Film
2020 MFF Awards Announced!
The Montclair Film Festival today announced the winners of the festival’s 2020 film competitions, Audience Awards, and Junior Jury prizes. Montclair Film will be making several award winners available on the Montclair Film Virtual Cinema platform for one day only, Monday, October 26, 2020, and encourage our audiences to explore the festival’s award winning films.
Feature Film Jury Awards
THERE IS NO EVIL, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, was awarded the festival’s Fiction Feature Prize, with Pierre de Villers receiving a Special Jury Prize for Cinematography for Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese’s THIS IS NOT A BURIAL, IT’S A RESURRECTION, and Paula Beer receiving a Special Jury Prize for Acting for her performance in Christian Petzold’s UNDINE.
The Fiction jury was comprised of Scott Mantz (Film Critic), Clarence Moye (Awards Daily), and Alison Stewart (WNYC / All of It with Alison Stewart).
US KIDS, directed by Kim A. Snyder, took home the festival’s top Documentary Competition prize, the Bruce Sinofsky Award, in the festival’s Documentary Feature competition. This award was established in memory of filmmaker and longtime Montclair resident Bruce Sinofsky. A Special Jury Prize for The Pursuit of Justice was awarded to COLLECTIVE, directed by Alexander Nanau.
The Documentary Feature Competition jury was comprised of Alex Billington (First Showing), Kerensa Cadenas (The Cut / New York Magazine), and Joey Magidson (AwardsRadar).
FREELAND, directed by Mario Furloni and Kate McLean, was awarded with the Mark Urman Award For Fiction Filmmaking in the festival’s Future/Now competition, featuring a $5000 cash prize, and over $42,000 in in-kind filmmaking services, honoring emerging low-budget American independent filmmaking. This award was established in 2019 in memory of the film distribution executive Mark Urman, a longtime Montclair resident, and funded through Montclair Film’s Mark Urman Award Fund.
The Future/Now Competition Jury was comprised of Deborah Davis (Author), Jeva Lange (The Week), and Wilson Morales (BlackFilmandTV).
THE ANTIDOTE, directed by Kahane Cooperman and John Hoffman, took home the New Jersey Films Competition prize, with TWO GODS directed Zeshawn Ali awarded a Special Jury Prize for Cinematography. This category honors a select group of non-fiction films made by New Jersey artists.
The New Jersey Films Competition jury was comprised of Amy Kuperinsky (New Jersey Star Ledger), and Rafael Motamayor (The Playlist).
As previously announced, A THOUSAND CUTS, directed by Ramona Diaz, took home the 6th Annual David Carr Award for Truth in Non-Fiction Filmmaking, which honors a filmmaker, selected by the festival, who utilizes journalistic techniques to explore important contemporary subjects and is presented in honor of Mr. Carr’s commitment to reporting on the media.
Each year, The Montclair Film Festival welcomes our Junior Jury, made up of thirteen area High School students representing twelve area schools.The Junior Jury awarded their top prize to THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM, directed by Daniel Gordon, with a Special Jury Prize to Johan Johnsson For Excellence in Sound Design to I AM GRETA, directed by Nathan Grossman
Short Film Jury Awards
ANNA, directed by Dekel Berenson, won the festival’s inaugural Fiction Short Film Competition, with EXAM, directed by Sonia K. Hadad, awarded a Special Jury Prize for Narrative Excellence. The Fiction Shorts jury was comprised of Scott Mantz (Film Critic), Clarence Moye (Awards Daily), and Alison Stewart (WNYC / All of It with Alison Stewart).
FEED THE BEARS, directed by Jessie Auritt, won the festival’s inaugural Documentary Short Film Competition. The Documentary Shorts jury was comprised of Alex Billington (First Showing), Kerensa Cadenas (The Cut / New York Magazine), and Joey Magidson (AwardsRadar).
GRAMERCY, directed by Jamil McGinnis and Pat Heywood, won the festival’s Inaugural New Jersey Shorts competition for Fiction, with the Non-Fiction Award given to VIRTUALLY FREE, directed by André Robert Lee. The Competition featured films in the fiction and non-fiction categories from New Jersey. The New Jersey Shorts Competition jury was comprised of Amy Kuperinsky (New Jersey Star Ledger), and Rafael Motamayor (The Playlist).
Audience Awards
The Audience Award for Fiction Feature was awarded to NOMADLAND, directed by Chloé Zhao
The Audience Award for Non-Fiction Feature was awarded to DEREK DELGAUDIO’S IN & OF ITSELF, directed by Frank Oz
The Audience Award for World Cinema was awarded to TWO OF US, directed by Filippo Meneghetti
The Audience Award for Short Film was awarded to LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE: THE SAMMY GLADDEN STORY, directed by Mackenzie Robertson