"Beginning with our Opening Night presentation of 5 to 7
with special guests Victor Levin and Jocelyn DeBoer, to filmmakers from
around the world joining us, and award recipients including Roberto
Andò, Michael Beugg, Tom Bower, Bruce Greenwood and Lawrence Jordan, the
37th Starz Denver Film Festival was an inspiring cinematic
celebration," said Festival Director Britta Erickson. "In one of our
most successful festivals to date, it was also a true honor to recognize
the outstanding work happening in our own community with the induction
of Daniel Junge into the Colorado Film Hall of Fame and the presentation
of the first annual True Grit Award to Paula DuPré Pesman and Davis
Coombe for Keep On Keepin' On."
The 37th
Starz Denver Film Festival featured 252 films from 45 countries
comprised of 115 features and 137 shorts, with 16 titles being local
Colorado productions. Recognized as the Rocky Mountain Region's premier
film event, SDFF attracted over 55,000 filmgoers during the twelve-day
celebration.
See the full list of winners after the jump.
STARZ PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS
Narrative Feature
Winner: Viva la libertà
Directed by Roberto Andò
Documentary Feature
Winner: Capturing Grace
Directed by Dave Iverson
Short Film
Winner: The Bravest, The Boldest
Directed by Moon Molson
Music Video
Winner: Irma - Save Me
Directed by Xavier Maingon
JURIED AWARDS
The Krzysztof Kieślowski Award for Best Foreign Feature Film
Winner: The Tribe (Plemya), directed by Miroslav Slaboshpitsky (Ukraine)
The
jury stated: "The film that spoke most eloquently was one where every
line of dialogue is told through action and gestures. For its audacious
premise, its uncompromising tone, its incessant visual style and its
unforgettable mix of brutality and adolescent ennui that would have
pleased the auteur that gives our section its name, the jury awards the
2014 Krzysztof Kieślowski Award for Best International Feature Film to
Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy's The Tribe."
Special Jury Award: August Winds, directed by Gabriel Mascaro (Brazil)
The jury stated: "An exceptional visual and auditory journey."
Special Jury Award: Stations of the Cross, directed by Dietrich Brüggemann (Germany)
The jury stated: "Stellar, shattering performances from the ensemble."
The jury was comprised of Leo Fitzpatrick - Actor, Jason Gorber - Film Critic for Twitch / filmfest.ca, Amanda Lebow - Director of Film Strategy at Bond
The Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary Film
Winner: The Look of Silence, directed by Joshua Oppenheimer (USA)
The
jury stated: "Powerful, captivating, terrifying...the film not only
brings awareness to important subject matter, but Oppenheimer's distinct
style and palpable, innovative storytelling allows us to look into the
eyes of both the victims as well as the killers...two vivid perspectives
that are all at once heartbreaking, chilling and unforgettable."
Honorable Mention:Watchers of the Sky, directed by Edet Belzberg (USA)
The jury stated:
"Rather than have the general public look away from a subject so
uncomfortable and horrific as genocide, this brilliant documentary
encourages people throughout the world to stare genocide straight
on...and, more importantly, affect change. For this, we award the film
with an Honorable Mention."
The jury was comprised of Mary Dossinger - Program Manager at River Run Film Festival, Steve Lukanic - Producer, Melanie Miller - Producer at Fishbowl Films
The American Independent Award for Best Feature Film
Winner: The Midnight Swim, directed by Sarah Adina Smith (USA)
The
jury stated: "Eerie and mystical in tone yet grounded by naturalistic
performances, this carefully crafted genre bender about family, loss,
and perception marks a promising debut from a fresh cinematic
voice. We're proud to present the award for best American Independent
film to Sarah Adina Smith for The Midnight Swim.
The jury was comprised of Milan Chakraborty - Producer, Mynette Louie - President of Gamchanger Films, Luzer Twersky - Actor
ASIFA-Colorado Best Animated Short Award
Winner: Salmon Deadly Sins, directed by Steven Vander Meer (USA)
The
jury stated: "It was very surreal and quite clever. The fast pacing
and mesmerizing morphing kept us entertained and interested. From the
use of the word, the tint of the images, to the name of the band keeping
us on edge it was all salmon, salmon, salmon. Imaginative and creative,
this year's ASIFA-Colorado Best Animated Short Award goes to Salmon Deadly Sins by Steven Vander Meer with music by Leftover Salmon."
The jury was comprised of ASIFA-Colorado members
The Liberty Global International Student Short Award
Winner: The Bigger Picture, directed by Daisy Jacobs (United Kingdom)
The
jury stated: "For the playful, mixed-media animation techniques the
likes of which this jury has never encountered, and warm, wise yet
unexpectedly witty take on the passing of a parent, we give the First
Look Foreign Short Award to The Bigger Picture."
The jury was comprised of Jeff Reichert - Filmmaker, Farihah Zaman - Filmmaker, Paul Zimmerman - Entertainment Writer
The Spike Lee Student Filmmaker Award
Winner: A Grand Canal, directed by Johnny Ma (USA)
The
jury stated: "For its surprising and unexpected introduction of
behind-the-scenes, nonfiction elements mid-film, impeccable
cinematography that provides a spot-on evocation of Chinese films from
the 1980s, and the poignant core that underlines it all, we give the
First Look Domestic Short Award to A Grand Canal."
The jury was comprised of Jeff Reichert - Filmmaker, Farihah Zaman - Filmmaker, Paul Zimmerman - Entertainment Writer
Feature Screenplay Award
Winner: Little House, written by Claire Fowler
The jury was comprised of Lisa Kennedy - Film Critic for The Denver Post, William Leiren - Film &
Television Program, College of Arts and Media, UC-Denver Alumni,
Stephanie Two Eagles - Former Colorado Film Commissioner, Craig Volk -
Film & Television Program, College of Arts and Media, UC-Denver
Professor
Short Screenplay Award
Winner: Pelham Bay Park, written by John Burdeaux
The jury was comprised of Lisa Kennedy - Film Critic for The Denver Post, William Leiren - Film & Television Program, College of Arts and Media, UC-Denver Alumni, Stephanie Two Eagles - Former Colorado Film Commissioner, Craig Volk - Film & Television Program, College of Arts and Media, UC-Denver Professor