The Traverse City Film Festival, founded, programmed, and run by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore, just wrapped its 11th edition which ran July 29-August 2, 2015 in beautiful Traverse City, Michigan. The festival welcomed over 100,000 avid cinema lovers.
“This year’s festival brought some of the best films we’ve ever had, and we had more filmmakers here to share the stories of those film with audiences than ever before. Everyone I’ve spoken with has their own special moment from the festival – for me, celebrating the 100th birthday of the State Theatre with Geraldine Chaplin in attendance was a once in a lifetime experience,” said Moore.
The 2015 official program added new sections which sold out quickly, including #Tween (movies for the generation currently coming of age), and The Sidebar: Food on Film (the best in culinary cinema, followed by candid conversations between the stars of the Northern Michigan food scene and sample bites prepared by the chefs and inspired by the films), and LGBTQ (marking the Supreme Court’s historic ruling on gay marriage). Closing Night’s gala screening of “Grandma” began with Michael Moore legally marrying a gay couple, live on the stage of the State Theatre.
The Founders Grand Prize for Best Film, the festival’s top prize, went to “Listen to Me Marlon.” Best Documentary went to “The Wanted 18” and Best Comedy to “Finders Keepers.”
The festival’s Changemaker Award went to Iraq veteran Ross Caputi for his film “Fear Not the Path of Truth,” and its Discovery Award to Kauother Ben Hania for her satirical film “Challat of Tunis.”
Audience Award winning films included “A Brave Heart: The Story of Lizzie Velasquez” for Best Documentary and “Tangerines” for Best Foreign Film.
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS OF 2015 TRAVERSE CITY FILM FESTIVAL
Audience Award Winner for Best Kids Short: “The Present“
Audience Award Winner for Best Narrative Short: “Birthday“
Audience Award Winner for Best Documentary Short: “Naneek“
Audience Award Winner for Best Kids Film: “Fiddlesticks“
Audience Award Runner Up for Best Foreign Film: “The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared“
Audience Award Winner for Best Foreign Film: “Tangerines“
Audience Award Runner Up for Best American Film: “Learning to Drive“
Audience Award Winner for Best American Film: “Kill the Messenger“
Audience Award Runner Up for Best Documentary Film: “The Hunting Ground“
Audience Award Winner for Best Documentary Film: “A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story“
SHORT FILM WINNERS
Founders Prize Special Mention Short Film: “Let Your Light Shine“
Founders Prize for Best Narrative Short: “Discipline“
Founders Prize for Best Documentary Short: “My Enemy, My Brother“
FOUNDERS AWARDS
Lifetime Achievement Award: Geraldine Chaplin
Visionary Award: Robert Altman
Michigan Filmmaker Award: Roger Corman
Discovery Award: Kaouther Ben Hania, “Challat of Tunis“
Changemaker Award: Ross Caputi, “Fear Not the Path of Truth“
Stuart J. Hollander Prize for Best Kids Film: “Fiddlesticks“
Buzz Wilson Prize for Best Avant-Garde Film: “Journey to the West“
Founders Prize Special Award: “7 Chinese Brothers“
Founders Prize Special Award: “The Trials of Spring“
Founders Prize Special Award: “The Wolfpack“
Founders Prize Special Award: “Roseanne for President!“
Founders Prize Special Award: “The Armor of Light“
Founders Prize Special Award: “Wild Tales“
Founders Prize Special Award: “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem“
Founders Prize Special Award: “The Last Five Years“
Roger Ebert Prize for Best Film by a First Time Filmmaker: “T-Rex“
Stanley Kubrick Award for Bold and Innovative Filmmaking: “Tangerine“
Founders Prize for Best Documentary: “The Wanted 18“
Founders Prize for Best Comedy: “Finders Keepers“
Founders Prize for Best Drama: “Two Days, One Night“
Founders Prize for Best Film: “Listen to Me Marlon“
TCFF DOWNTOWN WINDOW DECORATION CONTEST
First Place: Great Lakes Bath & Body and Paperworks Studio
Second Place: Toy Harbor
Third Place: Haystacks
FIM GROUP BUMPER CONTEST
First Place
Claire Holloway
DECISION TIME
$1,000
Second Place
Brian Steinberg
SHORT AND TALL
$300
Third Place
Mike DeRosa
THE KID AND HIS CITY
$200
The 12th annual Traverse City Film Festival will take place July 26 – 31, 2016.