Documentary Insider

My friends at Friends of Film are showing a super series of films:

Friends of Film presents:
Back From the Dance Film Series
Six Saturday Nights starting Feb 11, 2006 at Hollywood’s Raleigh Studios
Chaplin Theater
7 pm

February 11th they’re gonna show the Academy Award nominated short docs. A perfect opportunity to see ’em before you watch the Oscars! Plus some of the filmmakers will be there.

God Sleeps in Rwanda
Directed by Kimberlee Acquaro, Stacy Sherman
30 minutes
The 1994 Rwandan genocide left the country nearly 70%
female handing Rwanda’s women an extraordinary burden
and an unprecedented opportunity. An inspiring story of loss and redemption GOD SLEEPS IN RWANDA captures the spirit of five courageous women as they rebuild their lives, redefining women’s roles in Rwandan society and bringing hope to a wounded nation.
Filmmakers in attendance

A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin
Directed by Eric Simonson
40 minutes
Norman Corwin, radios poet laureate, made an indelible impact on American culture with his broadcast of ON A NOTE OF TRIUMPH on V-E Day, May 8th, 1945. This film is an examination of the greatest radio presentation in the history of the medium and how it remains eerily prescient in light of today’s current events.

The Death of Kevin Carter: Casualty of the Bang Bang Club
Director/Producer – Dan Krauss
27 minutes
The turbulent story of South African photojournalist Kevin Carter, who won the New York Times its first Pulitzer Prize in photography in 1994, then committed suicide just weeks later.
Filmmaker in attendance.

The Mushroom Club
Directed by Steven Okazaki
35 minutes, 35mm
Twenty-five years ago, in his documentary Survivors, Steven Okazaki interviewed men and women who had lived through the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In 2005, he returns to this subject and its many unresolved questions to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing.

The Mushroom Club offers an urgent reminder of the destructive legacy of war, and a plea for more thoughtful engagement. The film’s subjects include a 90-year-old survivor who collects the melted glass and metal that still washes ashore in Hiroshima, and members of “The Mushroom Club,” a support group created for children born with defects caused by nuclear contamination.

Both a personal reflection and a moving portrait of the city and people of Hiroshima, The Mushroom Club explores the legacy of the bombing, from its myths and monuments to its survivors, to the complex politics of pacifism and militarization which Japan still struggles with today.

Tix are $75 for the series of six nights or $15 for single program, if available.

Email Bob@FriendsOfFilm.com for more info.

Here are the docs. You can see the whole she-bang here.

SPOTLIGHT PREMIERES
Al Franken in God Spoke
Dir: Nick Doob and Chris Hegedus
A cinema verite pursuit of Al Franken, shot over the course of two years, the film follows the former SNL writer turned political attack dog from his feud with Bill O’Reilly to the 2004 Presidential election. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Fired!
Dir: Chris Bradley and Kyle LaBrache; Featuring: Annabelle Gurwitch, David Cross, Illeana Douglas, Bob Odenkirk, Jeff Garlin, Andy Dick
After being fired by Woody Allen, Gurwitch set out – with the help of some famous faces – to look at what it means to be both hired and fired as an American worker in the global economy. (WORLD PREMIERE)

The Life of Reilly
Dir: Barry Poltermann and Frank Anderson
Popular character actor and TV staple, Charles Nelson Reilly, delivers the final performance of his touching and hilarious one-man show. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Nobelity
Dir: Turk Pipkin
Pipkin travels the world chatting with living Nobel Prize winners, to get their perspective on the world today. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Patriot Act
Dir: Jeffrey Ross
A stand-up comedian documents his trip to Iraq when he and other entertainers make their way abroad for a USO tour. (U.S. PREMIERE)

RANK
Dir: John Hyams.
A beautifully textured documentary look at one year in professional bull riding, and the effect it has on the personal lives of those who compete. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Tales of the Rat Fink
Dir: Ron Mann
In this fun and comprehensive history, John Goodman narrates a journey through the cult status and international influence of hot-rod designer Ed ‘Big Daddy’ Roth, creator of the popular Rat Fink character. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Who the $#%& is Jackson Pollock?
Dir: Harry Moses
A documentary following the adventures of a 73 year-old truck driver, after she buys what some believe is a Jackson Pollock painting, for five dollars at a thrift shop. (WORLD PREMIERE)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
Autumn’s Eyes
Dir: Paola Mendoza & Gabriel Noble
This is life through the eyes of a 3-year-old girl as she tries to navigate her way through a life of poverty, her teenage mother’s incarceration, and foster care. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Darkon
Dir: Andrew Neel & Luke Meyer
A serious look into the bizarre and fascinating world of Darkon, a full-contact medieval fantasy group, active in the Baltimore area since 1985. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Jam
Dir: Mark Woollen
The story of the American Roller Derby League, a group of over-the-hill roller derby skaters from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s who are determined to reclaim their former glory. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Maxed Out
Dir: James Scurlock
A disturbing and hilarious glimpse at what makes Americans addicted to credit card debt. (WORLD PREMIERE)

My Country, My Country
Dir: Laura Poitras
The agonizing predicament and gradual descent of one man caught in the middle of the tragic contradictions of US occupation in Iraq and its project to spread democracy in the Middle East. (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE)

OilCrash
Dir: Basil Gepke & Ray McCormack
A stylish and sobering exploration of the dwindling oil resources of the world, and what the globe’s experts predict for the future. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Shadow Company
Dir: Nick Bicanic
A candid look at the world of private militaries around the world, as corporations increasingly hire modern-day mercenaries to fight wars. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Summercamp!
Dir: Bradley Beesley & Sarah Price
Within the subculture of the unusual Swift Nature Camp, the filmmakers capture raw emotions through rituals, homesickness, and counselor mutiny. (WORLD PREMIERE)

EMERGING VISIONS
Bata-ville: We Are Not Afraid of the Future
Dir: Nina Pope & Karen Guthrie
A bittersweet record of a road trip (with many former employees) to the origins of the Bata shoe empire in the Czech Republic. (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE)

Cruel and Unusual
Dir: Janet Baus, Dan Hunt, and Reid Williams
An unflinching look at the lives of male-to-female transsexual women in men’s prisons in the United States. (WORLD PREMIERE)

High Score
Dir: Jeremy Mack
Although technology has left them behind, a group of die-hard gamers still struggles to set high scores on classic arcade games in this entertaining documentary. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Lifelike
Dir: Tally Abecassisbr /> A documentary look at the fascinating and increasingly-mainstream world of stuffing and mounting dead animals. (U.S. PREMIERE)

Manhattan, Kansas
Dir: Tara Wray
A first-person documentary feature told from the POV of a daughter coping with her mentally unstable mother. (WORLD PREMIERE)

24 BEATS PER SECOND
Air Guitar Nation
Dir: Alexandra Lipsitz
From New York to L.A. all the way to Northern Finland, this is a chronicle of the rise of the U.S. Air Guitar Championships through the eyes of former world champions, fans, and media. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Awesome: I Fuckin’ Shot That!
Dir: Nathaniel Hornblower; Featuring: The Beastie Boys
A live performance creatively captured by audience members during a Beastie Boys concert at Madison Square Garden.

Before the Music Dies
Dir: Andrew Shapter; Featuring: Erykah Badu, Dave Matthews, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton
Two music fans use insight from musicians and industry to investigate American music: it’s rich past, troubled present, and bright future. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Crazy Again
Dir: Zalman King; Featuring: Dale Watson, Hank Williams III
Texas Music Hall of Fame inductee Dale Watson reveals the story of going crazy with grief after the death of his girlfriend. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Danielson: A Family Movie
Dir: JL Aronson; Featuring: Danielson Famile, Sufjan Stevens
A songwriter leads his family to indie rock stardom, eventually facing the struggles of a solo career and a protégé who finds greater commercial success. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Herbie Hancock: Possibilities
Dir: Alex Gibney; Featuring: Herbie Hancock, Sting, Annie Lennox, Carlos Santana
This is a look at jazz legend Herbie Hancock, as he collaborates with an all-star roster to record a new project, while reflecting on his history and influence. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Los Lonely Boys: Cottonfields and Crossroads
Dir: Hector Galan
Three Mexican-American brothers from West Texas rock their way out of poverty, determined to fulfill their father’s dream. (WORLD PREMIERE)

LoudQUIETloud: A Film about the Pixies
Dir: Steve Cantor & Matt Galkin
This documentary chronicles the highly-anticipated and rather unlikely 2005 reunion tour of one of indie rock’s most beloved bands. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Metal: A Headbandger’s Journey
Dir: Sam Dunn, Scot McFadyen, Jessica Joy Wise; Featuring: Tony Iommi, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Dee Snider, Vince Neil, Lemmy, Lamb of God, Slipknot
A window for the outsider into a culture that has been consistently stereotyped and widely dismissed, yet passionately loved by millions. (U.S. PREMIERE)

The Passing Show
Dir: Rupert Williams & James Mackie; Featuring: Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, Ian McLagan
A comprehensive look at Small Faces member Ronnie Lane as an entertainer, songwriter, and legend. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Pick Up The Mic
Dir: Alex Hinton; Featuring: Juba Kalamka, Dutchboy, Johnny Dangerous
A startling and fast-paced documentary on the world of gay, lesbian, and trans-gendered rappers.

Punk Like Me
Dir: Zach Merck
When a man cons his way onto the Warped Tour, as a 37 year-old amateur punk rock singer, he finally gets to fulfill his rock star fantasies. (WORLD PREMIERE)

The Refugee All-Stars
Dir: Zach Niles & Banker White; Featuring: Rueben M. Koroma, Efuh Grace Ampomah, Francis John Langba

Suffering & Smiling
Dir: Dan Ollman; Featuring: Femi Kuti
(WORLD PREMIERE)

LONE STAR STATES
Letters From the Other Side
Dir: Heather Courtney
Video letters carried across the US/Mexico border by the film’s director with the personal stories of women left behind in post-NAFTA Mexico.

The Other Side
Dir: Bill Brown
A two thousand-mile roadtrip along the US-Mexico border, happening in an age of homeland insecurity. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Slam Planet: War of the Words
Dir: Mike Henry & Kyle Fuller
Film crews follow various slam poetry teams, as they become bound and determined to win the national competition. (WORLD PREMIERE)

State vs. Reed
Dir: Ryan Polomski, Frank Bustoz
A captivating look at one man’s battle with the legal system. (WORLD PREMIERE)

TV Junkie
Dir: Michael Cain & Matt Radecki
A Texas-based “extreme sports” reporter records 3,000 hours of his dizzying and conflicted life, split between a happy family and troubling secret.

‘ROUND MIDNIGHT
American Hardcore
Dir: Paul Rachman
This documentary is a comprehensive and chaotic visual history of the underground scene of the American hardcore punk movement.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Dir: Scott Glosserman
Leslie Vernon, the great psycho-slasher upstart, has given a documentary crew exclusive access to his life as he plans his reign of terror over the next unfortunate little town.
(WORLD PREMIERE)

Fuck
Dir: Steve Anderson; Featuring: Alanis Morissette, Drew Carey, Sam Donaldson, Alan Keyes, Chuck D, Pat Boone, Bill Maher
A documentary look at the infamous “F word,” from both the liberal and conservative perspective.

This Film Is Not Yet Rated
Dir: Kirby Dick
This documentary is a provocative investigation of the people, places, and decisions that constitute the movie ratings board.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS
51 Birch Street
Dir: Doug Block
Do we ever really know our parents? And if we were suddenly given the chance to know all about them, would we take it?

A/K/A TOMMY CHONG
Dir: Josh Gilbert; Featuring: Tommy Chong, Cheech Marin, Shelby Chong, Bill Maher, Jay Leno
The tragic and absurd journey of legendary counter-culture comedian Tommy Chong who was indicted in a drug paraphernalia sting.

The Heart of the Game
Dir: Ward Serrill
A documentary capturing the passion of a Seattle high school girls’ basketball team.

Infamy
Dir: Doug Pray
Without seeking to glorify it or chronicle its history, a documentary filmmaker turns to visual street culture, traveling into the lives and minds of seven people obsessed with graffiti.

The Last Western
Dir: Chris Deaux
A documentary on the bygone era of the B-western and the colorful citizens of Pioneertown, a dusty outpost on the edge of the Mojave Desert in the shadow of Los Angeles. (WORLD PREMIERE)

Music is My Life, Politics My Mistress
Dir: donnie betts
A documentary look at the life of musician, playwright, and civil rights activist Oscar Brown, Jr.

Neil Young: Heart of Gold
Dir: Jonathan Demme
Demme chronicles a historic concert performed by legendary singer-songwriter Neil Young.

Sisters in Law
Dir: Kim Longinotto & Florence Ayisi
This documentary examines the little town of Kumba, Cameroon, and the fgact that here have been no convictions in spousal abuse cases for 17 years. Thanks to a tough-minded state prosecutor and court president, things may be starting to change.

Small Town Gay Bar
Dir: Malcolm Ingram.
In the face of cruelty, ridicule, and even violence, American homosexuals manage to find sanctuary in the only place they are offered within hundreds of miles: gay bars. This documentary tells their story.

The Treasures of Long Gone John
Dir: Gregg Gibbs
A chronicle of the eccentric art and musical obsessions of a self-described anti-mogul of the music industry, indie record producer Long Gone John.

Wide Awake
Dir: Alan Berliner
Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Berliner examines his years-long bout with insomnia.

Tonight I went to the 2006 Writers Guild Awards Documentary Screenplay Award Ceremony at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. A very lengthy title for an entertaining evening.

Although the WGA couldn’t pay for our drinks or parking, they did put together aimportant event for doc-makers. Appetizers and schmoozing started off the night before we were ushered into the Blossom Room. The room has a lot of history, the first (and second) Academy Award ceremonies were held there.

The audience gets seated in the Blossom Room.

WGAw president, Patric Verrone started the night off with some interesting stats.

• There has been a 90% increase in theatrical release of documentaries in 2005.
• And that last year at the same event he insisted on having a writing credit on docs. This year the number of docs with a writing credit increased by 45%. Way to go Patric!

Patric Verrone gets things going.

He then brought up John Milio, Chair WGAw Nonfiction Writers Caucus. And thus began a night of well-told stories, I mean, who else but writers could really tell it all so well. A joke from Milio:

Three screenwriters walk into a bar…
(beat…wait for it…remember comedy is all in the timing)
nobody gives a shit.

Mark Jonathan Harris then came up to introduce the clips and filmmakers from the nominated films. Here are a few quotes from the nominees…

Cowboy del Amor
Nominee: Michele Ohayon
“Once you find the subject you find the spine of the movie.”
“You have to be able to listen to the characters and let them speak for themselves.”

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Nominee: Alex Gibney
“I broke Rule #1A, never make a film about accounting – and you thought penguins were hard.”
“Enron is a film about asking the right questions.”

The Fall of Fujimori
Nominees: Zack Anderson, Ellen Perry, Kim Roberts
“I didn’t know if I was filming a movie or I was in a movie.” – Ellen Perry

March of the Penguins
Nominees: Michel Fessler & Luc Jacquet (French version), Jordan Roberts (English version)
“When I started writing the script I wanted to show that life was stronger than death.” – Michel Fessler

Street Fight
Nominee: Marshall Curry
“I wanted the narration to feel like it was part of the movie.”

It was refreshing to hear ALL the nominees speak. Everyone seemed very happy to be there and to be a part of this. After the final film had had its say, John Milio brought up James Woods (yes, that James Woods) to award the prize. To be honest I was quite glad that it was the calm and collected Mark Harris introducing all the filmmakers, because I could not have taken much more of James Woods exhausting charm. With intelligence and wit he talked about documentaries, his recent venture into moviemaking and a teeny hotel in London where he lived with Christopher Guest watching documentaries on the BBC about Ethiopian runners. It was a lot of information in a short amount of time and was somehow entrancing. Eventually he opened the envelope and announced the winner Alex Gibney for Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.

Shortly after everyone spilled back into the lobby for cookies and coffee.

It was an elegant evening and one I will look forward to (and will take better pictures at) next year.

A complete list of Winners is available at www.slamdance.com. The exact screening schedule is also available at www.egyptiantheatre.com or at 323.466.FILM. All guests are subject to their availability. All screenings are at the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood (between Las Palmas Ave. & McCadden Place).

THE BEST OF SLAMDANCE – Thursday, February 9, 2006
The Thursday, February 9th program is a 7:30 PM screening of the Grand Jury Award Winner for Best Documentary Feature Empire in Africa (2005, 87 min., USA) which made its World Premiere at Slamdance. Directed by Philippe Diaz. The story of the unjust war the international community waged against civil war stricken Sierra Leone. The prize included a Sony HD camera plus five hours of tape from Media Distributors in conjunction with Sony. The short film Under The Roller Coaster (2005, 15 min., USA), Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short, will precede the feature. Directed by Lila Place. This film is about Mae Timpano, who lived under the famed Thunderbolt Roller Coaster at Coney Island. To thousands, the Thunderbolt Roller Coaster was a Coney Island icon, but for Mae Timpano it was home. This enchanting film examines the true-life experience of one woman and her unique relationship to Coney Island living under the famed Thunderbolt Roller Coaster.

Discussion following with filmmakers subject to availability, with a reception for all ticket buyers.

General admission price: $9. Sr./Student rate is $7 and Cinematheque/IFP /SAG/ WGA/ AIVF/FAF/Filmmakers Alliance Members are $6. Tickets now available at www.fandango.com

AJ Schnack is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles. He’s a on a mission to get the Academy to include the documentary nominee announcement in the live broadcast.

I’m with him!

From AJ Schnack’s blog:

…as of today, March of the Penguins has outgrossed all five nominated films in each of the following categories, all of which were announced this morning live on television:

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Foreign Language Film
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay

In fact, save for the performances of Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, March of the Penguins outgrossed every film in the lead actor categories.

Read his blog here.

The nominations for the 78th Annual Academy Awards were made early this morning in Beverly Hills. The documentary nominees are:

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
DARWIN’S NIGHTMARE
ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM
MARCH OF THE PENGUINS
MURDERBALL
STREET FIGHT

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
THE DEATH OF KEVIN CARTER: CASUALTY OF THE BANG BANG CLUB
GOD SLEEPS IN RWANDA
THE MUSHROOM CLUB
A NOTE OF TRIUMPH: THE GOLDEN AGE OF NORMAN CORWIN

So instead of broadcasting the ENTIRE awards show live from Sundance, the Sundance Channel put together a 30-minute show covering the highlights. You can catch it tonight on Festival Dailies on the Sundance Channel.

And if you missed any of the coverage the Sundance Channel did on Festival Dailies they will be re-airing it over the week. Including interviews with Patrick Creadon director of Wordplay, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg directors of The Trials of Darryl Hunt, and you can even watch the real lost of boys of the Sudan, the subjects of God Grew Tired of Us, sledding down a snowy hill for the first time.

From today’s New York Times.

If you’re not a NYT member you can sign up for free to read the paper online.

Okay – they weren’t televised but my emailbox was just filled with press releases. I was going to edit out the narrative stuff, but decided to leave it in and printed the full press release below.

In short the winners in docs are:
God Grew Tired of Us – Grand Jury Prize: Documentary and Audience Award: Documentary
In The Pit – World Cinema Jury Prize: Documentary
De Nadie (No One) – World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary
Iraq in Fragments – Directing Award (James Longley) and Documentary Film Editing (Billy McMillin, Fiona Otway and James Longley), Excellence in Cinematography (James Longley)
American Blackout – Special Jury Prize
TV Junkie – Special Jury Prize
Into Great Silence – Special Jury Prize in World Cinema: Documentary
Dear Pyongyang – Special Jury Prize in World Cinema: Documentary
Undressing My Mother – Honorable Mentions in Short Filmmaking

From the Sundance press release:

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2006
2006 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES AWARDS FOR DOCUMENTARY AND DRAMATIC FILMS IN INDEPENDENT FILM AND WORLD CINEMA COMPETITIONS

Park City, UT – The winners of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prizes, World Cinema Jury Prizes, and Audience Awards were announced tonight at the closing award ceremony in Park City, Utah. For the first time in the Festival’s history, both the Grand Jury Prizes and Audience Awards for Documentary and Dramatic Competitions were presented to the same two films. The award-winning films were selected by distinguished jurors for the Independent Film Competition: Documentary; Independent Film Competition: Dramatic; World Cinema Competition: Documentary; and World Cinema Competition: Dramatic. Audience Awards were also bestowed on films within each of these categories based on the results of ballots cast by Festival filmgoers. Additionally, the Shorts Jury awarded the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking to an American short and the Jury Prize in International Short Filmmaking to an international short film. The Festival is the premier showcase for American independent film, and an important new platform for international independent film, screening films that embody risk-taking, diversity, and aesthetic innovation.

“On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Sundance Institute and the close of the 22nd Sundance Film Festival, we celebrate the winning artists and their films, and have been fortunate to share their stories, diverse voices, and original aesthetics with our Sundance audiences,” said Geoffrey Gilmore, Director of the Sundance Film Festival. “This year we’ve seen a number of films that deal sensitively with the timely and complex issues of cultural assimilation and community. Clearly, these compelling stories along with the quality of filmmaking have resonated with audiences and jury members alike.”

The Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was given to GOD GREW TIRED OF US, directed by Christopher Quinn. In the late 1980’s, 27,000 Sudanese lost boys marched barefoot over thousands of miles of barren desert, seeking safe haven from the brutal civil war in their homeland. The film chronicles the experiences of three of these boys who seek refuge in the U.S. as they work to adjust to a strange new world.

The Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to QUINCEAÑERA, written and directed by Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer. Disaffected Latino teenagers come of age in a gentrifying community in the Echo Park district of Los Angeles. Westmoreland and Glatzer have molded their mostly unknown ensemble into a tender portrait of a changing world and in doing so, have illuminated modern realities of family and hope.

The World Cinema Jury Prize: Documentary was given to IN THE PIT (Mexico), written and directed by Juan Carlos Rulfo. According to Mexican legend, whenever a bridge is built the devil asks for one soul, in exchange for keeping the bridge standing. This film chronicles the daily lives of the workers building a second deck to Mexico City’s Periferico freeway – their hopes, dreams and struggle for survival.

The World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented to 13 TZAMETI (France), written and directed by Géla Babluani. When the protagonist decides to follow instructions intended for someone else, he finds himself at the brink of human decency, a place whose only inhabitants are the underbelly of society. In his feature debut, Babluani expertly combines story and style.

The Audience Award: Documentary was presented to GOD GREW TIRED OF US, a film directed by Christopher Quinn. The Audience Award: Dramatic winner is QUINCEAÑERA, written and directed by Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer. The Audience Awards are sponsored by Volkswagen of America, and are given to a documentary and a dramatic film screening in competition, as voted by Film Festival audiences.

The World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary was presented to DE NADIE (Mexico), directed by Tin Dirdamal. Maria, a Central American immigrant who is forced to leave her family in search of a better life embarks on the dangerous 1300-mile journey through Mexico to the U.S. Without taking a political stance, the film provides a deeper understanding of the United States’ border crisis and intolerance in Mexican society.

The World Cinema Audience Award: Dramatic was presented to NO. 2 (New Zealand), written and directed by Toa Fraser. Nanna Maria’s family has forgotten how to party. She’s going to change all that, and make them come alive with the heat and passion of the South Pacific.

The World Cinema Audience Awards are given to both an international documentary and dramatic film in the World Cinema Competition as voted by Film Festival audiences.

The 32 American films in the Independent Film Competition are also eligible for a range of other awards.

The Directing Award recognizes excellence in directing for American documentary and dramatic features in the Independent Film Competition. The Documentary Directing Award went to James Longley, director of IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS. The Dramatic Directing Award was presented to Dito Montiel for A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS.

The Excellence in Cinematography Award honors exceptional photography in both a dramatic and documentary film in the Independent Film Competition. James Longley for IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS from the Documentary Competition and Tom Richmond for RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR from the Dramatic Competition received the 2006 Cinematography Awards.

New to the Sundance Film Festival this year is an award recognizing excellence in Documentary Film Editing. Films in the Documentary Competition are eligible for this award. The 2006 prize was given to Billy McMillin, Fiona Otway and James Longley, editors of IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS.

The Dramatic Jury presents the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award for outstanding achievement in writing. The 2006 prize was given to Hilary Brougher for STEPHANIE DALEY.

The Documentary Jury bestowed a Special Jury Prize for AMERICAN BLACKOUT, directed by Ian Inaba and TV JUNKIE, directed by Michael Cain and Matt Radecki.

The Dramatic Jury presented Special Jury Prizes for Best Ensemble Performance for A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS, directed by Dito Montiel and starring Robert Downey, Jr., Shia La Boeuf, Rosario Dawson, Chazz Palminteri, Dianne Wiest and Channing Tatum. The Dramatic Jury also awarded Special Jury Prizes for Independent Vision to IN BETWEEN DAYS directed by So Yong Kim and written by So Yong Kim and Bradley Rust Gray.

The World Cinema Documentary Jury presented Special Jury Prizes to INTO GREAT SILENCE, written and directed by Philip Groening and DEAR PYONGYANG, written and directed by Yonghi Yang.

The World Cinema Dramatic Jury presented a Special Jury Prize to EVE & THE FIRE HORSE, written and directed by Julia Kwan.

The Shorts Jury presented the Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking in a tie to BUGCRUSH, directed by Carter Smith and to THE WRAITH OF COBBLE HILL, directed by Adam Parrish King. The Jury Prize in International Short Filmmaking was given to THE NATURAL ROUTE (Spain), directed by Alex Pastor. The Shorts Jury awarded Honorable Mentions in Short Filmmaking to BEFORE DAWN (Hungary), directed by Bálint Kenyeres; PREACHER WITH AN UNKNOWN GOD, directed by Rob VanAlkemade; and UNDRESSING MY MOTHER (Ireland), directed by Ken Wardrop.

The 2006 Documentary Competition Jurors are Joe Bini, Zana Briski, Andrew Jarecki, Alexander Payne and Heather Rae.

The 2006 Dramatic Competition Jurors are Miguel Arteta, Terrence Howard, Alan Rudolph, Nancy Schreiber, and Audrey Wells.

The 2006 World Cinema Documentary Competition Jurors are Kate Amend, Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and Rachel Perkins.

The 2006 World Cinema Dramatic Competition Jurors are Irene Bignardi, Lu Chuan and Thomas Vinterberg.

The 2006 Shorts Jurors are Georgia Lee, Sydney Neter and John Vanco.

Other awards presented at the ceremony included the Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award and the Alfred P. Sloan Prize.

Now in its tenth year, the Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award was created to honor and support emerging filmmakers with their next screenplays – one each from the United States, Europe and Latin America – who possess the originality, talent and vision to be celebrated as we look to the future of international cinema. The winning filmmakers and projects are: Patrice Toy, THE SPRING RITUAL from Europe; Fernando Eimbcke, LAKE TAHOE from Latin America; Cruz Angeles, DON’T LET ME DROWN from the United States; and Kanji Nakajima, THE CLONE RETURNS TO THE HOMELAND from Japan.

The 2006 Sundance/NHK Jurors are: Wim Wenders, Hector Babenco, Anthony Drazan, Marcos Bernstein, Fiona Mitchell, Joan Tewksberry, Toshio Endo, Yoshio Kakeo, and Shunichi Nagasaki.

The film that received the 2006 Alfred P. Sloan Prize is THE HOUSE OF SAND, directed by Andrucha Waddington and written by Elena Soarez. The Prize carries a $20,000 cash award and is designed to increase the visibility of outstanding independent films on science and technology and to showcase the work of emerging filmmakers tackling compelling topics in science.

This year’s Alfred P. Sloan Selection Committee includes: John Underkoffler, Greg Harrison, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Dr. Martha Farah and Dr. Antonio Damasio.

Festival Sponsors
The 2006 Sundance Film Festival sponsors help sustain Sundance Institute’s year-round programs to support independent artists, inspire risk-taking and encourage diversity in the arts. This year’s Festival community includes: Presenting—Hewlett-Packard Company, Entertainment Weekly, Volkswagen of America, Inc., and Adobe Systems Incorporated; LeadershipSponsors—American Express, Delta Air Lines, DirecTV, Intel Corporation and Sprint; Sustaining Sponsors—Aquafina, Blockbuster Inc., CESAR Food For Small Dogs, L’Oreal Paris, Moviefone, The New York Times, Sony Electronics Inc., Starbucks Coffee Company, Stella Artois®, Turning Leaf Vineyards, and the Utah Film Commission.

Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is the premier showcase for American and international independent film. Held each January in and around Park City, Utah, the Festival is a core program of Sundance Institute, a nonprofit cultural organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981.

Presenting 120 dramatic and documentary feature-length films in nine distinct categories, and 80 short films each year, the Sundance Film Festival has introduced American audiences to some of the most innovative films of the past two decades, including sex, lies, and videotape, Clerks, Smoke Signals, In the Bedroom, American Splendor, Napoleon Dynamite, Born into Brothels, and Me and You and Everyone We Know. Beyond the streets of Park City, the official Website of the Sundance Film Festival, www.sundance.org, shares the Festival experience with a global audience through the streaming of short films and filmmaker interviews, combined with current news and box office information.

Sundance Institute
Dedicated year-round to the development of artists of independent vision and to the exhibition of their new work, Sundance Institute celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2006. Since its inception, the Institute has grown into an internationally recognized resource for thousands of independent artists through its Sundance Film Festival and artistic development programs which provide a range of concentrated creative and financial support for fiction and nonfiction filmmakers, screenwriters, documentary film editors, composers, playwrights and theatre artists. The original values of independence, creative diversity, and discovery continue to define and guide the work of Sundance Institute, both with artists in the U.S. and, increasingly, with artists from other regions of the world.

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Slamdance Announced the 2006 Awards today.

The documentary winners are as follows:

Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature
Empire in Africa
World Premiere – (2005, 87 min., USA) directed by Philippe Diaz.
The story of the unjust war the international community waged against civilwar stricken Sierra Leone.
Winner to receive a Sony HD camera plus five hours of tape from Media
Distributors in conjunction with Sony.

Special Jury Recognition for Best Documentary Feature
Forgiving Dr. Mengele
(2005, 80 min., USA) directed by Bob Hercules & Cheri Pugh.
The story of Auschwitz concentration camp survivor Eva Mozes Kor whose
controversial decision to forgive notorious Nazi Josef Mengele doctor who
performed cruel genetic experiments on her and her sister, caused a
firestorm of criticism.

Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short
Under The Roller Coaster (2005, 15 min., USA) Directed by Lila Place.

Special Jury Recognition for Documentary Short
Grand Luncheonette (2005, 5 min., USA) Directed by Peter Sillen.

Audience Sparky Award for Best Documentary Feature
Abduction: The Megumi Yakota Story
World Premiere – (2006, 85 min., USA) directed by Chris Sheridan & Patty
Kim, written by Patty Kim.
The haunting story of a 13 year-old Japanese girl kidnapped by North Korean
spies.
Sponsored by Sonic Magic: $25,000 credit on post-production services.