Editor

Of Medicine and Miracles, a feature-length documentary following oncologist Dr. Carl June on his quest to find a cure for cancer, and Farewell, Mr. Haffman, a narrative feature set in Occupied Paris in 1941 about a thwarted attempt to escape the conflict, captured top honors at the 29^thannual Sedona International Film Festival.

            The eight-day festival featured more than 150 films from around the world and appearances by Jacqueline Bisset, Karen Allen, Judd Hirsch, Lasse Hallström, Lena Olin, Tim Daly and Amy Smart.

            In addition to earning a Best of Fest award, Of Medicine and Miracles won the Director’s Choice Award for Most Inspirational Documentary and the Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature in a tie with Mama Bears, the story of women from conservative Christian backgrounds who fully accept their LGBTQ+ children.

            Farewell, Mr. Haffman also received the Audience Choice Best International Film Award.

            Other highlights of the award ceremony that took place on the Festival’s final day as a snowstorm blanketed the red rocks include Patrick and the Whale, Director’s Choice Best Environmental Documentary; The Grab, Director’s Choice Best Investigative Documentary; Monumental Divide, Director’s Choice Best Documentary; The Wind and the Reckoning, Director’s Choice Best Feature –Drama; Conducting Life and Awadagin Pratt: Black in America in a tie for Audience Choice Best Documentary Short; The Road Dance, Audience Choice Best Feature Drama; and Pinball - The Man Who Saved the Game, Audience Choice Best Feature Comedy.

            The Festival presented Lifetime Achievement Awards in acting to Bisset, Allen and Hirsch; for directing to Hallström; for Outstanding Acting to Olin and her daughter Tora Hallström for their roles in Hilma; for Outstanding Lead Actress to AnnaLynne McCord for Condition of Return; and Heart of the Festival Award to Chris and Pat McFaul.

            The full list of award winners includes:

2023 Sedona International Film Festival 

Directors’ Choice Awards

Shorts:

Best Short – Drama: Tarneit

Best Short – Comedy: The Vacation

Best Short – Dramedy: DAD-rahpy

Best Animated Short: Andy “a dog’s tail”

Best International Short: Table 8

Best Student Short: Dadu

Best Humanitarian Short: Bienvenidos a Los Angeles

Best Indie Spirit Short: Where No One Lives

Best Mixed Media Short: The Block

Most Inspirational Short: This Wild Abyss

Documentary Shorts:

Best Doc Short: Monumental Divide

Best Environmental Doc Short: American Scar

Most Inspirational Doc Short: Rare Enough

Best Indie-Spirit Short Documentary: Bacon ‘n’ Laces

Documentary Features:

Best Documentary: Ranger

Best International Documentary: A House Made of Splinters

Best Environmental Documentary: Patrick and the Whale

Most Inspirational Documentary: Of Medicine and Miracles

Best Investigative Documentary: The Grab

Best Indie-Spirit Documentary: Unveiled: Joyce Tenneson & the Heroine’s Journey

Non-Fiction New Visions Award: Sansón and Me

Narrative Features:

Best Feature - Drama: The Wind and the Reckoning

Best Feature - Comedy: Long Flat Balls “Broken Promises”

Best International Feature: Róise and Frank

Best Humanitarian Feature: Clocked

Best Indie-Spirit Feature: Silent Life

Best Impact Film: The Year of the Dog

Best Family Film: Rally Caps

Most Inspirational Film: Maamanithan (The Great Man)

Marion Herrman Excellence in Filmmaking: The Secret Song

Screenplay Awards

Best TV Pilot Screenplay: “Back Fires” by Alex Blumberg

Best Feature Screenplay: “I Dream A World” by Hal LaCroix

Best Short Screenplay: “Mary & Adam” by Ren Montoro

Audience Choice Winners

BEST OF FEST NARRATIVE: Farewell, Mr. Haffmann

BEST OF FEST DOCUMENTARY: Of Medicine and Miracles

Best Animated Film: Still With You

Best Short - Drama: Before Dawn, Kabul Time

Best Short - Comedy: Sunscreen

Best Student Short: The Code of Family

Best Documentary Short: TIE: Conducting Life and Awadagin Pratt: Black in America

Best Documentary Feature: TIE: Of Medicine and Miracles and Mama Bears

Best Feature Drama: The Road Dance

Best Feature Comedy: Pinball - The Man Who Saved the Game

Best International Film: Farewell, Mr. Haffmann

Special Awards 2023:

Lifetime Achievement (Acting): Jacqueline Bisset, Karen Allen, Judd Hirsch

Lifetime Achievement (Directing): Lasse Hallström

Outstanding Acting: Lena Olin and Tora Hallström — “Hilma”

Outstanding Lead Actress: AnnaLynne McCord — “Condition of Return”

Heart of the Festival Award: Chris and Pat McFaul