The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) announced the winners of the festival’s 2019 film competitions at the festival’s annual awards ceremony Saturday. This year’s festival featured four competitive categories: Fiction, Documentary, Future/ Now, and New Jersey Filmmaking.
MONOS, directed by Alejandro Landes, was awarded the festival’s Fiction Feature Prize with Hélène Louvart receiving a Special Jury Prize for Cinematography in A FAMILY SUBMERGED.
HONEYLAND, directed by Ljubomir Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska, took home the Bruce Sinofsky Award in the festival’s Documentary Feature competition. This award was established in memory of Bruce Sinofsky and was presented by Mr. Sinofsky’s daughter, Claire Sinofsky. A Special Jury Prize was awarded to Luke Lorentzen for Cinematography in MIDNIGHT FAMILY.
MICKEY AND THE BEAR, directed by Annabelle Attanasio, was awarded with the inaugural Mark Urman Award For Fiction Filmmaking in the festival’s Future/Now competition, sponsored by the Horizon Foundation For New Jersey and honoring emerging low-budget American independent filmmaking. A Special Jury Prize was given to Zora Howard, for Writing and performance in PREMATURE.
LIFE WITH LAYLA, directed by Ken Spooner and Mike Mee, took home the New Jersey Films Award, which honors a select group of films made by New Jersey artists.
MICKEY AND THE BEAR, directed by Annabelle Attanasio, took home the Audible Storyteller Award. The award, selected from a curated list of films at the festival and selected by Audible, comes with the opportunity to discuss development of an original audio work with Audible.
MOSSVILLE: WHEN GREAT TREES FALL, directed by Alexander Glustrom, took home the 5th Annual David Carr Award for Truth in Non-Fiction Filmmaking, which honors a filmmaker, selected by the festival, who utilizes journalistic techniques to explore important contemporary subjects and is presented in honor of Mr. Carr’s commitment to reporting on the media. The award was presented by Mr. Carr’s daughter, documentary filmmaker Erin Lee Carr.
The festival also features a Junior Jury, made up of fifteen area High School students representing twelve area schools, awarded the top prize to MOSSVILLE: WHEN GREAT TREES FALL, directed by Alexander Glustrom, with a Special Jury Prize to Patrick Bresnan for Cinematography in PAHOKEE.
“The films selected by our juries showcase the diverse voices, ideas, and styles that we hope reflect the festival’s commitment to the full range of cinematic storytelling,” said Montclair Film Executive Director Tom Hall. “We thank and congratulate all of the filmmakers who shared their films with the festival and our audiences this year.”
The Festival’s 2019 Audience Awards will be announced at the festival’s conclusion on Monday, May 13th.
Congratulations to the 2019 winners of The Montclair Film Festival Awards:
Fiction Feature Competition Winner
MONOS
Directed by Alejandro Landes
Fiction Feature Competition
Special Jury Prize
Hélène Louvart
For Cinematography in A FAMILY SUBMERGED
Bruce Sinofsky Prize for Documentary Feature Competition Winner
HONEYLAND
Directed by Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska
Documentary Feature Competition
Special Jury Prize
Luke Lorentzen
For Cinematography in MIDNIGHT FAMILY
Future/Now Competition, presented by the Horizon Foundation For New Jersey
The Mark Urman Award For Fiction Filmmaking
MICKEY AND THE BEAR
Directed by Annabelle Attanasio
Future/Now Competition
Special Jury Prize
Zora Howard
For Writing and Performance in PREMATURE
The David Carr Award For Truth In Non-Fiction Filmmaking
MOSSVILLE: WHEN GREAT TREES FALL
Directed by Alexander Glustrom
The Audible Storyteller Award
MICKEY AND THE BEAR
Directed by Annabelle Attanasio
New Jersey Films Competition Winner
LIFE WITH LAYLA
Directed by Ken Spooner and Mike Mee
Junior Jury Award
MOSSVILLE: WHEN GREAT TREES FALL
Directed by Alexander Glustrom
Junior Jury Special Jury Prize
Patrick Bresnan
For Cinematography in PAHOKEE
2019 FILM COMPETITIONS AND JURIES
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
The Documentary Feature Competition features cinematic non-fiction films that examine the diverse possibilities of the form. The winning film in this category will be awarded the 4th Annual Bruce Sinofsky Prize for Non-Fiction Filmmaking.
AMERICAN FACTORY, directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
HONEYLAND, directed by Tamara Kovetska and Ljubomir Stefanov
THE HOTTEST AUGUST, directed by Brett Story
MIDNIGHT FAMILY, directed by Luke Lorentzen
PAHOKEE, directed by Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan
2019 Documentary Jury: Sam Bisbee, Producer, Zach Scharf, Indiewire, Nick McCarthy, Newfest
FICTION FEATURE COMPETITION
The Fiction Feature Competition highlights the MFF’s most ambitious, auteur-driven fiction films.
DIVINE LOVE, directed by Gabriel Mascarano
A FAMILY SUBMERGED, directed by Maria Alche
MANTA RAY, directed by Phuttiphong Aroonpheng
MONOS, directed by Alejandro Landes
ONE MAN DIES A MILLION TIMES, directed by Jessica Oreck
2019 Fiction Jury: Milton Tabbot, Independent Filmmaker Project, Tomris Laffly, New York Film Critics Circle, Caroline Kaplan, Cinereach
AUDIBLE STORYTELLER AWARD
Winner selected by:
David Blum – Editor in Chief, Audible Originals
Steve Feldberg – VP, Audible Originals
Emily Martinez – Producer, Audible Originals
Reid Armbruster – Senior Director, Marketing, Audible Originals and Exclusives
FUTURE/NOW COMPETITION
The Future/Now Competition celebrates American, low-budget independent filmmaking by first or second time feature film directors who are creating innovative, challenging films. Presented by The Horizon Foundation of New Jersey.
JULES OF LIGHT AND DARK, directed by Daniel Laabs
LIGHT FROM LIGHT, directed by Paul Harrill
MICKEY AND THE BEAR, directed by Annabelle Attanasio
PREMATURE, directed by Rashaad Ernesto Green
THE WORLD IS FULL OF SECRETS, directed by Graham Swon
2019 Future Now Jury: Matt Cowal, Netflix, David Sims, The Atlantic, Lauren Sanchez, Vogue
NEW JERSEY FILMS COMPETITION
The New Jersey Films competition this year focuses on non-fiction films directed, produced by, or featuring New Jersey talent.
FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO, directed by Daniel Karslake
THE INFILTRATORS, directed by Cristina Ibarra and Alex Rivera
LIFE WITH LAYLA, directed by Ken Spooner and Mike Mee
MOSSVILLE: WHEN THE GREAT TREES FALL, directed by Alexander Glustrom
WHAT SHE SAID: THE ART OF PAULINE KAEL, directed by Rob Garver
2019 New Jersey Films Jury: Leigh Blickley, Huffington Post, Clayton Davis, Awards Circuit, Rafer Guzman, Newsday
