The 13th annual DTLA Film Festival was held last week at Regal L.A. LIVE. On the closing night, 19th of September they announced the winners. Florencia Krochik’s “The Rest of Us,” a feature documentary about DACA kids shot over a decade, won Best Picture.
Other winners included director Martin Torrez’ “The Great American Low Rider Tradition,” a feature documentary about the Lowrider culture of East Los Angeles, which took the Audience Favorite Award, and Sophie Galibert, named Best Director for “Cherry,” a narrative dramedy that tackles the hot-button topic of abortion.
Also taking honors were Jessica Rae for Best Screenplay (“Raise Your Hand”), “5-25-77” for Best Editing, and “The Art of Rebellion” for Best Documentary Feature. The sci-fi thriller “Catalyst,”, making its world premiere, was awarded prizes for Best Ensemble Cast and Best Special Effects. The Best Anthology Film award went to “Covid Sins & Virtues.”
This year the festival changed to nongender-specific acting categories. Best Actors awards for lead performances in a feature film were given to Ericka Clevenger (“Red Raincoats”), Jesse Gavin (“Northern Exposure”), Austin Nichols, (“Match”), Ahna O’Reilly (“Match”), Nina Tarr (“Red Raincoats”), Alexandria Treuwhitt (“Cherry”) and Dee Wallace (“Nix”).
Among the winners In the shorts series, which included films, TV pilots, and web series, were director Akiko Izumitani’ “Yae: Blind Samurai Woman,” Best Short Film; director Richard Andrews Janes’ “Faculty Lounging” for Best TV Pilot, and director Carolyn Ratteray’s “(Un)claimed” for Best Web Series.
See the full list here:
FEATURE FILM AWARDS
Best Picture
“The Rest of Us,” director: Florencia Krochik
Audience Favorite Award
“The Great American Low Rider Tradition,” director: by Martin Torrez
Best Cinematographer
Juan Esco and Matthew Plaxco, Catalyst
Best Director, Narrative Feature
Sophie Galibert, “Cherry”
Best Actors
Ericka Clevenger, “Red Raincoats”
Jesse Gavin, “Northern Exposure”
Ahna O’Reilly, “Match
Austin Nichols, “Match “
Nina Tarr, “Red Raincoat”
Alexandria Treuwhitt, “Cherry”
Dee Wallace, Nix
Best Supporting Actors
Sandy Duarte, “Cherry”
Brooke Maroon, “Turbo Cola”
Nyambi Nyambi, “In Her Name”
Dan Schultz, “Cherry”
Best Screenplay
Raise Your Hand, Jessica Rae
Best Ensemble Cast
“Catalyst”: David Bianchi, Joni Bovil, Darin Cooper, Steve Eastin, Noel Gugliemi, Patrick Kilpatrick, Umar Khan, Melanie Liburd, Jermaine Love, Enrico Natale, Michael Roark.
Best Editing
“5-27-77,” Alain K. Blair, Alex Creager and Kat Thomas
Breakthrough Performance
Miguel Ángel Garcia, “Carlos Through The Tall Grass”
Best New Director
Aaron Dougherty, “The Best Day Of Your Life”
Best Documentary
”The Art of Rebellion,” directed by Libby Spears
Best Film Score
“OKAY!” (The ASD band Film), composed by Tim Mann
Best Music Documentary
“Nothing But The Blood,” directed by Carmen Lundy
Best Anthology Film
“Covid Sins & Virtues,” directed by Yeniffer M. Behrens, Mauricio Mendoza, Oscar Torre, Hugo Garcia, Caroline Brethenoux, Hernan de Becky, Cesar Gamino, Juan Gil, Marabina James, Miguel Paredes, Shanay Patalano, Jesus Schettino, Alex Toedtli Mera
Best Special Effects
“Catalyst”
SHORT FILM AWARDS
Best Film
“Yae: Blind Samurai Woman,” director: Akiko Izumitani
Best Director
Alexander Thompson, “Black Dragon”
Best Director, Documentary
Erika Valenciana, La Mitad del Mundo/The Middle of the World)
Best Actors
Katherine Castro, “Weak”
Cindy De La Cruz, “Ro & The Stardust”
Arami Malaisé, “Viva”
Brandon Thomas, “Reggie and June”
Best New Director
Jason Yamamoto, “When You Leave”
Best Duo Performance
Princess Adenike and Mister Fitzgerald, “30 Weeks”
Best Ensemble Cast
“We All Die Alone”: Brian Patrick Butler, Frank DiPalermo, Joshua Alan Jones, Patrick Mayuyu, Durwood Murray, Carla Nell, Suzan Norberg, Alexndra Slade
Breakthrough Performance
Bella Zoe Shashaty, “Glory & Injustice”
Best Experimental Short
“La Cuarentena,” director: Johaira Michelle Dilauro
Best Animated Short
“How to Lose Weight and Look Great,” director: Nolan Wang
Best Comedy Short:
“Dog Lover,” director: Anne-Sophie Bine
Best Student Short
Havana, director: Faith Strongheart
Best Drama Short
“Le Ballon Bleu” (“The Blue Balloon”), director: Katherine Griffin
Best Horror/Thriller/Fantasy Short
“Wolves,” director: Jesús Celaya
Best Documentary Short
“Powers,” director: Paige Morrow Kimball
Best Foreign Language Short Film
“Toro De Oro” (“The Golden Bull”), director: Pedro Pérez Nuñez
Best “Short Short”
“The Vortex,”director: Karolyne Sosa
Best First-Time Actors
Yolanda Nolasco, “Ro & The Stardust”
Justin DeLaCruz, “Invade”
Best Sci Fi Short
“Ro & The Stardust,” director: Eunice Levis
TV PILOT AWARDS
Best TV Pilot
“Faculty Lounging,” director Richard Andrew Janes
Best Actor
Natalie Birriel, “Flow!”
Best Director
Elaine Del Valle, Brownsville Bred
Best Screenwriter
Kate Duffy, “Faculty Lounging”
Best Ensemble CasT
“How to Hack Birth Control”: Holden Aisha Renee, Powell Austin, Royce Danny, Jacobson Jackie, Harris Lauren Elizabeth, Rach Megan
WEB SERIES AWARDS
Best Web Series
“(U)nclaimed,” director: Carolyn Ratteray
Best Actor
Devon O’Kane, “Handsome”
Best Director
Devon O’Kane, “Handsome”
Best Screenplay
Carolyn Ratteray, “(U)nclaimed”
Best Ensemble Cast
“Retrograde”: Parsons Anna, Neff Devin, Gillian Jasmine, Korotko Lidiya, Rose Heywood Millie, Spring Voss Pearl
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