Film Fest announces winners, rolls credits

The Sonoma International Film Festival’s 18th edition came to a rousing close Sunday night following five spectacular days that featured a wide variety of films from around the world, infused with gourmet food and the best of local wines.

“We are already looking forward to our 19th,” said Festival Executive Director Kevin W. McNeely. “Thie year we reached a new high of films from around the world, filmmakers who will make a difference in our lives and a lot of fun memories from the Backlot Tent. See you next year!”

FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS

Best American Independent Feature:

The Young Kieslowski, directed by Kerem Sanga
At Caltech, two awkward virgins hook up (drunkenly), fall in love (maybe), and get pregnant (twins). Suddenly parents-to-be, Brian Kieslowski and Leslie Mallard must heroically battle their own neuroses, while trying to figure out what the hell they should do next.

Best World Feature:

Dukhtar, directed by Afia Nathaniel
The starkly beautiful and forbidding mountains of Pakistan provide the setting for the first feature from award-winning filmmaker Afia Nathaniel, a gripping drama about the power of maternal love in a land ruled by tribal honor.

Best Documentary Feature:

Far from Home, directed by Galen Knowles
Ugandan Brolin Mawejje’s life has been a tumultuous journey of highs and lows, rejection and acceptance. With the support of his community, Brolin is realizing his potential as an Olympian and as a doctor with dreams of building a hospital in his country’s capital.

Best Narrative Short:

God Has His Head in the Clouds, directed by Gianluca Sodaro
In a small country chapel, an elderly local priest is kneeling in prayer. He is alone until he turns around to find 11-year-old Angelina standing behind him. She has an inquisitive look in her eyes. Who is this little girl? Why is she there?

Best Documentary Short:

Fish Out of Water, directed by Cindy Allen
For over 30 years, Paola Navone’s unique designs have shattered convention. Cindy Allen, editor in chief of Interior Design magazine, introduces Navone’s boundless creativity from Italian avant-garde to contemporary mainstream.

Best Animated Short:

Wirecutters, directed by Jack Anderson
A chance encounter proves fateful for two robots mining on a desolate planet.

AUDIENCE FAVORITE WINNERS

The Stolman Audience Award of $1000 for Best American Independent Feature:

The Week, directed by John W. Mann and Jon Gunn
A washed up TV host whose wife leaves him the day before their week-long ten year anniversary celebration in wine country, finds himself alone with his thoughts, his dog, a bunch of catered food and a ton of booze. So he decides to do all of the events he had planned for the week-long celebration – by himself.

A³ Audience Award of $1000 for Best Documentary:

Cowspiracy, directed by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn
The world’s largest environmental organizations are failing to address the single most destructive force facing the planet today. Follow the shocking, yet humorous, journey of an aspiring environmentalist, as he daringly seeks to find the real solution to the most pressing environmental issues and true path to sustainability.

A³ Audience Award of $1000 for World Cinema:

Sold, directed by Jeffrey Brown
Lakshmi is a twelve year-old Nepali girl who is sold into prostitution after a monsoon destroys her family’s rice paddy. Her life becomes a living nightmare. She escapes this harsh reality in her dreams of her mountain home and her memories of her mother. Lakshmia’s strength and dignity give us hope that an end to slavery is possible.

Jury members this year included Anne Chaisson, Executive Director of The Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF), JD Heyman, Deputy Editor (Entertainment) of PEOPLE Magazine, for Features. Ajay Gehlawat, Associate Professor of Theatre and Film at Sonoma State University, Lia Rinaldo, Events Managing Director for The Food Film Fest in Wolfville, Nova Scotia and Devour! The Beach in the Bahamas. Angela Sun, award-winning television host/journalist and film director for Documentaries. Nancy Collet, founder of Cinema Collet, and E. Barry Haldeman, entertainment attorney with Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP.