FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: 1st Niagara Falls International Film Festival Announces Filmmaker Awards

Following the Closing Night presentation of Matthew J Weiss’s MAN IN RED BANDANA at the historic Riviera Theater (67 Webster Street) on Saturday, September 29, the Niagara Falls International Film Festival (NFIFF) announced the award winners for the 1st edition of the film festival.

Melora Walters’s WATERLILY JAGUAR took home the award for Best Narrative Film, Nanni Zedda’s BLIND VISION was given the nod for Best Documentary, Javier Zevallos and Francisco D’ Eufemia’s ESCAPE FROM PATAGONIA was named Best Foreign Film, and Weiss’s MAN IN RED BANDANA took the People’s Choice Prize.

Niagara Falls International Film Festival’s Founder and President Bill Cowell said, “It was a wonderful conclusion to a great four days in which our attending filmmakers spent time getting to know the Niagara Falls film fans who came to see their films, to celebrate the award winners in one of the historic movie palaces in the country.”

Alison and Jeff Crowther (MAN IN RED BANDANA) (Photo by Wildman)

NFIFF closed with an emotional evening featuring a screening of Matthew J. Weiss’s heartfelt documentary MAN IN RED BANDANA about Welles Remy Crowther, a man who saved many lives during the 9/11 attack on New York City. Crowther’s parents, Jeff and Alison, were on hand, and were presented with a Special Humanitarian Award for their willingness to open up their lives and memories for the documentary, in an effort to shine a light on their son’s heroism, as well as the experiences of the people whose lives he helped save.

Annalaura di Luggo, Producer of BLIND VISION (Photo by Wildman)

The screening will be preceded by a presentation of Zedda’s documentary short, BLIND VISION, which included a presentation by the film’s producer, Annalaura di Luggo of a retinal photograph of filmmaker Stanley Isaacs, who was instrumental in arranging for di Luggo (who lives in Italy) to appear at the film festival. Following the screenings, and at the conclusion of the Filmmaker Awards ceremony, Cowell announced that a check for $1000 would be given to the Niagara County Public Safety Training Facility in honor of the Crowther Family.

Shannon Lee, Jonathan Piumelli (WATERLILY JAGUAR) (Photo by Wildman)

WATERLILY JAGUAR producer Jonathan Piumelli was on hand to accept the film’s award. Piumelli attended the Closing Night event with the film’s Art Director/Production Designer, Shannon Lee. The film’s award doubled the celebration for the two filmmakers as Lee had just accepted Piumelli’s wedding proposal in Niagara Falls the night before. Annalaura di Luggo accepted BLIND VISION’s award and thanked Cowell, Isaacs and NFIFF for supporting her efforts on behalf of the blind through her art and flmmaking.

Here is the only production still available for WATERLILY JAGUAR (Photo by Barbara Koltai)

NFIFF opened with a Red Carpet Gala on Wednesday, September 26 at The Rapids Theatre (1711 Main Street) celebrating Academy Award-winning Costume Designer Mark Bridges (THE ARTIST, PHANTOM THREAD) and Visual Effects Artist Craig Barron (THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON). The Gala celebration and Opening Night reception featured the presentation of The Key to the City and a star on the Niagara Falls Walk of Fame to native son, Bridges, by Niagara Falls’ mayor, Paul Dyster, as well as the presentation of NFIFF’s first Legacy Award to Barron.

Highlights included the East Coast premiere of Melora Walters’s drama, WATERLILY JAGUAR, starring Mira Sorvino and James Le Gros, with Walters and producers of the film in attendance. Niagara Falls film fans also attended a master class in film visual effects given by Barron, as well as a panel on filmmaking headed by Isaacs and director Alyn Darnay (SHADOW FIGHTER).