Lupe Under The Sun, a film inspired by the life of the director’s own grandfather and shot with a cast of non-actors in real locations won the top prizes at the Brooklyn Film Festival.  The film directed by Rodrigo Reyes, won the Grand Chameleon Award and the prize for Best Narrative Feature.  A Cambodian Spring by Chris Kelly , and An Insignificant Man by Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla shared the award for Best Documentary.

Catherine Eaton’s The Sounding received the Audience award for Feature Narrative while the East Coast premiere of Kyle Eaton’s Shut Up Anthony grabbed the Spirit award for Feature Narrative.

“I couldn’t have wished for a better 20th anniversary! Everything fell into place as if it was always meant to be great from the start. A perfect combination of solid practical experience and pure magic,” said Marco Ursino, BFF Executive Director.

The Brooklyn Film Festival awarded the winners a total of $60,000 in prizes (products, services, and cash).

2017 WINNERS

GRAND CHAMELEON AWARD
LUPE UNDER THE SUN by RODRIGO REYES

Best Narrative Feature
LUPE UNDER THE SUN by RODRIGO REYES

Best Documentary – EX EQUO
A CAMBODIAN SPRING by CHRIS KELLY
AN INSIGNIFICANT MAN by KHUSHBOO RANKA & VINAY SHUKLA

Best Short Documentary
THE FOURTH KINGDOM by ALEX LORA & ADAN ALIAGA

Best Narrative Short
WATU WOTE: All of by KATJA BENRATH

Best Animation
TANGO by PEDRO GIONGO & FRANCISCO GUSSO

Best Experimental
COOKING WITH CONNIE by STAVIT ALLWEIS

Best New Director
EL REVENGE by FERNANDO FRAIHA

Brooklyn Pride Award
SWEET PARENTS by DAVID BLY

Spirit Awards

Feature Narrative
SHUT UP ANTHONY by KYLE EATON

Feature Documentary
MANIC by KALINA BERTIN

Short Documentary
SCRAP by CHRISTIAN FILIPPONE

Short Narrative
RHONNA & DONNA by DAINA ONIUNAS-PUSIC

Experimental
EXQUISITE CORPS by MITCHELL ROSE

Animation
PANIC ATTACK by EILEEN O’MEARA

Audience Awards

Feature Narrative
THE SOUNDING by CATHERINE EATON

Feature Documentary
DISCO’D by MATTHEW SIRETTA

Short Documentary
ASHLEY ASHLEY by TED SANANMAN

Short Narrative
PUNCHLINE by CHRISTOPHE SABER

Experimental
LIVE YOUR LIGHT by JENDRA JARNAGIN

Animation
COIN OPERATED by NICHOLAS ARIOLI

Certificates of Outstanding Achievement

Producer
ESTELLE ARTUS & FRANCES BOXE for ACCORDING TO HER

Screenplay
SLOAN COPELAND for LIFE HACK

Cinematography
VEDAT ÖZDEMIR for RAUF

Editing
JOANNA NAUGLE for KATE CAN’T SWIM

Style
CATHERINE EATON for THE SOUNDING

Original Score
DAN VEKSLER for ACCORDING TO HER

Actor Female
GOLAB ADINEH for THE SIS

Actor Male
JOSH HELMAN for KATE CAN’T SWIM