The 2016 Sundance Film Festival is nearly thing of history but not before the various juries announced their picks for the tops of the festival. In the end, it was the Nate Parker’s blistering sensation The Birth of the Nation which won out in the winning, picking up both the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award. The film centers around the 1831 slave rebellion led by Nat Turner (played by Parker in the film) and took Sundance by storm. The timing of the movie couldn’t be more perfect considering the emphasis over diversity within the film industry has reached its swell in the aftermath of the recent Oscar nominations.
The Birth of a Nation sold to Fox Searchlight in record fashion and will likely come to theaters sometime this fall. In 2015, Fox Searchlight picked up Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, the film that wowed last years’ festival (similarly winning both Grand Jury and Audience Award prizes); that movie proved not to make much of an impression when released last summer but time will tell. Past winners of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance include Whiplash, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Winter’s Bone and Precious. In the meantime, with Sundance nearing its close, take a look at the films honors this year. Full list of winners below:
U.S. DRAMATIC
- GRAND JURY PRIZE: The Birth of a Nation– directed by Nate Parker
- AUDIENCE AWARD: The Birth of a Nation– directed by Nate Parker
- DIRECTING AWARD: Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan, Swiss Army Man
- WALDO SALT SCREENWRITING AWARD: Chad Hartigan, Morris from America
- SPECIAL JURY AWARD (Individual Performance): Melanie Lynskey, The Intervention
- SPECIAL JURY AWARD (Individual Performance): Craig Robinson, Morris from America
- SPECIAL JURY AWARD (Breakthrough Performance): Joe Seo, Spa Night
- SPECIAL JURY AWARD: As You Are– directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte
U.S. DOCUMENTARY
- GRAND JURY PRIZE: Wiener– directed by Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg
- AUDIENCE AWARD: Jim– directed by Brian Oakes
- DIRECTING AWARD: Roger Ross Williams, Life, Animated
- SPECIAL JURY AWARD (Writing): Kate Plays Christine– directed by Robert Greene
- SPECIAL JURY AWARD (Social Impact Filmmaking): Trapped– directed by Dawn Porter
- SPECIAL JURY AWARD (Editing): Nuts– edited by Penny Lane, Thom Stylinski
- SPECIAL JURY AWARD (Verity Filmmaking): The Bad Kids– directed by Keith Fulton, Lou Pepe
WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC
- GRAND JURY PRIZE: Sand Storm– directed by Elite Zexer
- AUDIENCE AWARD: Between Sea and Land– directed by Manola Cruz, Carlos del Castillo
- DIRECTING AWARD: Felix van Groeningen, Belgica
- SPECIAL AWARD FOR UNIQUE VISION AND DESIGN: The Lure– directed by Agnieszka Smoczynska
- SPECIAL JURY AWARD (Acting): Vicky Hernandéz, Manolo Cruz, Between Sea and Land
WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY
- GRAND JURY PRIZE: Sonita– directed by Rokhsareth Ghaem Maghami
- AUDIENCE AWARD: Sonita– directed by Rokhsareth Ghaem Maghami
- DIRECTING AWARD: Michal Marczak, All These Sleepless Nights
- SPECIAL AWARD (Debut Feature): When Two Worlds Collide– directed by Heidi Brandenburg, Matthew Orzel
- SPECIAL JURY AWARD (Cinematography): The Land of the Enlightened
NEXT
- AUDIENCE AWARD: First Girl I Loved
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