Apr 17, 2021
Festival
Winning Films in 16 Categories Announced at Awards Celebration on Saturday, April 17
San Francisco, CA – This afternoon SFFILM announced the winners of the juried Golden Gate Award (GGA) competitions and the Audience Awards at the 2021 San Francisco International Film Festival (April 9–18), at an online event hosted on sffilm.org. This year the Festival awarded over $17,000 in cash prizes to emerging and established filmmakers.
The SFFILM Golden Gate Awards have honored deserving filmmakers and their projects for over 60 years, bringing recognition for unique and innovative filmmaking to the Bay Area’s local and international audiences. Among the most significant awards for emerging film artists, the Golden Gate Awards embody SFFILM’s commitment to global storytelling and independent filmmaking.
“At the end of this singular Festival, we’re thrilled to be able to come together and celebrate this talented and diverse group of artists” said SFFILM Director of Programming Jessie Fairbanks. “This year’s lineup was put together under unique circumstances with a careful eye on expanding the reach and accessibility of films and filmmakers during a very difficult time. We’re honored to be able to extend support to these artists and bring their work into the homes of film lovers across the country.”
GOLDEN GATE NEW DIRECTORS AWARD (FICTION FEATURE)
The New Directors award is given to a debut feature by an international filmmaker whose work exhibits unique artistic sensibility or vision. The New Directors jurors were CEO of Gamechanger Films Effie T. Brown, film programmer Dorota Lech, and filmmaker Nicolás Pereda.
GGA New Directors Award winner: This Is My Desire, Arie Esiri/Chuko Esiri (Nigeria)
• Receives $3,500 cash prize
In awarding this top prize, the jury stated, “For its rich complexity and masterful execution our unanimous choice for best debut is This Is My Desire. Meticulously woven and seamlessly assembled, the film simultaneously circumvented tropes and surfaced complex stories through developed characters grounded in everyday realities whether tragic or mundane.”
Special Jury Mention, New Directors: A Leave, Lee Ran-hee (South Korea)
The jury gave special attention to A Leave “for its beautiful portrayal of labor struggles and generational shifts.”
MCBAINE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AWARDS
For more than 60 years, a significant element of the SFFILM Festival has been its broad selection of acclaimed documentaries from across the globe. There are two awards in this category – Best Documentary and Best Bay Area Documentary. Films in the Bay Area Documentary Feature category are also eligible for the Best Documentary Feature award. This year’s Documentary Feature jury was comprised of film producer and director Jameka Autry, film curator Mara Fortes, and Program Director at Chicken & Egg Pictures Lucila Moctezuma.
McBaine Documentary Feature Award Winner: Writing With Fire, Rintu Thomas/Sushmit Ghosh (India)
• Receives $3,500 cash prize
In awarding this film, the jury stated, “For shedding light on the courageous work of Dalit women journalists as they build an independent news outlet from the ground up, for plunging us into the political reality of a nation in upheaval through the people who are its beating heart, for capturing the beautiful complicity between filmmakers and reporters who wield the camera to expose systemic violence and bring untold stories to the fore, the Documentary Jury of the San Francisco International Film Festival awards the McBaine Documentary Feature Award to Writing With Fire.”
McBaine Bay Area Documentary Feature Award: After Antarctica, Tasha Van Zandt (USA/Canada)
• Receives $2,000 cash prize
The jury applauded the film that “immerses us in the stunning beauty of the icy antipodes of our planet while providing a potent cautionary tale of the ravages of climate change. The Documentary Jury of the San Francisco International Film Festival is honored to recognize this impeccably crafted film of both nail-biting suspense and meditative appreciation for the riches of nature with the Best Bay Area Documentary Award.”
GOLDEN GATE AWARDS FOR MID-LENGTH FILMS
This year the Festival introduced its new mid-length section, for films which run between 30 and 50 minutes. The GGA Mid-Length Film jury consisted of creator of the San Francisco Green Film Festival Rachel Caplan, film producer Kimberly Parker, and producer and the Associate Director of Transgender Representation at GLAAD Alex Schmider.
Mid-Length Winner: Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma, Topaz Jones/Jason Sondock/Simon Davis (USA/France/Germany/Italy)
• Receives $1,000 cash prize
In awarding the prize to Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma, the jury stated that the directors “lens the Black experience through astonishing cinematography, kinetic editing, and strong personal voices—of educators, poets, organizers, artists—to create an affecting, energetic, thought-provoking, and intimately inspiring work of art. Everyone should see this film.”
GOLDEN GATE AWARDS FOR SHORT FILMS
The Festival is proud to have a variety of shorts in competition across programs. The GGA Short Film jury consisted of creator of the San Francisco Green Film Festival Rachel Caplan, film producer Kimberly Parker, and producer and the Associate Director of Transgender Representation at GLAAD Alex Schmider.
Narrative Short Winner: Summer Fasting, Abdenoure Ziane (France)
• Receives $750 cash prize
In awarding the prize to Summer Fasting, the jury stated that the director “brings a tale of childhood friendship, acceptance, and boredom to life with fantastic lead performances from two young actors. The representation of Muslim life is enjoyable and refreshing, heightened by the palpable heat and hunger felt throughout this charming film.”
Documentary Short Winner: Dial Home, César Martínez Barba (USA/Mexico)
• Receives $750 cash prize
The jury awarded the documentary shorts prize to Dial Home, stating that the director “pushes documentary filmmaking forward with Dial Home, featuring sophisticated cinematography and editing, layered sound design, and a fresh perspective on the relational impact of deportation—a moving and powerful film.”
Animated Short Winner: In the Shadow of the Pines, Anne Koizumi (Canada)
• Receives $750 cash prize
In awarding the animated short prize, the jury commented that the director “creates a memorable tribute to her father with unique animation, effective writing, and a moving use of mixed media, leaving the audience with a lasting connection to the film.”
New Visions Short Winner: Here, Here, Joanne Cesario (Philippines)
• Receives $750 cash prize
The jury described their selection for the new visions prize as, “a poetic, atmospheric film with deeply felt themes, centered on an unseen father and the son struggling with his absence and a physical malady.”
Bay Area Short First Prize Winner: Since you arrived, my heart stopped belonging to me, Erin Semine Kökdil (USA)
• Receives $750 cash prize
In awarding the Bay Area short prize award, the jury stated the director “exemplifies the best of Bay Area filmmaking with her intimate portrayal of mothers united in hope. Erin fosters a deep connection between audience and subject, heightened by powerful cinematography and sophisticated editing. This is a needed story of love and hope.”
Bay Area Short Second Prize Winner: Wavelengths, Jessie Zinn (USA)
• Receives $500 cash prize
The jury praised the work that “gives voice to a chorus of women processing grief, loss, and movement through sharing the most vulnerable parts of their life experiences with poetic and impressionistic filmmaking.”
GOLDEN GATE AWARD FOR FAMILY FILM
The Family Film jury was comprised of filmmaker Elizabeth Ito, educator Jennifer Partika, and filmmaker Jamy Wheless.
Family Film Prize Winner: To: Gerard, Taylor Meacham (USA)
• Receives $750 cash prize
The jury praised the film for its “dynamic and inspiring story line and connected with the overarching themes of generosity, kindness and belief in yourself. The film’s creators are admired for using exciting animation and creating an engaging plot with little dialogue, that reminds us all of the importance of “paying it forward” and the magic that can happen when we choose to share our gifts.”
Special Jury Mention: A Concerto Is a Conversation, Kris Bowers/Ben Proudfoot (USA)
The jury gave special recognition for the film, stating that “this film exemplifies the powerful connection between a grandfather and his grandson and how our ancestors’ pasts inform our present. Bowers’ narrative of becoming the musician he is today highlights the racial adversaries of growing up Black in America while also encompassing the human condition in his drive to never give up. Through Bowers’ history, we see the power of believing in and achieving dreams–empowering viewers to compose their own life’s symphony.”
GOLDEN GATE AWARD FOR YOUTH WORKS
The Youth Works jury was composed of SFFILM Associate Manager, Narrative Programs and filmmaker Rosa Morales and student filmmakers Gabby Goss, Simone Griffin, and Santiago Meza.
Youth Works Prize: Through Their Eyes, Alisha Heng (USA)
• Receives $500 cash prize
In awarding the prize to this film, the jury admired it for “artistic achievements, particularly the involved sound design and the great attention to detail that served to build an enticing world. The film stands out to us for the rich plot conveyed in a short time, that through multiple ways allows the audience to draw their own conclusions.”
Special Jury Mention: Music for the End of the World, Emmanuel Li (UK)
The jury commended the film as “witty and comedic while also a charming and creative experience. Additionally, the jury was impressed by the exceptional sound design and music that strengthened the film. It stayed with us long after it ended.”
CRITICS JURY AWARD
New this year, the Critics Jury Award was selected by five esteemed members of the film criticism community. The Critics Jury was made of Senior Editor and Critic at Rolling Stone magazine, David Fear; author, film critic, and professor Zaki Hasan; Senior Artisans Editor at Variety Jazz Tangcay; writer and editor Scott Tobias; and film critic at Vulture and New York magazine Alison Willmore. The inaugural Critics Jury reviewed the new SFFILM Festival Spotlight, Cine Mexicano, a thematic group of six films representing the rebellious and innovative storytellers in Mexico.
Critics Jury Award: Nudo Mixteco, Ángeles Cruz (USA)
• Receives $2,000 cash prize
The jury stated that “for its elegantly structured and heartrending triptych of stories about coming home, and the devastating impact patriarchal traditions can have on women, the inaugural Critics Jury, assessing the Cine Mexicano spotlight at the 2021 jury of the San Francisco International Film Festival, is pleased to reward its top prize to Ángeles Cruz’s remarkable debut feature Nudo Mixteco.”
AUDIENCE AWARDS
The 2021 SFFILM Festival Audience Awards gave festival-goers the opportunity to select their favorite narrative and documentary features. All films in the Festival were eligible for these awards. The Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature went to Chase Palmer for the film Naked Singularity. The Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature was a tie between director Roberto Salinas for the film Cuban Dancer and director Jeremy Workman for Lily Topples the World. The Audience Award for Best Short Film went to Sarah Rattay-Maloney for the film Freezerburn.
We are thrilled to welcome back Festival sponsor, Hamilton Watches, who through their generous support will be providing special prizes to this year’s Audience Award winners.
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2021 San Francisco International Film Festival
The longest-running film festival in the Americas, the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM Festival) is an extraordinary showcase of cinematic discovery and innovation in one of the country’s most beautiful cities. The 64th edition runs April 9–18 with both Live Events and Streaming Programs, and features a drive-in, juried awards with cash prizes, and an exciting roster of filmmaker guests.
SFFILM
SFFILM is a nonprofit organization with a mission to champion the world’s finest films and filmmakers through programs anchored in and inspired by the spirit and values of the San Francisco Bay Area. Presenter of the San Francisco International Film Festival, SFFILM is a year-round organization delivering screenings and events to more than 75,000 film lovers and media education programs to more than 15,000 students, teachers, and families annually. In addition to its public programs, SFFILM supports the careers of independent filmmakers from the Bay Area and beyond with grants, residencies, and other creative development services.
For more information visit sffilm.org
This press release is available online at sffilm.org/press/releases
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