Recapping the 23rd Annual Woodstock Film Festival
The 23rd Annual Woodstock Film Festival was a roaring success. This year, we brought together industry members and film lovers within the idyllic Hudson Valley community for 50 feature film screenings, Oscar-qualifying shorts, irreverent panel discussions, and a glowing award ceremony in venues throughout Woodstock, Kingston, Rosendale, and Saugerties.
While it is a treat to celebrate independent cinema as a community for five full days, we look forward to the growth the festival brings each year we operate. Enjoy a recap of this year’s fest, and don’t forget to join us for an even bigger and better event next year!
“Wow, what an exhilarating weekend! There weren’t enough hours in the day to keep up with the parade of poignant, clever and important films while also drawing advice and inspiration from fellow filmmakers. I leave Woodstock with affection for the idyllic, welcoming town, eager to return for the next pilgrimage.”
Maverick Awards Ceremony
For the first time, our Maverick Awards Ceremony took place at the Ulster Performing Arts Center in Kingston, NY. The evening started off with opening remarks from Woodstock Film Festival Co-Founder & Executive Director Meira Blaustein, and continued with a glittering cast of filmmakers and prominent industry figures presenting and being honored with awards.
This year’s Honorary Maverick Award was presented to Ethan Hawke (four-time Academy Award®-nominated artist and one of Hollywood’s most multi-faceted stars) by Amanda Seyfried (who starred opposite Ethan Hawke in FIRST REFORMED.) The Transcendent Talent Award, went to Awkwafina (NORA FROM QUEENS); this newest award was presented to the award-winning actress, writer and producer by producer Peter Saraf (THE FAREWELL). The Trailblazer Award was given to IFC Films President, Arianna Bocco and was presented to Bocco by documentary filmmaker Marina Zenovich. The Fiercely Independent Award was given to director and writer Debra Granik (WINTER’S BONE, LEAVE NO TRACE), and was presented by Vera Farmiga (who starred in Debra’s multiple award-winning feature directorial debut DOWN TO THE BONE.)
View the full list of jury award winners here. The entire Maverick Awards ceremony is also available to watch on our YouTube channel.
Panels
Panels at the Woodstock Film Festival are often revered by our guests, who love to sit in as prominent industry figures discuss the intricacies of the filmmaking process in the intimate barn setting at White Feather Farm.
At the Director’s on Directing panel, some of today’s most prolific filmmakers discussed their directorial choices in depth. Panel attendees included Ramin Bahrani (2ND CHANCE), Rodrigo Garcia (RAYMOND & RAY), Roger Ross Williams (2021 honorary Maverick Award recipient) and Ondi Timoner (LAST FLIGHT HOME). Moderated by renowned executive producer Geralyn White Dreyfus. Watch this year’s Directors on Directing panel.
This year’s awards winners also had the chance to speak to the festival audiences at their own panels, including a Chat with this year's Fiercely Independent Award recipient Debra Granik, moderated by prominent American Hollywood critic, Thelma Adams; a Chat with this year's Trailblazer Award Recipient Arianna Bocco, moderated by publicist Marian Koltai-Levine, the President of Marketing and Communications at AGBO; and a Chat with this year’s Maverick Award recipient Ethan Hawke, moderated by founder of Cinetic Media, John Sloss.
In partnership with NYWIFT (New York Women in Film & Television) the Women in Film: Then and Now panel featured notable high profile women directors, producers and actors, Karen Allen, Julie Goldman, and Kelly O’Sullivan. Moderated by film critic Thelma Adams.
Another favorite of the festival, the Filmmakers Residency/Incubator Showcase panel brought back four of the resident filmmakers from our Annual Filmmaker Residency/Incubator to showcase their diverse slate of work-in-progress feature films– projects that live in that provocative space between dramatic & documentary; between social justice & fine storytelling; between timely and timeless. The panel was moderated by Alex Smith, Filmmaker & Artistic Director of the Filmmakers Residency.
Film Updates: Awards & Recognition
Films and filmmakers affiliated with the 23rd Woodstock Film Festival typically go on to receive additional award nominations and recognition from media outlets and other festivals. Here are a few highlights so far:
AMERIKATSI (Winner of Best Narrative Feature Film and Best Cinematography at the Woodstock Film Festival) won the People’s Choice Award at the Hamburg Film Festival in Germany
IMMEDIATE FAMILY, directed by Denny Tedesco, SKATE DREAMS, directed by Jessica Edwards, and MY SO-CALLED HIGH SCHOOL RANK, directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, will have their NYC Premiere at DOC NYC, November 9-17
Rodrigo Garcia’s RAYMOND & RAY, starring Ethan Hawke and Ewan McGregor, and LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S BLACK & BLUES, directed by Sacha Jenkins, are now streaming on Apple TV+
THE RETURN OF TANYA TUCKER (winner of the Best Documentary Editing award at the 23rd Woodstock Film Festival) and THE FIRE THAT TOOK HER are now playing in select cities
Sam Mendes, director of EMPIRE OF LIGHT, will be honored at the 2022 Camerimage Festival. The film is scheduled to be released in US theaters on Friday, December 9 and in the UK on January 13, 2023.
iMordecai won Director’s Choice Indie Spirit, Narrative Feature at 2022 Prescott Film Festival
RELATIVE directed by Tracey Arcabasso Smith, won Best Documentary Feature at the 53rd Nashville Film Festival
“Thank you so much for fostering such a warm, welcoming and exciting experience this year. We had an incredible time and were thrilled to pick up the Best Short Animation award. I always look forward to opportunities that afford us a chance to attend or participate in the Woodstock Film Festival. As an animator, I’m continually impressed by your festival’s animation programming which has become a diverse showcase for the most interesting indie artists, storytelling and techniques being used in our industry today. Truly top notch. ”
As awards season heats up and we prepare for the 24th Annual Woodstock Film Festival, stay on the lookout for further updates about our year-round programming and submissions, which will open on November 1st. Sign-up for our newsletter and follow us on social media.
Written by Casey O’Connell for The Woodstock Film Festival.