The Miami International Film Festival

March 6 to March 15, 2009

WINNER'S LIST

The 2009 Miami International Film Festival Awards Ceremony took place last night at the beautiful Gusman Theater. Festival Director, Tiziana Finzi, thanked the audience, the sponsors, the MIFF staff and Miami Dade College for making the Festival, her first as Director, possible. Finzi then introduced Vivian Donnell Rodriguez and Juan Mendieta, who served as the night’s MCs.

The 2009 Award Winners:

WORLD COMPETITION

Knight Grand Jury Prize - $25,000

The Past is a Foreign Land (Il Passato È Una Terra Straniera) by Daniele Vicari, Italy

Special Jury Mention

Best Director, Enrique Rivero, Parque Vía , Mexico

Special Jury Mention

Best Actor, Michele Riondino, The Past is a Foreign Land (Il Passato È Una Terra Straniera) by Daniele Vicari, Italy

Special Jury Mention

Best Supporting Actress, Olga Louzgina in Katia's Sister (Het Zusje Van Katia) by Mijke de Jong , Netherlands

 Audience Award  

Kisses by Lance Daly, Ireland/Sweden

FIPRE SCI AWARD

 Involuntary (De Ofrivilliga) by Ruben Östlund, Sweden

IBERO-AMERICAN COMPETITON

This inspiring competition showcases dramatic features by first and second-time directors from Latin America, Spain and Portugal .  

Knight Grand Jury Prize - $25,000

Historias Extraordinarias by Mariano Llinás, Argentina

Special Jury Mention

Best Actress, Catarina Zaavera for The Maid (La Nana) by Sebastián Silva , Chile / Mexico

Special Jury Mention

Tony Manero by Pablo Larraín, Chile/Brazil

Special Jury Mention

Gasoline (Gasolina) by Julio Hernández Cordon , Guatemala

Audience Award

Nora's Will (5 Dias sin Nora) by Mariana Chenillo , Mexico

DOX COMPETITON

Documentary feature films from around the world are screened in this prestigious competition.  Social issues, diverse cultures, icons and inspiring people are an integral part of this category.

Miami Dade College Grand Jury Prize - $25,000

Shakespeare and Victor Hugo's Intimacies (Intimidades de Shakespeare y Victor Hugo) by Yulene Olaizola , Mexico

Special Jury Mention

For its poetic qualities: The Inheritors (Los Herederos) by Eugenio Polgovsky, Mexico

Special Jury Mention

For the courage of the subject matter: Mental (Seishin) by Kazuhiro Soda , Japan / USA

Special Jury Mention

For Cinematography: 16memories (16memorias) by Camilo Botero Jaramillo , Colombia

Audience Award

16 memories (16memorias) by Camilo Botero Jaramillo , Colombia

SHORTS COMPETITION
This category features three programs of the best short films from around the world.  

Miami Dade College Grand Jury Prize  - $2,500

First Love (Elso Szerelem) by Ildikó Enyedi , Hungary

Runner Up

Sandpit#186 (Balastiera#186) by Adina Pintilie and George Chiper, Romania           

Special Jury Mention

Best Performance to Carla Ribas in Day In Day Out (Cotidiano) by Joana Mariani, Brazil

Special Jury Mention

Best Cinematography to Isi Sarfati for Land and Bread (Tierra y Pan) by Carlos Armella, Mexico

CUTTING THE EDGE COMPETITION
MIFF’s newest competition category is an exciting presentation of audio-visual experimentation, surpassing cutting-edge notions. In its first edition, this program showcases provoking, and sometimes extreme, works that stand at the crossroads of video and art disciplines of every kind.

On War (De La Guerre) by Bertrand Bonello, France

Special Jury Mention

Beket by Davide Manuli , Italy

SCREENWRITER JORDAN ALEXANDER RESSLER AWARD

Presented by the Jordan Alexander Ressler Charitable Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego . Juried prize of $5,000 awarded to winning screenwriter in the Ibero-American Competition.

The Maid (La Nana) by Sebastián Silva , Chile / Mexico


INTERNATIONAL FILM GUIDE INSPIRATION AWARD
Presented by Wallflower Press and The Criterion Collection – winning emerging Ibero-American filmmaker is awarded prizes including: special Awards Scroll, a copy of the 2009 edition of the International Film Guide, various series of films (DVD) and books.

For best up and coming new Director in the Ibero American section

The Maid (La Nana) by Sebastián Silva , Chile / Mexico

FLORIDA FOCUS AWARDS

Miami Mini Film

Electric Revolution by Mark Moormann

Student High School Short Film

Winner - Mighty Deadly by Marcus Gonzalez

Special Jury Mention - Legacy: the Story of Miami High by Andre Benitez

Student College Student Film

Tie – Suddenly the Sunrise by Jhonny Obando and The Man who was Bold by Michal Zebede

Congratulations to all the winners!

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