The 20th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival (urbanworld.org), presented by REVOLT with founding sponsor HBO, announced the awards for the screenplay, documentary, feature, narrative short, narrative feature (U.S. and World) and audience categories and the three REVOLT Young Filmmaker finalists today. The competitive multicultural film festival screened 65 films and hosted numerous digital, music and spotlight events before it concluded its five day festival with an awards brunch hosted by director Malcolm D. Lee at Tribeca Grill Loft in New York’s Tribeca area. Festival ambassador and filmmaker Ava DuVernay presented the Audience Awards to the winners.
The 20th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival winners are:
— Best Feature Documentary – “Daddy Don’t Go” – Directed by Emily Abt
http://www.urbanworld.org/2016/daddy-dont-go
(Presented by HBO – $5,000 Prize)
The Jury:
Dori Begley, Co-Executive Vice President, Magnolia Pictures
Jacqueline Glover, SVP, HBO Documentary Films
Angela Northington, SVP, Content Acquisitions, RLJ Entertainment & Urban Movie Channel
Jason Samuels, Senior Consultant, News & Docs, BET Networks and Associate Professor, NYU
— Best Narrative Short – “Balcony” – Directed by Toby Fell-Holden
http://www.urbanworld.org/2016/balcony
(Presented by Time Warner – $5,000 Prize)
The Jury:
Poppy Hanks, SVP, Development & Production, MACRO
Tamir Muhammad, Director, Content & Artist Development, Time Warner Inc.
Maria Zuckerman, SVP, HBO Films
— Best Narrative Feature (U.S. Cinema) – “Destined” – Directed by Qasim Basir
http://www.urbanworld.org/2016/destined
(Presented by Fox Audience Strategy – $5,000 Prize)
The Jury:
Korin D. Huggins, Head of Television, Will Packer Productions
Tilane Jones, Director, Executive Director, ARRAY
Gina Reyes, Fox Audience Strategy
— Best Narrative Feature (World Cinema) – “La Granja” – Directed by Angel Manuel Soto
http://www.urbanworld.org/2016/la-granja
Honorable Mention: Dar Noir – Directed by Hamadi Mwapachu
http://www.urbanworld.org/2016/dar-noir
The Jury:
Lisa Cortes, CEO, Cortes Films
Lisa E. Davis, Partner, Entertainment Group, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein+Selz
Felicia Pride, Director of Independent Film, Tugg
— Best Screenplay – “Fried Catfish” — Written by Inda Craig-Galván
http://www.urbanworld.org/screenplays
(Presented by BET Networks – $5,000 Prize)
The Jury:
Zola Mashariki, EVP & Head of Original Programming, BET Networks
Robi Reed, VP, Talent and Casting, Original Programming, BET Networks
Jeremy Pikser, VP, Writer’s Guild of America East and Award-Winning Writer
— Audience Awards
Best Feature – Lucky – Directed by Bari Kang
http://www.urbanworld.org/2016/lucky
— Best Short – “Samaria” – Directed by Kiel Adrian Scott
http://www.urbanworld.org/2016/samaria
— Young Filmmaker Finalists
(Presented by REVOLT – All expense paid trip to REVOLT Music Conference, October 13-16 in Miami where the winner will be announced.)
“AmeriKKKa” – Directed by Sheila Wilson
http://www.urbanworld.org/2016/amerikkka
“Madaran” – Directed by Rayka Zehtabchi
http://www.urbanworld.org/2016/madaran
“Loved Like This” – Directed by Christopher Lewis Dawkins
http://www.urbanworld.org/2016/loved-like-this
The Jury:
Andre Harrell, Vice Chairman, REVOLT
Sarah Snedeker, SVP, Production & Development, REVOLT FILMS
Bille Woodruff, Film & TV Director
The 21st Annual Urbanworld Film Festival will be in New York in September 2017.
