AFI FEST 2014 Unveils Jury and Audience Awards Winners

AFI FEST 2014 revealed the features and short film winners of this year’s Jury and Audience Awards today in Los Angeles. 

The New Auteurs section welcomed the discovery of talented first and second-time filmmakers who should be tracked by Hollywood. This excellent program of ten films was juried by Alonso Duralde (The Wrap), Tim Grierson (Screen International), Eric Kohn (Indiewire) and Anne Thompson (Thompson on Hollywood). 

The Shorts jury featured Kahlil Joseph (filmmaker), Sara Murphy (producer), Mike Ott (filmmaker), Matthew Takata (Sundance Institute) and Brian Udovich (producer). 

On the features side, Grand Jury Awards were presented to acclaimed Berlinale premiere (and AFI New Auteurs Audience winner) “Self Made,” Cannes hit “The Tribe,” gifted “Violent” DP Nicolas Karakatsanis and the Mexican “Gueros” screenwriters. Pay attention to these filmmakers.

The full list of winners, included juried short film prizes and Audience Awards, is below. Winners will be encore-screened at AFI Fest throughout the day.

AFI Fest also launched world premieres “A Most Violent Year,” “Selma” and “American Sniper” into the Oscar race. 

READ MORE: “Selma” and “American Sniper”: One Sings, the Other Doesn’t

READ MORE: Why AFI Opener “A Most Violent Year” Isn’t an Oscar Contender

NEW AUTEURS WINNERS

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

VIZIO Visionary Special Jury Award: THE TRIBE (PLEMYA). DIR Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy. Ukraine.  (Presented in recognition of the extraordinary visual storytelling in their film.)

Special Jury Mention for Screenwriting: GÜEROS. SCR Alonso Ruizpalacios, Gibran Portela. Mexico. 

Special Jury Mention for Cinematography: VIOLET. CIN Nicolas Karakatsanis. Netherlands, Belgium. 

GRAND JURY AWARDS, LIVE ACTION AND ANIMATED SHORT 

Grand Jury Prize for Live Action Short: BUFFALO JUGGALOS

Grand Jury Prize for Animated Short: YEARBOOK by Bernardo Britto

Special Jury Prize for Collection: David O’Reilly for CHILDREN’S SONG, NDA and WRONG NUMBER 

Special Jury Prize for Breakthrough Filmmaker: Joe Callander for GARY HAS AN AIDS SCARE 

Special Jury Prize for Vision: Kevin Jerome Everson for SOUND THAT 

Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Direction: Morgan Knibbe for SHIPWRECK

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. 

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

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