By Ashley R. Lierman
L.A. LGBT film festival Outfest concluded its 2014 program this past Sunday. The list of winners is below.
Audience Awards
Documentary Short
Families Are Forever, Directed by Vivian Kleiman
Dramatic Short
Alone With People, Directed by Drew Van Steenbergen
Documentary Feature
Back on Board: Greg Louganis, Directed by Cheryl Furjanic
Dramatic Feature
The Way He Looks, Directed by Daniel Ribeiro
First US Dramatic Feature
Drunktown’s Finest, Directed by Sydney Freeland
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Grand Jury Awards
Documentary Feature Special Recognition
Dior and I, Directed by Frédéric Tcheng
Documentary Feature Winner
The Circle, Directed by Stefan Haupt
Actor in a U.S. Dramatic Feature
Mark Strano in Tiger Orange
Actress in a U.S. Dramatic Feature
Gaby Hoffmann in Lyle
Screenwriting in a U.S. Dramatic Feature
Desiree Akhavan for Appropriate Behavior
U.S. Dramatic Feature Film
Drunktown’s Finest, Directed by Sydney Freeland
International Dramatic Feature Special Recognition
Lilting, Directed by Hong Khaou
International Dramatic Feature
Something Must Break, Directed by Ester Martin Bergsmark
Documentary Short Film
Flying Solo: A Transgender Widow Fights Discrimination, Directed by Leslie Von Pless
Experimental Short Film
Get Ripped, Directed by Leonardo Van Dijl
Dramatic Short Film
Jellyfish, Directed by Rosie Haber
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Special Programming Awards
Emerging Talent
Robert Hawk for Home From the Gym
Freedom
Bad Hair, Directed by Mariana Rondón
Artistic Achievement
Abdellah Taïa for Salvation Army
Special Programming Awards Statements
Emerging Talent
For drawing on his encyclopedic knowledge of queer cinema —developed over a lifetime of attending festivals and helping other directors fulfill their creative ambitions — to craft a powerful and sexy debut short film of his own at the age of 76, the Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent goes to Robert Hawk for HOME FROM THE GYM.
Freedom
For depicting the corrosive effects of familial homophobia on a child determined to defy cultural expectations the Special Programming Award for Freedom goes to writer-director Mariana Rondón for BAD HAIR.
Artistic Achievement
For crafting an autobiographical portrayal of sexual awakening in the Muslim world that is both gorgeous and unflinching in its honesty, the Special Programming Award for Artistic Achievement goes to writer-director Abdellah Taïa for SALVATION ARMY.
Short Film Grand Jury Statements
Documentary Short
In a remarkable story of strength, perseverance, and dignity about a vanguard spirit, and for capturing an extraordinary history that will inspire generations of people, the 2014 Outfest Grand Jury Award for Documentary Short Film goes to FLYING SOLO: A TRANSGENDER WIDOW FIGHTS DISCRIMINATION by Leslie Von Pless.
Experimental Short
With stunning and stark visuals, this film explores the complexity of masculine obsessions with power and sexuality. The 2014 Outfest Grand Jury Award for Experimental Short Film goes to GET RIPPED by Leonardo Van Dijl.
Dramatic Short
For an engaging and unique film that encapsulates the simplicity, beauty, and amorphous nature of its namesake with maturity and nuanced sensitivity, the 2014 Outfest Grand Jury Award for Dramatic Short Film goes to JELLYFISH by Rosie Haber.
Documentary Grand Jury Statements
Special Recognition
The jury honors a film with Special Jury Recognition for excellence in artistic achievement that includes masterful direction, cinematography, editing and composition. Through a compelling cinema verité style, engaging subjects and characters, the jury would like to award a Special Jury Recognition to DIOR AND I, directed by Frédéric Tcheng.
Documentary Feature
The Jury’s selection is a film that redefines the form of documentary filmmaking. With seamless integration of fiction and nonfiction, it elevates the craft of storytelling to new emotional heights. For its innovative techniques in overcoming the unique challenges of telling the little known history of a courageous pre-WWII underground gay movement, the 2014 Outfest Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film goes to THE CIRCLE (DER KREIS) directed by Stefan Haupt.
International Grand Jury Statements
Special Recognition
The Jury honors a film with special recognition for strong art direction complemented by even stronger performances that showcase the director’s cinematic maturity. The 2014 Outfest Grand Jury Award for International Feature Film would like to award Special Jury Recognition to LILTING, directed by Hong Khaou.
International Dramatic Feature
The Jury’s selection is a film that is both fearless and original. Through the lead character’s gripping performance, we experience a love story that is unconventional and also truly universal. The storytelling is enhanced by an impressive sound design and raw cinematography. The 2014 Outfest Grand Jury Award for International Dramatic Feature Film goes to SOMETHING MUST BREAK, directed by Ester Martin Bergsmark.
US Grand Jury Statements
Actress
For taking us on a supernatural journey, all the while remaining sincere and sympathetic, the 2014 Outfest Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress in a US Dramatic Feature Film goes to Gaby Hoffmann for LYLE.
Actor
For his honest portrayal of a brother conflicted with responsibility to family and career, the 2014 Outfest Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actor in a US Dramatic Feature Film goes to Mark Strano for TIGER ORANGE.
Screenwriting
For her commitment to honesty and vulnerability with hilarious and poignant results, the 2014 Outfest Grand Jury Award for Screenwriting in a US Dramatic Feature Film goes to Desiree Akhavan for APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR.
Feature Film
For taking us into a dynamic world full of rich and flawed characters with unexpected journeys, the 2014 Outfest Grand Jury Award for US Dramatic Feature Film goes to DRUNKTOWN’S FINEST directed by Sydney Freeland.
See the Outfest web site for full details on the program and its winners.
[Image credit: Still from Drunktown’s Finest, winner of Grand Jury Award for U.S. Dramatic Feature Film, from IMDb.]
