After a whirlwind of online and in-person screenings, the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival winners have been announced. Some of my top picks made the list, including Ascension and Brighton 4th. Others may not have won any awards, but still stood out to this viewer.
2021 Tribeca Festival Winners
The 2021 Tribeca Festival announced their full list of winners for each of the competition categories. Among the winners, the standouts were Lauren Hadaway’s The Novice, Levan Koguashvili’s Brighton 4th, and Jessica Kingdon’s Ascension. One of my picks did not make the jurors lists but I mention it at the end because I think it is a good watch and deserved some love.
This year, awards were given out in the following categories: U.S. narrative, international narrative, documentary, short films, immersive, Tribeca X, and the Nora Ephron award. Plus for the first time ever, Tribeca added podcast and games categories. Each category was voted on by a group a jurors, with some adding in special mentions.
U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITION
The Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature Film: The Novice, directed and written by Lauren Hadaway. Produced by Ryan Hawkins, Kari Hollend, Steven Sims, Zack Zucker.
Art Award: Meghan Boody’s Opening Night, 2019 C Print Face Mounted to Mat Plexiglass and Back Mounted to White Plexiglass ⅖
Best Actress in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film: Isabelle Furman, The Novice, directed and written by Lauren Hadaway. Produced by Ryan Hawkins, Kari Hollend, Steven Sims, Zack Zucker.
Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film: Matthew Leone, God’s Waiting Room, directed and written by Tyler Riggs. Produced by Tyler Riggs, Suvi Riggs.
Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film: Todd Martin, The Novice, directed and written by Lauren Hadaway. Produced by Ryan Hawkins, Kari Hollend, Steven Sims, Zack Zucker.
Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film: Hannah Marks, Mark, Mary, and Some Other People, directed and written by Hannah Marks. Produced by Hannah Marks, Pete Williams, Jon Lullo, Brendan Walter, Jonathan Duffy, Kelly Williams, Stephen Braun.
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Best International Narrative Feature Film: Brighton 4th, directed by Levan Koguashvili, written by Boris Frumin. Produced by Irakli Rodonaya, Olena Yershova, Michel Merkt, Kateryna Merkt.
Art Award: Gus Van Sant’s Devil in Hell, 2021 Encaustic on Paper
Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature Film: Bassant Ahmed & Basmala Elghaiesh, Souad, directed by Ayten Amin, written by Mahmoud Ezzat, Ayten Amin. Produced by Sameh Awad.
Best Actor in an International Narrative Feature Film: Levan Tediashvili, Brighton 4th, directed by Levan Koguashvili, written by Boris Frumin, Levan Koguashvili. Produced by Irakli Rodonaya, Olena Yershova, Michel Merkt, Kateryna Merkt.
Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature Film: Elisabeth Vogler, Roaring 20’s, directed by Elisabeth Vogler, written by François Mark, Elisabeth Vogler, Noémie Schmidt, Joris Avodo. Produced by Laurent Rochette.
Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature Film: Boris Frumin, Brighton 4th, directed by Levan Koguashvili, written by Boris Frumin, Levan Koguashvili. Produced by Irakli Rodonaya, Olena Yershova, Michel Merkt, Kateryna Merkt
Best New Narrative Director: Nana Mensah, Queen of Glory, directed and written by Nana Mensah. Produced by Jamund Washington, Kelley Robins Hicks, Baff Akoto, Nana Mensah, Anya Migdal.
Art Award: Will Ryman’s Flag, 2021 Wood, Foam, Paint
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Best Documentary Feature: Ascension, directed by Jessica Kingdon. Produced by Kira Simon-Kennedy, Jessica Kingdon, Nathan Truesdell.
Art Award: Clifford Ross’s Waterline VI, 2020 Pigment Ink on Rag Paper
Best Editing, Documentary Feature: Shannon Swan, The Kids, directed by Eddie Martin. Produced by Shannon Swan.
Best Cinematography, Documentary Feature: Bing Liu & Joshua Altman, All These Sons, directed by Bing Liu, Joshua Altman. Produced by Zak Piper, Kelsey Carr, Bing Liu, Joshua Altman.
The 2021 Albert Maysles Award for Best New Documentary Director: Jessica Kingdon, Ascension, directed by Jessica Kingdon. Produced by Kira Simon-Kennedy, Jessica Kingdon, Nathan Truesdell.
Art Award: Jeff Chie-Hsing Liao's View from Tribeca, 2018 Archival Ink Print
THE NORA EPHRON AWARD:
The 2021 Nora Ephron Award: Chanel James & Taylor Garron, As of Yet, directed by Chanel James, Taylor Garron. Produced by Ashley Edouard, Taylor Garron.
Art Award: Sheila Berger's In Between, 2014 Pencil on Paper
SHORT CATEGORIES
Best Narrative Short Award: Rongfei Guo, Girl With a Thermal Gun, directed and written by Rongfei Guo. Produced by Du Yating.
Art Award: Stephen Hannock's Art Museums Take a Breath, 2021 Charcoal and Chalk on pape
Special Jury Mention: Leylak
Best Animated Short Award: Reza Riahi, Navozande, The Musician, directed and written by Reza Riahi. Produced by Eleanor Coleman, Stéphanie Carreras, Philippe Pujo.
Art Award: Curtis Kulig's A Stern Foe of Snobbishness, 2020 Oil on Canvas
Short Documentary and Student Visionary Competition
Short Documentary Award: Ryan White, Coded, directed by Ryan White. Produced by Christopher Leggett, Jessica Hargrave, Conor Fetting-Smith, Rafael Marmor, Marc Gilbar.
Art Award: Laurie Simmons' How We See/Ajak (Violet), 2015
The 2021 Student Visionary Award: Robert Brogden, Six Nights, directed and written by Robert Brogden. Produced by Robert Brogden, Kelley Zincone, Izrael Lopez.
Art Award: Deborah Kass's Being Alive, 2021 Medium: 9-color Silkscreen and Color Blend on 2-ply Museum Board
PODCAST AWARD
Podcast Non-Fiction Award: House of Pod and Wild Bird Trust, Guardians of the River
Podcast Fiction Award: James Kim and Brooke Iskra, Vermont Ave.
Special Jury Mention: Brooklyn Santa
TRIBECA X AWARD
Tribeca X Award: Best Feature: Dear Santa, Director: Dana Nachman; Brand: The United States Postal Service
Tribeca X Award: Best Episodic: Black Owned, Director: Rodney Lucas; Brand: Square
Tribeca X Award: Best Short: Chinese New Year-Nian, Director: Lulu Wang; Brand: Apple
Tribeca X Immersive Award: Current, Creator: Annie Saunders; Brand: Brookfield Properties
GAMES:
The 2021 Games Award: Norco, from Geography of Robots, published by Raw Fury
IMMERSIVE COMPETITION CATEGORIES
Best Immersive Narrative Competition Award: Michèle Stephenson, Joe Brewster, Yasmin Elayat, The Changing Same: Episode 1
Best Creative Nonfiction Competition: Annie Saunders, Current
Storyscapes Award: Felix Gaedtke, Gayatri Parameswaran, Kusunda
Author note: One of of my picks did not get awarded this year, but I think this it is definitely worth a watch. 7 Days is directed by Roshan Sethi and written by Karan Soni and Roshan Sethi, this film follows the story of Ravi (Soni) and Rita (Geraldine Viswanathan) when they are forced to shelter in place together as the pandemic gets out of control. What makes it awkward is that they were on a pre-arranged date, organized by their traditional Indian parents when the lockdown went into effect.
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