SXSW also announced the Jury Award-winners in Shorts Filmmaking and winners of the SXSW Film Design Awards, as well as Special Awards, including the Louis Black “Lone Star” Award and the SXSW Chicken & Egg Emergent Narrative Woman Director Award.
“We start each year anew, never knowing what’s ahead. We fall in love with the films as we program, but they truly come alive in front of our audience, and the feedback for the entire program this year has been so enthusiastic and rewarding,” said Janet Pierson, Film Conference and Festival Producer. “We know the juries had a tough job, but are grateful for their commitment to the task. We’re thrilled with the quality of the work recognized.”
FEATURE FILM JURY AWARDS:
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
GRAND JURY WINNER: WILLIAM AND THE WINDMILL directed by BEN NABORS
Young Malawian William Kamkwamba teaches himself to build a power-generating windmill from junk parts, successfully rescuing his family from poverty and famine.
SPECIAL JURY RECOGNITION FOR CINEMATOGRAPHY: TOUBA director of photography SCOTT DUNCAN
Directed by E. CHAI VASARHELYI, Touba reveals a face of Islam essential to these divisive times. It chronicles the Grand Magaal pilgrimage of one million Sufi Muslims to the holy city of Touba, Senegal. Shot on 16mm, its vivid cinematography and integrated soundtrack elevate it to the level of humanist film poem.
SPECIAL JURY RECOGNITION FOR DIRECTING: WE ALWAYS LIE TO STRANGERS directed by AJ SCHNACK and DAVID WILSON
We Always Lie To Strangers is a story of family, community, music and tradition set against the backdrop of Branson, Missouri, a remote Ozark Mountain town that is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the United States.
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
GRAND JURY WINNER: SHORT TERM 12 directed by DESTIN DANIEL CRETTON
Short Term 12 is told through the eyes of Grace (Brie Larson), a twenty-something supervisor at a foster-care facility for at-risk teenagers. Passionate and tough, Grace is a formidable caretaker of the kids in her charge – and in love with her long-term boyfriend and co-worker, Mason (John Gallagher Jr.). But Grace’s own difficult past – and the surprising future that suddenly presents itself – throw her into unforeseen confusion, made all the sharper with the arrival of a new intake at the facility: a gifted but troubled teenage girl with whom Grace has a charged connection.
SPECIAL JURY RECOGNITION FOR ENSEMBLE CAST: BURMA directed by CARLOS PUGA
Cast Recognized: Christopher Abbott, Gaby Hoffmann, Christopher McCann, Dan Bittner, Emily Fleischer, Jacinta Puga, Matt McCarthy, and Kelly Aucoin.
When Dr. Lynn abandoned his terminally ill wife on her deathbed, he left his three children, Susan, Christian and Win essentially orphaned. Almost a decade later, on the eve of their annual family reunion, Dr. Lynn unexpectedly shows up at Christian’s door claiming he can justify his nine-year absence.
SPECIAL JURY RECOGNITION FOR ACTING: Tishuan Scott in THE RETRIEVAL directed by CHRIS ESKA
On the outskirts of the Civil War, a boy is sent north by a bounty hunter gang to retrieve a wanted man.
SHORT FILM JURY AWARDS
NARRATIVE SHORTS:
WINNER: ELLEN IS LEAVING directed by MICHELLE SAVILL
On the eve of departing overseas, Ellen makes the fateful decision to gift her boyfriend a new girlfriend.
HONORABLE MENTION: SEQUIN RAZE directed by SARAH GERTRUDE SHAPIRO
Behind the scenes of a hit reality TV show, a jaded producer and a spurned beauty queen face off in a mental mortal combat.
HONORABLE MENTION: SKIN directed by JORDANA SPIRO
A child taxidermist, an outsider in his small town, is entranced by a girl who finds his work beautiful. But just as their relationship begins to progress, he does something that drastically changes everything.
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS:
WINNER: SLOMO directed by JOSH IZENBERG
Depressed and frustrated with life, Dr. John Kitchin abandons his career as a neurologist and undergoes a radical transformation into SLOMO, trading his lab coat for rollerblades and his IRA for a taste of divinity.
MIDNIGHT SHORTS:
WINNER: THE APOCALYPSE directed by ANDREW ZUCHERO
Four uninspired friends try to come up with a terrific idea of how to spend their Saturday afternoon.
ANIMATED SHORTS:
WINNER: OH WILLY… directed by EMMA DE SWAEF and MARC JAMES ROELS
Forced to return to his naturist roots, Willy bungles his way into noble savagery.
MUSIC VIDEOS:
WINNER: Vitalic, “Stamina” directed by SAMAN KESHAVARZ
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS:
WINNER: THE BENEFACTRESS directed by ALINA VEGA
SXSW FILM DESIGN AWARDS
EXCELLENCE IN POSTER DESIGN
WINNER: KISS OF THE DAMNED designed by AKIKO STEHRENBERGER, Gravillis Inc.
SPECIAL JURY RECOGNITION: WE ALWAYS LIE TO STRANGERS designed by ERIK BUCKHAM, PALACEWORKS
EXCELLENCE IN TITLE DESIGN
WINNER: JOVEN & ALOCADA designed by PABLO GONZALEZ, Fabula
SPECIAL JURY RECOGNITION: CRAVE designed by RALEIGH STEWART, Iron Helmet
SXSW SPECIAL AWARDS
SXSW CHICKEN & EGG EMERGENT NARRATIVE WOMAN DIRECTOR AWARD
WINNER: HANNAH FIDELL director of A TEACHER
Diana, a young, attractive teacher at a suburban Texas high school, is well-liked by her students and colleagues. Her life seems to be following the status quo, but in reality she’s having a secret affair with her student Eric. Even when the risk of discovery looms over their relationship, her investment in the fantasy remains stronger than reality.
SPECIAL MENTION: KATIE GRAHAM director of ZERO CHARISMA
Metal-loving gamer geek Scott Weidemeyer lives with his ornery grandmother and works a lousy job at a donut shop. But every Tuesday night, he is the omnipotent Game Master, guiding his role-players through a tabletop journey of fantasy and adventure. However, when neo-nerd hipster Miles joins his game, Scott begins to resent the admiration Miles receives from the other players.
LOUIS BLACK “LONE STAR” AWARD
WINNER: LOVES HER GUN directed by GEOFF MARSLETT
Allie leads an unfocused life with no job and a lame boyfriend. So it’s no surprise when she hops on the next bus (well, more of an RV full of karate rockers) to Texas after being attacked on the streets of New York. Seeming to improve as she settles into the slower-pace of Austin, her fears continue to haunt her. She quickly falls into Texas gun culture as a means to feel safe.
KAREN SCHMEER FILM EDITING FELLOWSHIP
PRESENTED TO: JIM HESSION
