23rd BROOKLYN FILM FESTIVAL (May 29 – June 7, 2020) WINNERS:

INTO THE STORM Wins The Grand Chameleon Award and Best Documentary Feature

Best Narrative Feature – OUR OWN

Brooklyn Film Festival’s 23rd edition: TURNING POINT (aka Relearn How to be Human), which in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic began showing films for free online on Friday, May 29th and wrapped up Sunday, June 7th, announced the winners of the festival’s awards over the course of the day on Saturday, June 6th, with the Audience Awards and The Grand Chameleon Award announced on Sunday afternoon, bestowing a total of 30 awards to this year’s festival filmmakers.

Through the resources of industry-related sponsors, selected filmmakers will be sharing a total of $50,000 in cash, products and services. Award packages include prizes from Sobre Vista Resort, AbelCine, Xeno Lights, Be Electric, WNET, MPE, Final Draft, Lentini Communications, Media Services, Noble Jewelry, The Pod Hotel, Papapietro Perry Winery and Brooklyn Film Society.

And the winners are:

GRAND CHAMELEON AWARD – Dir. Adam Brown for the Documentary Feature INTO THE STORM [EN LA TORMENTA]

Best Narrative Feature – Dir. Jeanne Leblanc for the film OUR OWN

Jury Statement: In this category’s strong competition, the jury found that OUR OWN distinguished itself with its unwavering gaze at difficult issues and its formal control. Director Jeanne Leblanc captures the disconnect between the apparently ordinary households of a suburban neighborhood and the ugliness beneath the surface, problems that extend well beyond the film’s original sin. Its admirable qualities include courageous performances and a refusal to resolve itself in a conventionally reassuring way.

Best Documentary Feature – Dir. Adam Brown for the film INTO THE STORM [EN LA TORMENTA]

Jury Statement: The judges were thoroughly inspired by Jhonny’s story in INTO THE STORM. Thanks to the filmmakers’ excellent access, we felt that we were right there alongside him, experiencing the various ups and downs inherent to an athlete’s journey. We also applaud the excellent cinematography which superbly caught both Jhonny’s moves on the surfboard and stunning views of the ocean.

Best Narrative Short – Dir. Georgi M. Unkovski for the film STICKER

Jury Statement: STICKER is a rare achievement. One in which the filmmakers manage to perfectly balance humor and humanity, parental love and outlaw determination, inside a masterfully made film. It infuses us with joy as it impresses us with its technical skill.

Best Documentary Short – Dir. Malcolm Rizzuto and and Spencer Garrison for the film EAT WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY

Jury Statement: The Jury found EAT WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY extremely creative and strikingly funny. As an autobiographical tale on the immigrant experience from a unique perspective, it felt fresh and innovative. Presented through lively animation that details the complex – but also loving – story behind the relationship between a young man and his grandmother, we thoroughly enjoyed this film and encourage the filmmakers to keep creating.

Best Animation – Dir. Zige Zhang for the film KING OF THE HOUSE

Jury Statement: The Animation we selected as winner of the category is KING OF THE HOUSE. Zige Zhang’s exquisitely illustrated and pacy tale shines the spotlight on inequality. She nudges us to see that our shared humanity holds the key.

Best Experimental – Dir. Garry Stewart for the film THE CIRCADIAN CYCLE

Jury Statement: The jury is pleased to name THE CIRCADIAN CYCLE as the BFF 2020 winner for Best Experimental Short for its combination of striking cinematography, intriguing choreography, resonant score and conceptual depth. As the film shifts from vast wild landscapes to intimate explorations of the human form, it unites dance and the natural world in an eloquent expression of life’s rhythms.

Best New Director

HIGHER LOVE by HASAN OSWALD

Best Brooklyn Project

SUMMER IN THE CITY by MOJO LORWIN

Spirit Awards

Feature Narrative

SUFFOCATION by KENYA MÁRQUEZ

Feature Documentary

HIGHER LOVE by HASAN OSWALD

Short Documentary

SUNDAYS AT THE TRIPLE NICKEL by JESSICA COLQUHOUN

Short Narrative

IDOL by ALEX WU

Experimental

SUITE AFTER THE FURIES by KEVIN MCGLOUGHLIN

Animation

PITCH BLACK PANACEA by TOM HARDIMAN

Audience Awards

Feature Narrative

MACABRE by MARCOS PRADO

Feature Documentary

INTO THE STORM [EN LA TORMENTA] by ADAM BROWN

Short Documentary

THEY by LOUISA RECHENBACH

Short Narrative

THE PRESENT by FARAH NABULSI

Experimental

INHUMAN LOVE by ADAM HAYES and NICK HAYES

Animation

WADE by UPAMANYU BHATTACHARYYA and KALP SANGHVI

KidsFilmFest

CRAMMING by DAN PERLMAN

Certificates of Outstanding Achievement

Producer

RODRIGO RÍOS LEGASPI for BEFORE OBLIVION

Screenplay

MORGAN INGARI for MILKWATER

Cinematography

VINCENT BIRON for I’LL END UP IN JAIL

Editing

MACIEJ DRUNO SOSNOWSKI for ROTTEN EARS

Style

ASHLEY EAKIN for SINGLE

Original Score

XIAO ZHUANG MA for THE JOURNEY OF MURDER

Actor Female

SUSANA ALCANTARA for WOMAN WITHOUT A CHILD

Actor Male

KYLE CHEN for IDOL

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