The comedy “Fort Tilden,” from directors Sarah-Violet Bliss and Charles Rogers, won the narrative feature grand jury prize at this year’s SXSW Film Festival
Margaret Brown’s BP oil spill expose “The Great Invisible” received best documentary feature award.
“Fort Tilden” stars Clare McNulty and Bridey Elliott as twentysomething roommates in a trek across “deep Brooklyn.”
Last year’s winner was the widely embraced drama “Short Term 12.”
Brown accepted the award for “The Great Invisible” onstage with her crew. “This was a three-and-a-half year effort,” said the director, who thanked the film community “for watching a lot of really bad rough cuts.”
Jury members spread the wealth. “Animals” actor-screenwriter David Dastmalchian won special jury recognition for courage in storytelling prize for his physically demanding portrayal of a homeless addict.
In the documentary competition, a special jury recognition for political courage went to “Vessel,” Diana Whitten’s film about pro-choice activist Rebecca Gomperts and her organization Women on Waves. The doc jury also gave a special jury award for editing and storytelling to “Print the Legend,” Luis Lopez and Clay Tweel’s pic about the burgeoning 3D printing industry.
Two Sundance premieres received awards, including local filmmaker Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood,” which won the Louis Black Lone Star Award for a Texas film.
Kat Candler’s “Hellion” receiving a special mention in the SXSW Gamechanger Emergent Woman Director category.
Director Jen McGowan received the SXSW Gamechanger Award for “Kelly & Cal,” her debut starring Juliette Lewis and Jonny Weston.
Carmichael kicked off the show with a standup routine in which he mocked everything from Woody Allen, whom he thanked for reminding everyone that “talent is more important than morals,” to festival entry “The Raid 2,” which he described as the story of “one guy’s struggle to give a fuck about plot.”
The SXSW Film Fest screened a total of 246 films, including 133 features and 113 short entries, over nine days. Audience awards will be handed out Saturday.
SXSW Film Fest 2014 Award Winners:
Feature Film Jury Awards
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION Grand Jury Winner: Fort Tilden Director: Sarah-Violet Bliss & Charles Rogers
Special Jury Recognition for Courage in Storytelling: Animals Actor & Screenwriter: David Dastmalchian
Special Jury Recognition for Best Acting Duo: 10,000KM (Long Distance) Natalie Tena David Verdaguer
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION Grand Jury Winner: The Great Invisible Director: Margaret Brown
Special Jury Recognition for Political Courage: Vessel Director: Diana Whitten
Special Jury Recognition for Editing & Storytelling: Print the Legend Directors: Luis Lopez & Clay Tweel
Short Film Jury Awards
NARRATIVE SHORTS Winner: Quelqu’un d’extraordinaire Director: Monia Chokri
Special Jury Recognition: Person to Person Director: Dustin Guy Defa
Special Jury Recognition for Cinematography: Krisha Director: Trey Edward Shults
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS Winner: Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace Director: Jeff Dupre
MIDNIGHT SHORTS Winner: Wawd Ahp Directors: Steve Girard & Josh Chertoff ANIMATED SHORTS Winner: Coda Director: Alan Holly Special Jury Recognition: Eager Director: Allison Schulnik
MUSIC VIDEOS Winner: Joel Compass, “Back to Me” Director: Ian and Cooper
TEXAS SHORTS Winner: Some vacation. Director: Anne S. Lewis
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS Winner: Seawolf Director: Caila Pickett & Max Montoya
SXSW Film Design Awards
EXCELLENCE IN POSTER DESIGN Winner: Starry Eyes Designer: Jay Shaw
EXCELLENCE IN TITLE DESIGN Winner: True Detective Designer: Patrick Clair for Elastic Special Jury Recognition: The Lego Movie Designer: Brian Mah for Alma Matter
SXSW Special Awards
SXSW GAMECHANGER EMERGENT WOMAN DIRECTOR AWARD Winner: Jen McGowan, Kelly & Cal Special Mention: Kat Candler. Hellion LOUIS BLACK “LONE STAR” AWARD Winner: Boyhood Director: Richard Linklater KAREN SCHMEER FILM EDITING FELLOWSHIP Presented to: Colin Nusbaum
