Editor

“AYLA THE DAUGHTER OF WAR” WINS BEST OF FEST AND BEST FOREIGN FILM (DIRECTOR’S CHOICE) AT SEDONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Ayla The Daughter of War, a heartwarming narrative feature based on the true story of a soldier in the Korean War who risks his own life to save a half-frozen little girl, captured the Best of Fest Award and the Director’s Choice Award for Best Foreign Film at the 24^th annual Sedona International Film Festival.

            Nearly 180 films were screened over nine days at the 2018 event.  Ayla The Daughter of War was Turkey’s submission for Academy Award consideration.

            Rose, from director Rod McCall and featuring Cybill Shepherd, James Brolin, Pam Grier and Cindy Pickett about a widowed ex-cop who decides to go on a solo road trip to the Southwest in a motorized wheelchair after discovering she may have a life-threatening illness, and Django, the story of guitarist and composer Django Reinhardt and his flight from German-occupied Paris in 1943, tied for Director’s Choice Best Feature Film.

            Instrument of War, a film about B-24 bomber pilot Clair Cline’s experience as a POW after being shot down in northern Germany during World War II, and inspired by true events, took the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film.  2018 Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Film, The Insult, won the Audience Award for Best Foreign Film.  The Insult was among five Oscar nominees screened at the Sedona International Film Festival.

            Special Awards presented this year included the Lifetime Achievement Award to Jane Alexander; the Global Initiative Humanitarian Award to Keely Shaye and Pierce Brosnan for the documentary, Poisoning Paradise; the Bill Muller Excellence in Screenwriting Award to The Drawer Boy; the Marion Herrman Excellence in Filmmaking Award to In Search of Perfect Consonance; and the Technical Director’s Excellence in Exhibition Award to Game.

            Silence, an 8-minute short about a Jewish man hiding in German-occupied Poland who rediscovers the joy of music while creating a makeshift gramophone, won both the Director’s Choice and Audience Choice Award for Best Student Short Film. Benjamin Classman was the director, writer and co-producer.

            The full list of award winners:

Directors’ Choice Awards

Best Feature Film – Drama: Rose and Django (tie)

Best Feature Film – Comedy: Humor Me

Best Foreign Film: Ayla The Daughter of War

Best Documentary Feature: Liyana

Best Documentary Short: Faces of Santa Ana

Best Environmental Film: The Need to GROW

Best Foreign Documentary: Blue

Best Short Film: A Whole World for a Little World

Best Student Short Film: Silence

Best Animated Film: Weeds

Best Independent Spirit (Short): Temporary

Best Independent Spirit (Narrative): Quality Problems

Best Independent Spirit (Documentary): I Am Jane Doe

Best Humanitarian (Narrative): My Name is Vaseline

Best Humanitarian (Documentary): Bending the Arc

Heart of the Festival Award: Nathan’s Kingdom

Bill Muller Excellence in Screenwriting Award: The Drawer Boy

Marion Herrman Excellence in Filmmaking Award: In Search of Perfect Consonance

Technical Director’s Excellence in Exhibition Award: Game

Audience Choice Awards:

BEST OF FEST: Ayla The Daughter of War

Best Animated Film: E-Delivery

Best Short Film: Alternative Math

Best Documentary Short: Mr. Connolly Has ALS

Best Documentary Mid-Length: Standing Still/Still Standing

Best Environmental Film: Yasuni Man

Best Documentary: I’ll Push You

Best Foreign Film: The Insult

Best Student Short Film: Silence

Best Feature Film – Comedy: Adios Amigos

Best Feature Film – Drama: Instrument of War

Special Awards:

Lifetime Achievement Award: Jane Alexander

Global Initiative Humanitarian Award: Keely Shaye Brosnan and Pierce Brosnan

            For more information, visit www.sedonafilmfestival.org.