Netflix’s “Frankenstein”, written and directed by Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro, took home the SCAD Film Festival Audience Award following a sold-out screening attended by Oscar Isaac, who was also honored with the Icon Award.
Searchlight Pictures’ heartwarming dramedy “Rental Family”, directed by Hikari and starring Brendan Fraser, was the runner-up of the fest. Fraser was also honored with the Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award during the screening event.
In the International Audience category, Neon’s “No Other Choice” from director Park Chan-wook earned top honors. Park was also recognized with the Auteur Award in front of a packed audience.
Out of more than 2,500 submissions, 102 films were selected for competition, with 24 titles receiving awards across narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and special jury categories.
Additional key professional competition awards include:
- Best Narrative Feature: “Charliebird”, dir. Libby Ewing
- Best Documentary Feature: “Yanuni”, dir. Richard Ladkani
- Best Professional Short: “Rise”, dir. Jessica J. Rowlands
- Best Director: Richard Ladkani for “Yanuni”
- Best Cinematography: “The Singers”, dir. Sam Davis
- Jury Award for Social Impact: “All the Empty Rooms”, dir. Joshua Seftel
- Jury Award for Ensemble Acting: “Beyond Silence”, featuring Henrianne Jansen, Sigrid ten Napel, and Tamar van den Dop
Select competition winners received cash prizes sponsored by Frankfurt Kurnit and ShotDeck, including a $1,000 prize for Best Cinematography and $500 awards for Best Professional Short, Narrative Feature, and Documentary Feature. This year’s festival also honored a host of industry icons and rising stars. Among the major honorees were:
- Spike Lee – Legend of Cinema Award
- Dakota Fanning – Outstanding Achievement in Television
- Brendan Fraser – Outstanding Achievement in Cinema
- Park Chan-wook – Auteur Award
- Oscar Isaac – Icon Award
- Rose Byrne and Will Arnett – Luminary Awards
- Sydney Sweeney, Miles Teller, Regina Hall, Amanda Seyfried, Tessa Thompson, and others received top honors for distinguished performances and achievements.
In the animated and student short categories, “Murmuration” (dir. Janneke Swinkels and Tim Frijsinger), “Dragfox” (dir. Lisa Ott), and “Breastmilk” (dir. Ifeyinwa Arinze) received top honors, with cash prizes also awarded. The Global Shorts Forum highlighted “The Return” (dir. Jeremy S. Levine), “Hoops, Hopes, & Dreams” (dir. Glenn Kaino), and “Largo” (dir. Salvatore Scarpa and Max Burgoyne) among others.
Variety partnered with the festival to present its Creative Impact Award in Production to Hannah Beachler at a screening of “Sinners,” in addition to hosting the fourth annual Pixels and Pencils, highlighting the best animation films of the year and 10 artisans to watch.
variety.com
#Frankenstein #Wins #SCAD #Film #Festival #Audience #Award
