The 24th Annual Full Frame Documentary Film Festival which was cancelled amid COVID-19 public health and safety concerns still handed out jury awards to the official films selected for the festival. The top prize, Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award was presented to Mayor directed by David Osit. This captivating portrait of life in Palestine under Israeli occupation follows Musa Hadid, the Christian mayor of Ramallah, over the course of his second term as he navigates civic responsibilities in a volatile political climate.
In a statement, the jury said, “It was a great pleasure to immerse ourselves in these thought provoking films. We are so heartened at this difficult time to see filmmakers expansive exploration of the documentary form. So our first note is a thank you to all of the filmmakers for providing us with a delightful distraction. Of all the films, we found one stood apart. Beautifully shot and edited, with a charismatic character made for film, the film Mayor has the virtue of being funny, gripping, and sobering all at once. Along with the portrait of a man, it is a portrait of the city of Ramallah. In showing the audience what it takes to be Mayor of this city, the film very effectively plunges us into the day-to-day reality of the city at a significant political moment. And the grand opening of new water fountain becomes something of a symbol for the contradictions within this vibrant modern city attempting to prosper in the midst of Israeli occupation and subjugation. Does the fountain represent a kind of genuine hope in defiance, or a delusion that things appear better than they really are? Ultimately we loved this film’s central message of the optimism born of love of place.”
Other winners include Time, directed by Garrett Bradley was awarded both the Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award and the Charles E. Guggenheim Emerging Artist Award. Rendered in evocative black and white, this intimate and artfully shaped documentary follows Fox Rich, who, during desperate times, took part in the attempted robbery of a Shreveport, Louisiana, credit union with her husband, Rob. Released after three years, Fox returns home to raise their sons and take on the relentless fight for Rob’s release, shooting home videos for him while becoming a formidable advocate and entrepreneur.
The Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short was presented to Then Comes the Evening, directed by Maja Novaković; the Franklin Humanities Institute Award was presented to Riafn, directed by Hannes Lang; The Full Frame President’s Award went to Saudade, directed by Denize Galiao; and the Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights was presented to Us Kids, directed by Kim Snyder.
2020 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Jury Award Winners
THE REVA AND DAVID LOGAN GRAND JURY AWARD
Sponsored by The Reva and David Logan Foundation
Mayor (dir. David Osit)
FULL FRAME JURY AWARD FOR BEST SHORT
Provided by Drs. Barbra and Andrew Rothschild
Then Comes the Evening (dir. Maja Novaković)
CENTER FOR DOCUMENTARY STUDIES FILMMAKER AWARD
Provided by the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University
Time (dir. Garrett Bradley)
CHARLES E. GUGGENHEIM EMERGING ARTIST AWARD
Provided by the Charles E. Guggenheim Family
Time (dir. by Garrett Bradley)
THE FRANKLIN HUMANITIES INSTITUTE AWARD
Sponsored by the John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute at Duke University
Riafn (dir. Hannes Lang)
FULL FRAME PRESIDENT’S AWARD
Sponsored by Duke University
Saudade (dir. Denize Galiao)
KATHLEEN BRYAN EDWARDS AWARD FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Sponsored by the Julian Price Family Foundation in memory of Melanie Taylor
Us Kids (dir. Kim Snyder)