As the 2017 South by Southwest film festival continues, Tuesday night saw the announcement of the award winners from the fest. The presentation took place at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas. Ana Asensio’s Most Beautiful Island won top honors, nabbing the Grand Jury Prize for the Narrative Feature Competition. The film, described as a thriller, centers of the plight of undocumented female immigrants and their attempt to start a new life in New York City. Asensio, a Spanish actress and filmmaker who currently resides in New York, first translated the project into a one-woman show ahead of her directorial debut feature; Asensio penned the screenplay and stars in the film, which was shot in super 16 mm.
Take a look at the full list of winners below:
Feature Film Grand Jury Awards
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
Most Beautiful Island – directed by Ana Asensio
Special Jury Recognition for Breakthrough Performance: James Freedson-Jackson, The Strange Ones
Special Jury Recognition for Best Ensemble: A Bad Idea Gone Wrong
Cast: Matt Jones, Eleanore Pienta, Will Rogers, Jonny Mars, Sam Eidson, Jennymarie Jemison
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
The Work – directed by Jairus McLeary and Gethin Aldous
Special Jury Recognition for Excellence in Observational Cinema: Maineland – directed by Miao Wang
Special Jury Recognition for Excellence in Documentary Storytelling: I Am Another You – directed by Nanfu Wang
Short Film Grand Jury Awards
NARRATIVE SHORTS
Forever Now – directed by Kristian Håskjold
Special Jury Recognition for Acting: Tarra Riggs, DeKalb Elementary
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
Little Potato – directed by Wes Hurley & Nathan M. Miller
MIDNIGHT SHORTS
The Suplex Duplex Complex – directed by Todd Rohal
ANIMATED SHORTS
Wednesday with Goddard – directed by Nicolas Menard
Special Jury Recognition: Pussy – directed by Renata Gasiorowska
MUSIC VIDEOS
Winner: Leon Bridges, “RIVER” – directed by Miles Jay
Special Jury Recognition: Tame Impala, “The Less I Know The Better”
TEXAS SHORTS
The Rabbit Hunt – directed by Patrick Bresnan
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS
Better Late Than Never – directed by Atheena Frizzell
Special Jury Recognition: Darcy’s Quinceañera – directed by Sam Cooper
SXSW Film Design Awards
EXCELLENCE IN POSTER DESIGN
Fry Day – designed by Caspar Newbolt
Special Jury Recognition: Like Me – designed by Jeremy Enecio
EXCELLENCE IN TITLE DESIGN
Into The Current – directed by Chris R. Moberg and Jared Young
SXSW LUNA® Gamechanger Award: Narrative
INFLAME – directed by Ceylan Ozgun Ozcelik
SXSW LUNA® Chicken & Egg Award: Documentary
I Am Another You – directed by Nanfu Wang
SXSW Louis Black “Lone Star” Award
(To honor SXSW co-founder/director Louis Black, a jury prize was created in 2011 called the Louis Black “Lone Star” Award, to be awarded to a Texas film in content, filmmaker residency, or primary shooting location.)
Mr. Roosevelt – directed by Noël Wells
SXSW Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award
Assholes – directed by Peter Vack
SXSW Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship Presentation
(The Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship is a year-long experience that encourages and champions the talent of an emerging documentary editor. Awarded annually, the fellowship was created to honor the memory of gifted editor Karen Schmeer.)
Leigh Johnson