The 49th Ann Arbor Film Festival (AAFF) wrapped up this past weekend, and as usual, the country’s premier venue for experimental and avant-garde film did not disappoint. The festival screened more than 180 films, and 70 filmmakers and special guests were in attendance. Highlights included a special interactive performance by Telcosystems.
Filmmakers from all over the globe, including China, North Korea, Spain, France, and England were all in competition for the awards handed out by the jury, composed of Rebecca Meyers, Stephen Connolly, and Vanessa Renwick.
A list of the winners from the 49th AAFF:
Ken Burns Award Best of the Festival - $3,000
“Jan Villa” (Natasha Mendonca, 2010)
Stan Brakhage Film at Wit’s End Award - $1,000
“Drifter” (Timoleon Wilkins, 2010)
Gus Van Sant Award Best Experimental Film - $1,000
“In The Absence of Light, Darkness Prevails” (Fern Silva, 2010)
Michael Moore Award Best Documentary Film - $1,000
“Disorder” (Huang Weikai, 2009)
Lawrence Kasdan Award Best Narrative Film - $1,000
“Home Movie” (Braden King, 2009)
Chris Frayne Award Best Animated Film - $1,000
“Hand Soap” (Kei Oyama, 2009)
The Barbara Aronofsky Latham Award Emerging Experimental Video Artist - $1,000
“I Touched Her Legs” (Eva Marie Rødbro, 2010)
Prix DeVarti Funniest Film - $1,000
“The Mechanism of Spring” (Atsushi Wada, 2010)
“In A Pig’ s Eye” (Atsushi Wada, 2010)
Art & Science Award - $750
“Trypps #7” (Badlands) (Ben Russell, 2010)
Peter Wilde Award Most Technically Innovative Film - $500
“These Hammers Don’ t Hurt Us” (Michael Robinson, 2010)
\aut\FI LM Award Best LGBT Film - $500
“Covered” (John Greyson, 2009)
Award for Best Sound Design - $500
“Get Out Of The Car” (Thom Andersen, 2010)
Kodak/Grace & Wild Imaging Award for Best Cinematography - $3,000
[$1,500 of film plus $1,500 processing]
“Castaic Lake” (Brigid McCaffrey, 2010)
Tom Berman Award Most Promising Filmmaker - $1,000
“Aliki” (Richard Wiebe, 2010)
George Manupelli Founder’s Spirit Award - $500
“A Family Portrait” (Joseph Pierce, 2009)
The Eileen Maitland Award - $500
“Hepworth” (Alexis Bravos, 2011)
The No Violence Award - $512
“Atlantiques” (Mati Diop, 2010)
Award for Best International Film - $500
“Vargtimmen - After a Scene by Ingmar Bergman” (Georg Tiller, 2010)
Award for Best Music Video - $500
“I Say Fever (Ramona Falls)” (Stefan Nadelman, 2009)
Jury Awards (named by jurors):
The Radiant Grace Award - $550
“Little Brother” (Callum Cooper, 2010)
The Flood of Love Award - $500
“The Florestine Collection” (Helen Hill, Paul Gailiunas, 2011)
The Looking and Listening Award - $200 (each)
“Broad Channel” (Sarah J. Christman, 2010)
“New Year Sun” (Jonathan Schwartz, 2010)
The Innie Outie Award - $200
“PINK” (Soon-Mi Yoo, 2011)
The On the Fly Award - $200
“Ray’s Birds” (Deborah Stratman, 2010)
The Double Documentary Award - $200
“28.IV.81 (Descending Figures)” (Christopher Harris, 2011)
The Actuality Award - $200
“Make It New, John” (Duncan Campbell, 2009)
