AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
The One to Watch Award was presented to director Namgyal Wangchuk Trichen Lhagyari for his short film MY COUNTRY IS TIBET. Eligible films screened in the FOR YOUTH BY YOUTH: AGE AIN’T NOTHING BUT A NUMBER shorts program, which featured films directed by young adults ages 15-21. Lhagyari, a seventeen-year-old Tibetan refugee and descendant of the first Tibetan Dharma King, is fueled by a sense of responsibility to his people to present his message through film.
The Audience Choice Award for Documentary Feature was presented to TALES OF THE WARIA, directed by Kathy Huang. This humorous and touching documentary explores a unique community of men in Indonesia who live openly as women. Known as warias, these individuals must balance their identity with intimacy, and their Islamic faith.
The Audience Choice Award for Narrative Feature was presented toMY WEDDING AND OTHER SECRETS, directed by Roseanne Liang. Based on the director’s own experience, this film follows Emily as she struggles to hide her forbidden relationship with a Caucasian man from her parents, and discovers that, love cannot persevere on optimism alone.
JURY SELECTION AWARDS
The Emerging Director Award for Documentary Feature Award was awarded to S. Casper Wong for her film THE LULU SESSIONS. More affectionately known as LuLu, the unconventional Dr. Louise Nutter finds out she has the very illness she researches: breast cancer. Best friend and filmmaker S. Casper Wong captures her last 15 months on video as they embark on LuLu’s last and most enlightening adventure. The other two nominees to be considered for this award were ENFORCING THE SILENCE (dir. Tony Nguyen) and TALES OF THE WARIA (dir. Kathy Huang).
Jurors:
Ariella Ben-Dov, Artistic and Festival Director, Margaret Mead Film Festival (AMNH)
Suchin Pak, Spokeswoman for uniquely ME!, The Girl Scout/Dove Self-Esteem Program
Josh Siegel, Associate Curator, Department of Film at the Museum of Modern Art
The Emerging Director Award for Narrative Feature was awarded to director Zhang Meng for his film THE PIANO IN A FACTORY. Chen is in a nasty custody battle with his estranged wife. A man of little means, he struggles to obtain a piano at all costs in order to convince his young daughter to stay with him. Other films considered for this award were MY WEDDING AND OTHER SECRETS (dir. Roseanne Liang), SAIGON ELECTRIC (dir. Stephane Gauger), and STRAWBERRY CLIFF (dir. Chris Chow).
Jurors:
Peilin Chou, President & Co-founder, Lifefilm Entertainment
Jeff Deutchman, Acquisitions Manager, IFC Films
David Schwartz, Chief Curator, Museum of the Moving Image
The Excellence in Short Filmmaking Award was awarded to SCUMBAG, PERVERT AND THE GIRL IN BETWEEN, directed by Bruce Hwang Chen. The innocence of young love is hilariously corrupted by a stranger’s tawdry actions in this comedic short. A well-intentioned high school boy navigates the fine line between chivalrous champion and pervert after witnessing a girl’s gym shorts being stolen. Other films to be nominated for this award are CROSSING SALWEEN (dir. Brian O’Malley), DREAMGIVER (dir. Tyler Carter), FATAKRA (dir. Soham Mehta), HOTEL 66 (dir. Anthony Chen), LUNCHTIME (dir. Keo Woolford), MASALA MAMA (dir. Michael Kam), PRESCOTT PLACE (dir. Peilin Kuo), and TU& EU (dir. Edward Shieh).
Jurors:
Sean McPhillips, Senior Programmer & Festival Director, Gold Coast International Film Festival
Brian Tee, Actor (THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS 3, TOKYO DRIFT; WEDDING PALACE)
Caroline Tran, Director of Programming Operations & Associate Programmer, Tribeca Film Festival
