The Nashville Film Festival has announced the winners of its jury awards after an opening weekend that included a two-theater sellout of "500 Days of Summer," a sellout of William Shatner's "Gonzo Ballet," and appearances by Shatner, Sheryl Crow, Hal Holbrook and many other celebritites.
"We normally wait until the end of the Festival to announce awards, but because we know the jury winners, we thought it best to present the awards to the film makers while they were still here and during their screenings, so audience members could join in congratulating them," said NaFF Executive Director Sallie Mayne.
The festival runs until Thursday, April 23, with several additional screenings, including several of the award winning films.
The Deagols Brothers' "Make-out With Violence," shot in around Nashville, has won three awards, including the major Narrative Feature award, the Regal Cinemas Dreammaker Award. It has also won the Best Music In A Feature Film, given to The Non-Commissioned Officers, and the Tennessee Independent Spirit Award for a Feature Length Film.
The Best Feature Documentary went to Yulene Olaizola's "Shakespear and Victor Hugo's Intimacies." Several special Jury prizes have also been announced, including the Special Jury Prize for Cinematography (Seamus Tierney, "The Narrows"); Special Jury Prize for Acting Ensemble (The Cast of "Children of Invention"); Special Jury Prize for Acting (Vincent D'Onofrio, "The Narrows"); Special Jury Prize for Experimental Narrative (Antonio Campos, "Afterschool"); and Special Jury Prize for Bravery in Storytelling (Kimberly Reed, "Prodigal Sons").
The Nashville Film Festival 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Hal Holbrook before the screening of his film "That Evening Sun" on Saturday night, April 19. He also accepted the Governor's Award on behalf of his wife Dixie Carter. The 2009 President's Impact Award, in the form a Gibson guitar hand-painted by artist Mandy Lawson, was given to Shatner by NaFF board president Stacy Widelitz and Gibson CEO Henry Juskiewicz. The REEL Current Award, chosen by Al Gore for a film that provides extraordinary insight in a contemporary global issue, was given to Mai Iskander, for "Garbage Dreams."
The Nashville Film Festival is being held at Regal Green Hills Cinemas and ends with a retrospective 40th anniversary screening of "Easy Rider" and a party at the Cannery Ballroom.
Complete List of 2009 Nashville Film Festival Juried Awards
Award/Director/Film
Regal Cinemas Dreammaker Award The Deagol Brothers Make-out with Violence
Regal Cinemas Dreammaker Award (Honorable Mention) Rafael Monserrate Poundcake
Special Jury Prize for Cinematography Seamus Tierney The Narrows
Special Jury Prize for Acting Ensemble The Cast of Children of Invention
Special Jury Prize for Acting Vincent D'Onofrio The Narrows
Special Jury Prize for Experimental Narrative Antonio Campos Afterschool
Best Feature Documentary Yulene Olaizola Shakespeare and Victor Hugo's Intimacies
Feature Documentary (Honorable Mention) Mark Becker, Jennifer Grausman Pressure Cooker
Special Jury Prize for Bravery in Storytelling Kimberly Reed Prodigal Sons
Best Short Documentary Adam Petrofsky Witness-From the Balcony of Room 306
Short Documentary (Honorable Mention) David Aronowitsch Slaves
Best Music In A Feature Film The Non-Commissioned Officers Make-out with Violence
Impact of Music Award Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love
Best Short Narrative Denis Villeneuve Next Floor
Short Narrative (Honorable Mention) Sam Taylor Wood Love You More
Golden Opportunity Award for Best College Student Short Amy Gebhardt Walnut
Golden Opportunity Award (Honorable Mention) Catriona McInnes I'm In Away From Here
Best Animated Short Don Hertzfeldt I Am So Proud of You
Animated Short (Honorable Mention) PES Western Spaghetti
Best Experimental Short - Not announced at release time
Tennessee Independent Spirit Award - Feature Length Film The Deagol Brothers Make-out with Violence
Tennessee Independent Spirit Award - Short Film Stewart Copeland Jennifer
Best Young Filmmaker Arni Beinteinn Arnason Eye for an Eye
Lonely Seal Releasing Feature Film Award - Not announced at release time.
Rosetta Miller Perry Award for Best Black Filmmaker Giancarlo Esposito Gospel Hill
GLBT Film Award Alison Reid The Baby Formula
2009 President's Impact Award William Shatner
NPT Human Spirit Award Joe Berlinger Crude
The REEL Current Award Mai Iskander Garbage Dreams
Governor's Award Dixie Carter
Lifetime Achievement Award Hal Holbrook
Best Feature-Length Film Directed by a Woman Yulene Olaizola Shakespeare and Victor Hugo's Intimacies
Coleman Sinking Creek Award Les Blank