility. Every day I get to watch films, read scripts, and to look to purposefully support emerging talent from around the world. This is where creativity and innovation happen, and inspires us to think of new ways of thinking in film distribution. We, the independents, are the canary in the coal mine.
No one can do this alone. Film is a community. We curate people as much as we curate films...
So, I will leave you with this one thought: let’s all be trailblazers. Let’s break some rules, support independent cinema so that new voices and stories and conversations can continue. Go to your local cinema. Hell, buy your local cinema. Seek out something different, divisive, groundbreaking. We all have a responsibility to share in a bright future for the culture that we all feel so passionately about. And lastly, thank you to all of the creators who continue to share their stories with us. And as the famous poet Bruce Springstein said, ‘You can’t start a fire without a spark.’”
HONORARY FIERCELY INDEPENDENT AWARD
RECIPIENT: Debra Granik, director and co-writer of WINTER’S BONE and LEAVE NO TRACE.
Presented by Vera Farmiga, who starred in Debra’s multiple award-winning feature directorial debut DOWN TO THE BONE.
“It is a fiercely interdependent community that we all are members of and we only keep this independence by staying as a community...
It’s a shifting world, and I think there are tools that are used now to dictate or suggest what’s worthy, especially in the world that I’m working in right now with documentary that will affect our ability to be fiercely independent. I feel I have to push harder, I have to say that the options that sometimes are on offer for what is deemed interesting for our film culture, I need to step outside of that harder than ever...
As we get deeper in the digital era, if we ever want to call ourselves independent filmmakers we have to push hard as a community and try to assert...we’re not just these engines from which to extrude content. We want to be able to still say that we want to keep a shot long, or end a film the way we want to end it. Like other filmmakers we admire, when they’re called upon, ‘Why did you put that shot for four minutes at the end of your film?’ in a Q&A and she answers, ‘Because I liked it!’ We still want to have that spirit, and we can! We can, if we keep coming to the Woodstock Film Festival.”