The Naples International Film Festival announced the filmmaker award winners for the film festival’s 10th edition during a Closing Night Awards ceremony presented by Richard Lublin on Sunday, October 28 at Hayes Hall (5833 Pelican Bay Blvd.) on Sunday, October 20. The Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $3,000) went to Jamie Patterson’s TUCKED, and the Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature (and $3,000) was given to Dava Whisenant’s BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY. Among the other awards, Dermot Murphy received the Rising Star Award for his performance in Nick Kelly’s THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER.
(L to R) Artis-Naples’ David Filner, Jamie Patterson, April Pearson (TUCKED), Noor Gharzeddine (ARE YOU GLAD I’M HERE), Robin Hauser (BIAS), Dermot Murphy (THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER), Kristina Wagenbauer & Julia
(SASHINKA), Dava Whisenant, Ozzy Inguanzo (BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY), NIFF’s Shannon Franklin, Steve Young (BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY) (Photo by Charlie McDonald)
For the first time in NIFF’s decade-long history, the film festival added the juried film competition, which was judged by a trio of judges including Film Festival Alliance Executive Director Lela Meadow-Conner, producer Nancy Schafer (TRANSPECOS, 7 CHINESE BROTHERS, SUNSHINE STATE), and film journalist Carlos Aguilar (Filmmaker Magazine, MovieMaker Magazine, Remzcla). Their selections, Patterson’s TUCKED and Whisenant’s BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY were chosen from 4 films competing in each category.
Jamie Patterson (TUCKED) seems pleased with his award (Photo by Charlie McDonald)
Ozzy Inguanzo, Dava Whisenant, Steve Young (BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY) (Photo by Charlie McDonald)
The filmmaker awards selected by the Programmers’ committee included; Noor Gharzeddine winning “Best First Feature” for her directorial effort on ARE YOU GLAD I’M HERE; Robin Hauser’s BIAS winning the “Impact Award” for the social and racial awareness explored and promoted through her provocative documentary; Kristina Wagenbauer’s SASHINKA winning the “Indie Spirit Award”; and Theo Love’s WHITE TIDE: THE LEGEND OF CULEBRA selected as the “Programmers’ Choice” honoree.
Robin Hauser (BIAS) accepts her award (Photo by Vicki Baker)
The Audience Award winners included; Mihal Brezis and Oded Binnun’s THE ETRUSCAN SMILE (Best Narrative Film); Ben Niles’s THE 5 BROWNS: DIGGING THROUGH THE DARKNESS (Best Documentary Film); Andrew Chesworth and Bobby Pontillas’s ONE SMALL STEP (Best Short Film). The two features won cash prizes of $1500 with their awards, with ONE SMALL STEP receiving a $1000.
NIFF screened 48 films (16 narrative features, 10 documentary features, 22 short films) representing 15 countries during the 4-day film festival. The premiere list included 2 films making their North American Premieres, 3 U.S. Premieres, 3 East Coast Premieres, and 19 Florida Premieres. The popular film festival opened with a Gala presentation of Kelly’s THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER at Artis-Naples’ Hayes Hall. Screenings and filmmaker panels followed for the next three days and evenings at the Silverspot Theaters (9118 Strada Place) with record audience attendance, including an appearance by beloved character actor Brian Cox at both of the screenings of his film, THE ETRUSCAN SMILE.
Dermot Murphy (THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER) accepts “The first award I’ve ever received.” as Richard Lublin looks on (Photo by Vicki Baker)
The Naples International Film Festival wrapped things up in entertaining style following the filmmaker awards with a special performance of Steve Martin and Martin Short’s An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life with the Steep Canyon Rangers and Jeff Babko. At the conclusion of the performance, Martin received the Naples International Film Festival Artis—Naples Award which honors a filmmaker, actor or artist who exemplifies the multidisciplinary approach to the arts that is at the heart of Artis—Naples.
Martin Short, NIFF Producer Shannon Franklin, Artis-Naples’ Executive Vice President, Artistic Operations David Filner and CEO and
President Kathleen van Bergen, Steve Martin (Photo by Charlie McDonald)
The 2018 Naples International Film Festival Award Winners:
Naples International Film Festival Artis—Naples Award
Steve Martin
NIFF JURY AWARDS
Best Narrative Feature – $3,000
TUCKED
Director: Jamie Patterson
Best Documentary Feature – $3,000
BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY
Director: Dava Whisenant
NIFF PROGRAMMERS’ AWARDS
Best First Feature
ARE YOU GLAD I’M HERE
Director: Noor Gharzeddine
Impact Award
BIAS
Director: Robin Hauser
Indie Spirit Award
SASHINKA
Director: Kristina Wagenbauer
Programmers’ Choice Award
WHITE TIDE: THE LEGEND OF CULEBRA
Director: Theo Love
Rising Star Award
Dermot Murphy
THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER
NIFF AUDIENCE AWARDS
Audience Award Winner, Narrative Feature – $1500
THE ETRUSCAN SMILE
Directors: Mihal Brezis, Oded Binnun
Audience Award Winner, Documentary Feature – $1500
THE 5 BROWNS: DIGGING THROUGH THE DARKNESS
Director: Ben Niles
Audience Award Winner, Best Short Film – $1000
ONE SMALL STEP
Directors: Andrew Chesworth, Bobby Pontillas
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