AFI FEST Announces Jury and Audience Award Winners

AFI FEST 2014 presented by Audi today announced this year’s Jury and Audience Awards for features and short films included in the festivals New Auteur and Shorts programs. The New Auteurs section highlights first and second-time feature film directors and the Shorts selections represent diverse and varied international perspectives. Grand Jury Awards were presented to SELF MADE (BOREG), which received the New Auteurs Critics’ Award, and to THE TRIBE (PLEMYA), which received the VIZIO Visionary Special Jury Award. BUFFALO JUGGALOS by Scott Cummings received the Live Action Short Award, and YEARBOOK by Bernardo Britto received the Animated Short Award. Special Jury Award winners went to GÜEROS and VIOLET. RED ARMY, GÜEROS, 10,000 KM and THE MIDNIGHT SWIM received Audience Awards.

Select award-winning films will screen again today at the Chinese 6 Theatres. Admission is available to AFI FEST 2014 pass holders and the general public via the rush line, which begins forming one hour before each film’s scheduled screening start time. For screening times visit AFI.com/AFIFEST.

“The films in competition have screened at other festivals throughout the year and AFI FEST is the place where they are presented together in the context of showcasing bold, original and audacious auteur work from new filmmakers,” said Jacqueline Lyanga, Director of AFI FEST. “We hope the recognition from our jury of film critics will lead audiences to discover these films.”

NEW AUTEURS CRITICS’ AWARD

The New Auteurs section highlights first and second-time feature film directors from around the world. This year’s New Auteurs jury featured Alonso Duralde (The Wrap), Tim Grierson (Screen International), Eric Kohn (IndieWire) and Anne Thompson (Thompson on Hollywood).

New Auteurs Critics’ Award: SELF MADE (BOREG). DIR Shira Geffen. Israel

VIZIO Visionary Special Jury Award
Presented in recognition of the extraordinary visual storytelling in their film. The winner will receive the all-new VIZIO P-Series Ultra HD Smart TV and Sound Bar System.
THE TRIBE (PLEMYA). DIR Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy. Ukraine

“What a fantastic way to end the festival. We are thrilled that our audiences responded so strongly to the film line up,” said Lane Kneedler, Associate Director of Programming of AFI FEST. “I am also especially thrilled that our jury gravitated towards such bold and visionary filmmakers.”

GRAND JURY AWARDS, LIVE ACTION AND ANIMATED SHORT

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST Grand Jury Award winners in the Live Action and Animated Shorts categories as qualifiers for the annual Academy Awards Short Film category. The Shorts jury featured Kahlil Joseph (filmmaker), Sara Murphy (producer), Mike Ott (filmmaker), Matthew Takata (Sundance Institute) and Brian Udovich (producer) (AFI class of 2004).

Grand Jury Award for Live Action Short: BUFFALO JUGGALOS. DIR Scott Cummings. USA

Grand Jury Award for Animated Short: YEARBOOK DIR Bernardo Britto. USA

AUDIENCE AWARDS

World Cinema Audience Award: RED ARMY. DIR Gabe Polsky. USA, Russia

New Auteurs Audience Award: GÜEROS. DIR Alonso Ruizpalacios. Mexico

American Independents Audience Award: 10,000 KM. DIR Carlos Marques-Marcet. Spain, USA. (award accompanied by a $60,000 Panavision grant)

Breakthrough Audience Award (award accompanied by a $5,000 cash prize):
THE MIDNIGHT SWIM. DIR Sarah Adina Smith. USA.

The complete AFI FEST 2014 program included 120 films (75 features, 45 shorts), representing 39 countries.

The Opening Night Gala was the World Premiere of J.C. Chandor’s A MOST VIOLENT YEAR. The Closing Night Gala is Bennett Miller’s FOXCATCHER, which screens Thursday at the Dolby Theatre.

The many highlights of the festival included a special Tribute to Sophia Loren with a presentation of MARRIAGE ITALIAN STYLE (MATRINONIO ALL’ITALIANA); a Surprise Screening of AMERICAN SNIPER from director Clint Eastwood; a first look at SELMA featuring a conversation with producers Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner; director Ava DuVernay and actor David Oyelowo following a standing room only screening of the film in its entirety.

The fest also included The Hollywood Reporter’s Indie Contenders Roundtable moderated by columnist and blogger Scott Feinberg featuring panelists director/writer J.C. Chandor (A MOST VIOLENT YEAR); director/writer Damien Chazelle (WHIPLASH); actress Marion Cotillard (TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT); actor Jake Gyllenhaal (NIGHTCRAWLER); actor Bill Hader (THE SKELETON TWINS); actress Michelle Monaghan (FORT BLISS); actress Kristen Stewart (STILL ALICE); and actress Tilda Swinton (SNOWPIERCER); an engaging conversation On Acting with actors Michael Keaton and Edward Norton co-stars in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s current release, BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE); a Conversation on Cinematography with Roger Deakins (UNBROKEN, A BEAUTIFUL MIND, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, SKYFALL) legendary cinematographer and 11-time Oscarnominee, Deakins shared his wisdom and expertise in a discussion about the art of cinematography; a special presentation by Paul Thomas Anderson of the underground cult classic documentary MONDO HOLLYWOOD which was listed by the critically acclaimed director as a chief inspiration and influence on his latest film, INHERENT VICE, an AFI FEST Gala presentation; and the Los Angeles Times’ Young Hollywood Roundtable featuring Joey King (FARGO, TV Series), Logan Lerman (THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER), Jena Malone (THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY) and Jenny Slate (OBVIOUS CHILD) participated in a lively discussion with the Times’ Amy Kaufman on life in the industry and being thrust into the limelight.

Several international filmmakers and cast members were in attendance, including Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, the directors of Belgium’s official Foreign Language Film Oscar submission TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT (DEUX JOURS, UNE NUIT) with star Marion Cotillard; Xavier Dolan, the director of MOMMY, Canada’s official Foreign Language Film Oscar submission; Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, the directors of THE SALT OF THE EARTH; Bertrand Bonello, the director of France’s official Foreign Language Film Oscar submission SAINT LAURENT with star Gaspard Ulliel; Paolo Virzì, the director of HUMAN CAPITAL (IL CAPITALE UMANO); Italy’s official Foreign Language Film Oscar submission; Shlomi Elkabetz, the director of GETT, THE TRIAL OF VIVIANE AMSALEM, Israel’s official Foreign Language Film Oscar submission; Ukrainian director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy, director of The Tribe (Pleyma), along with the film’s star Yana Novikova; director Shim Sung-bo, the director of Korea’s official Foreign Language Film Oscar submission HAEMOO, Andrey Zvyagintsev, the director of Russia’s official Foreign Language Film Oscar submission; Damián Szifrón, director of Argentina’s official Foreign Language Film Oscar submission WILD TALES; Viggo Mortensen, the star of JAUJA; Timothy Spall, who won the Best Actor award at Cannes for his performance in MR. TURNER; French director Mia Hansen-Løve with EDEN, along with cast member Félix De Givry, Abderrahmane Sissako, the director of TIMBUKTU, Mauritania’s official Foreign Language Film Oscar submission, Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement of WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS; Marc Zinga, star of Toronto’s Discovery Prize winner MAY ALLAH BLESS FRANCE! (QU’ALLAH BENISSE LA FRANCE!); and Karidja Touré, the star of GIRLHOOD (BANDE DE FILLES).