Audience And Grand Jury Prizes Announced For 2013 Slamdance Film Festival

PARK CITY – JANUARY 24, 2013, The 19^th Annual Slamdance Film Festival tonight announced the feature film and short film recipients of this year’s awards in the Audience, Grand Jury, and the Sponsored Award Categories. The 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Awards are sponsored by JuntoBox Films. The award winners were announced at the annual Closing Night Awards Ceremony at the Treasure Mountain Inn.

As in previous years, juries of leading industry experts and esteemed filmmakers determined the Slamdance Grand Jury Awards for Feature Narrative, Feature Documentary, and Short Film categories. Audience and Sponsored Awards, and the Spirit of Slamdance Award are also bestowed. The feature competition films in the Documentary and Narrative Programs are limited to first-time filmmakers working with production budgets of less than $1 million.

“We are pleased to be celebrating these extraordinary films from this year’s truly powerful slate of vanguard cinema,” said Peter Baxter, Co-Founder and President of Slamdance.

AUDIENCE AWARDS

Audience Award for Feature Documentary: MY NAME IS FAITH by Jason Banker, Jorge Torres-Torres, Tiffany Sudela-Junker

Audience Award for Feature Narrative: HANK AND ASHA by James E. Duff

GRAND JURY AWARDS – NARRATIVE

This year’s Slamdance Narrative Grand Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Nancy Schafer, Meira Blaustein and Chris Gore.

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Feature Narrative: THE DIRTIES by Matt Johnson. “Terrifyingly timely and brutally honest, ‘The Dirties’ uses film references to the extreme as dreams of youth and intense growing pains collide.”

Special Mention: JOY DE V., by Nadia Szold. “Filled with humor, flawless characters and performances and a highly developed visual style, ‘Joy de V’ is a film that signals the arrival of a powerful new filmmaking talent.”

This year’s Slamdance Documentary Grand Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Daniel J. Harris, Brian Knappenberger, and Dan Schoenbrun.

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Feature Documentary: BIBLE QUIZ by Nicole Teeny. “Director Nicole Teeny’s careful storytelling and her subject’s passion, angst, and youthful uncertainty are captured with universal empathy.”

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Short Documentary: THE BIRDMAN by Jessie Auritt. “We felt this slice-of-life portrait said a lot about the economy and changing way of life in a New York City neighborhood.”

GRAND JURY AWARDS – SHORT FILMS

This year’s Short Film Grand Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Sheri Candler, Eleanor Burke, and Ron Eyal.

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Animation: I AM TOM MOODY by Ainslie Henderson. “For its insight and for its playful spirit.”

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Short Film: ROTKOP by Jan Roosens and Raf Roosens. “For its outstanding ensemble, emotional resonance and its bold portrayal of teenage alienation.”

Special Mention: JOSEPHINE AND THE ROACH by Jonathan Langager. “For its richly imaginative visual style and for lead Jenna Augen.”

Special Mention: DONALD CRIED by Kris Avedisian. “For a standout performance, with the power to inspire empathy as well as to make you cringe.”

SPECIAL & SPONSORED AWARDS

Spirit of Slamdance Sparky Award Presented by Actor/Director Thomas Jane: THE DIRTIES by Matt Johnson. Awarded by the Class of 2013 Slamdance Filmmakers to the film team that best embodies the creative, independent, and entrepreneurial spirit of the festival, as well as showing exceptional talent as artists.

The Kodak Vision Award for Best Cinematography: Dieter Deventer for FYNBOS. “For creating a perfect visual balance between breathtaking landscapes, naturally lit settings, and simple but strong compositions that present the tense fragility of the human spirit within the story.”