Krisha by director Trey Edward Shults is the big winner of the 1st American Independent Film Awards (AIFAs), winning the awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay (Shults), Best Lead Performance (Krisha Fairchild) and Best Score (Brian McOmber). Krisha premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in 2015, and was distributed by A24 Films in March of 2016.
The award for the NoBudge Film went to Benjamin Crotty’s Fort Buchanan, while the Michael Cimino Best Film award (1 to 3 Million dollar budget) went to Anna Biller’s The Love Witch.
The American Independent Film Awards is dedicated to promoting and supporting independent films, filmmakers and film technicians. The voting body consists of U.S. based and international film festival programmers and North American based film critics.
1st American Independent Film Awards winners
BEST FILM (10 Noms)
#10. White Girl – Director: Elizabeth Wood
#9. Always Shine – Director: Sophia Takal
#8. The Other Side – Director: Roberto Minervini
#7. Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party – Director: Stephen Cone
#6. The Eyes of My Mother – Director: Nicolas Pesce
#5. Little Sister – Director: Zach Clark
#4. The Invitation – Director: Karyn Kusama
#3. Kate Plays Christine – Director: Robert Greene
#2. The Fits – Director: Anna Rose Holmer
#1. Krisha – Director: Trey Edward Shults
BEST DIRECTOR
Trey Edward Shults, Krisha
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Trey Edward Shults, Krisha
BEST IMPROVISATIONAL SCREENPLAY
Kate Plays Christine
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE
Krisha Fairchild, Krisha
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE
Molly Shannon, Other People
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER
Paul Yee, The Fits
BEST EDITOR
Robert Greene, Kate Plays Christine
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Christina Blackaller, The Greasy Strangler
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Sam Hensen, The Eyes of My Mother
BEST HAIR & MAKE-UP
Michelle Sfarzo, The Greasy Strangler
BEST SCORE
Brian McOmber, Krisha
The NOBUDGE FILM AWARD
Fort Buchanan, Benjamin Crotty
THE MICHAEL CIMINO BEST FILM AWARD (Films with a budget between 1M to 3M)
Winner: The Love Witch – Director: Anna Biller
Runner up: Certain Women – Director: Kelly Reichardt