Tribeca Film Festival has announced the award winners for its 15th annual run. The fest is still running until April 24, and you can read all of our interviews with female filmmakers at Tribeca here.
Some of the notable female winners include Rachel Tunnard, who took the fest’s coveted Nora Ephron Prize. Her film “Adult Life Skills” opens in the U.K. in June, but has no U.S. release date yet, though that status may not be for long. Ingrid Jungermann won the Best Screenplay award for her film “Women Who Kill,” which will certainly take its place among fans of “Serial” and “Making a Murderer.”
“We are proud to celebrate the winning filmmakers, artists and creators from our 15th edition,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, Tribeca Film Festival. “Their stories have entertained, inspired and challenged us to think about the world and we are grateful to them for sharing their work with us.”
U.S. Narrative Competition:
Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film
Mackenzie Davis in “Always Shine.” The award was given by Mya Taylor.
Jury Comment: “For the unapologetic, fierce, brave, compelling and vulnerable portrayal.”
Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film
“Women Who Kill” written by Ingrid Jungermann.
Jury Comment: “As Miles Davis said, ‘The hardest thing is to be original.’ This unique and deftly hilarious tale told in Brooklyn is from a fresh voice and a true original.”
International Narrative Feature Competition:
Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature Film
Radhika Apte in “Clean Shaven,” a part of “Madly.”
Jury Comment: “This award goes to an actress who has conveyed bravery and emotional depth in different relationships around her. A contemporary story that breaks through established culture.”
Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature Film
“Perfect Strangers” written by Filippo Bologna, Paolo Costella, Paolo Genovese, Paola Mammini and Rolando Ravello.
Jury Comment: “This award goes to a well-crafted, entertaining scenario, with deep character development. It’s an original story about private lives and hidden secrets.”
Best New Narrative Director Competition:
Best New Narrative Director
Priscilla Anany, director of “Children of the Mountain” (USA, Ghana).
Jury Comments: “So many of the films we had the pleasure of viewing were expertly directed and worthy of recognition. The winning director presents a fearless and heart wrenching tale of an embattled mother’s high stakes journey to heal her sick child and ultimately herself. The film delicately and powerfully directs us through an emotionally resonant story that is dark for truthful reasons and simultaneously hopeful. The best new narrative director award goes to Priscilla Anany for ‘Children of the Mountain.’”
Short Film Competition Categories:
Best Narrative Short
“Hold On” (Houvast), directed by Charlotte Scott-Wilson (Netherlands).
Jury Comments: “The jury was moved by one particular film because it is simultaneously about the price of performance, and the entirely unique idea that the protagonist’s musical performance itself succeeds on the back of her own self-doubt, torture and anxiety. We were also blown away by the remarkable performance of the lead actress in both her emotional depth combined with her musical proficiency.”
The Nora Ephron Prize
Rachel Tunnard, director, writer and editor of “Adult Life Skills” (U.K.).
Jury Comments: “We selected someone whose originality of voice, deft handling of tone, assured visual and editorial style, and moving poetic screenplay combined to make us feel from the opening sequence that we were in good hands. She made a tiny — even miniaturized — world, seem vast. She handled grief in a wholly unique way. Using wit and emotional restraint to pull the audience in. And make us root for our protagonist to blow up the shed!”
Originally published at blogs.indiewire.com on April 22, 2016.
