2023 Awards:

Master of Cinema Awards:

  • Karen Allen
  • Tom Schulman
 

Spark Award:

  • Emily Harrold

 

Re:Vision Independent Narrative Feature Competition:

  • Best Narrative Feature: Trapped Balloon directed by Hiroyuki Miyagawa
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: Zia Mohajerjasbi for Know Your Place
  • Best Screenplay: Hiroyuki Miyagawa for Trapped Balloon
  • Best Cinematography: Kamei Yoshinori for Trapped Balloon
  • Best Performance in a Feature Film: Masahiro Higashide for Trapped Balloon
  • Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble: Know Your Place
  • Special Jury Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance: Jacky Jung in B-Side: For Taylor
 

Documentary Features:

  • Best Documentary Feature: Bad Press directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker & Joe Peeler
  • Best Director of a Documentary Feature: Jesse Rudoy, Dusty & Stones
  • Special Jury Award for Cinematography: Curren Sheldon, King Coal
 

Narrative Shorts:

  • Best Narrative Short: Cousins directed by Karina Dandashi
  • Best Student Narrative Short: Swim Captain directed by Christa Haley
  • Special Jury Award for Social Impact: Thursday directed by Bren Cukier
  • Special Jury Award for Best International Short Film: Three Grains of Salt directed by Ingrid Chikhaoui
 

Documentary Shorts (RiverRun is an Academy Award qualifying Festival for Documentary Shorts):

  • Best Documentary Short: Oasis directed by Justine Martin
  • Honorable Mention for Innovative Storytelling: Everything Wrong and Nowhere to Go directed by Sindha Agha
  • Special Jury Award: Breaking Silence directed by Amy Bench and Annie Silverstein
 

Animated Shorts (RiverRun is an Academy Award qualifying Festival for Animated Shorts):

  • Best Animated Short: The Record directed by Jonathan Laskar
  • Special Jury Award for Documentary Animation: Europe by Bidon directed by Samuel Albaric & Thomas Trichet
  • Special Jury Award for Experimental Animation: Ecce directed by Margherita Premuroso
 

Kilpatrick Townsend Audience Choice Award:

  • Go On, Be Brave directed by Brian Beckman & Miriam McSpadden

 

Reel South Award:

RiverRun is pleased to be affiliated with Reel South. Reel South SHORTS, the digital hive of the PBS series Reel South, showcases the best in Southern short-form and is built on partnerships with the South’s regional film festivals. This year’s Reel South Winner was I’m the Girl – The Story of a Photograph, directed by Thomas Southerland.

 

Pitch Fest Awards:

The 12th annual RiverRun Pitch Fest was held with college students from four colleges from North Carolina pitching their documentary film projects to a panel of judges in hopes of winning cash prizes. First place was awarded to Types directed by Taylor Rogers from Wake Forest University. Second place was awarded to Print is Dead: A Documentary About the Decline of the Publishing Industry directed by Aiden Winter-Deely from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

2022 Awards:

Master of Cinema Awards:

  • Karen Allen
  • Gigi Perreau
  • Kristi Zea
  • Karmic Release Ltd.

Spark Awards:

  • Natalie Bullock Brown
  • Iman Zawahry

Narrative Features:

  • Best Narrative Feature: You Resemble Me directed by Dina Amer
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: Adam Sjöberg & Seanne Winslow for The Falconer
  • Best Screenplay of a Narrative Feature: Dina Amer for You Resemble Me
  • Best Actress in a Narrative Feature: Rachel Lambert in I Can Feel You Walking
  • Best Actor in a Narrative Feature: Rami Zahar & Rupert Fennessy in The Falconer
  • Special Jury Award for Creative Vision: The Noise of Engines directed by Philippe Gregoire

Documentary Features:

  • Best Documentary Feature: Art & Krimes by Krimes directed by Alysa Nahmias
  • Best Director of a Documentary Feature:  Ira McKinley & Bhwain Suchak for Outta the Muck
  • Special Jury Award for Human Rights Filmmaking:  A Decent Home directed by Sara Terry

Narrative Shorts:

  • Best Narrative Short: Hallelujah directed by Victor Gabriel
  • Best Student Narrative Short: Not the 80s directed by Marleen Valien
  • Honorable Mention for Comedy: S.O.S. directed by Sarah Hafner
  • Honorable Mention for Horror: Skin & Bone directed by Eli Powers

Documentary Shorts (RiverRun is an Academy Award qualifying Festival for Documentary Shorts):

  • Best Documentary Short: The Sentence of Michael Thompson directed by Haley Elizabeth Anderson & Kyle Thrash
  • Honorable Mention: Holding Moses directed by Rivkah Beth Medow
  • Honorable Mention: Stranger at the Gate directed by Joshua Seftel
  • Special Jury Award for Visual Storytelling: His Name Was Cargo directed by Marco Signoretti

Animated Shorts (RiverRun is an Academy Award qualifying Festival for Animated Shorts):

  • Best Animated Short: The Clearing directed by Daniel Hope
  • Best Student Animated Film: Yallah! directed by Cécile Adant, Renaud de Saint Albin, Candice Behague, Nayla Nassar, Edouard Pitula & Anaïs Sassatelli
  • Honorable Mention: Prosopagnosia directed by Steven Fraser

Kilpatrick Townsend Audience Choice Award:

  • Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen directed by Daniel Raim

Reel South Award:

RiverRun is pleased to be affiliated with Reel South. Reel South SHORTS, the digital hive of the PBS series Reel South, showcases the best in Southern short-form and is built on partnerships with the South’s regional film festivals. This year’s Reel South Winner was Mother(s) & Son, directed by Kiersten Houser.

Pitch Fest Awards:

The 11th annual RiverRun Pitch Fest was held with college students from four colleges from North Carolina pitching their documentary film projects to a panel of judges in hopes of winning cash prizes. First place was awarded for Becoming the Lion directed by Mier “Miranda” Tai from Wake Forest University. Second place was awarded to Sentient Souvenirs directed by Pearl Marley from University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

2021 Awards:

MASTER OF CINEMA AWARDS:

  • Alan Cumming
  • Lee Grant

Emerging Master Award:

  • Finnerty Steeves

Re: Vision Independent Feature Competition: 

  • Best Film: Fires in the Dark, directed by Dominique Lienhard
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: Dominique Lienhard for Fires in the Dark
  • Best Cinematography: Philippe Kress for A Beautiful Curse
  • Best Screenplay: Dominique Lienhard for Fires in the Dark
  • Best Editing: Marco Perez for A Beautiful Curse
  • Best Actress: Shein Mompremier in Ludi
  • Best Ensemble: The Cast of Events Transpiring Before, During and After a High School Basketball Game

Documentary Features Competition:

  • Best Documentary Feature: Sapelo directed by Nick Brandestini
  • Best Director of a Documentary Feature: Jeff Daniels for Television Event
  • Human Rights Award: Missing in Brooks County

Narrative Shorts Competition:

  • Best Narrative Short: White Eye, directed by Tomer Shushan
  • Best Student Narrative Short: The Washing Machine, directed by Dominik Hartl
  • Honorable Mention for Student Narrative Short: Must Love Pie, directed by Patrick Clement

Documentary Shorts Competition (Academy Award qualifying category):

  • Best Documentary Short: A Broken House, directed Jimmy Goldblum
  • Honorable Mention: Atomic Café: The Noisiest Corner in J-Town, directed by Akira Boch and Tadashi Nakamura

Animated Shorts Competition (Academy Award qualifying category):

  • Best Animated Short: The Source of the Mountains, directed by Adrien Communier, Camille Di Dio, Benjamin Francois, Pierre Gorichon, Briag Mallat and Marianne Moisy
  • Special Jury Award for Student Film: The Winter, directed by Xin Li

Other Awards:

  • Audience Choice Award: The Desiring, Directed by Graham Pritz-Bennet
  • Reel South Award: Bug Farm, directed by Lydia Cornett
  • Pitch Fest 1st prize: America vs. Herself, directed by Kiersten Houser from UNC Wilmington
  • Pitch Fest runner-up: The Subway, directed by Gannon La Croix of James Madison University

2020 Awards:

Master of Cinema Awards:

  • Helen Bartlett
  • Tony Bill
  • Bari Burman
  • Tom Burman
  • Gigi Perreau

Spark Award:

  • Krisha Fairchild

Jury Awards (Re: Vision Independent Feature Competition):

  • Best Film: De Lo Mio, directed by Diana Peralta
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: Maša NeškovićAsymmetry
  • Best Cinematography: Djordje Arambasic, Asymmetry
  • Best Screenplay: Sasha Collington, Love Type D
  • Best Editing: Christopher Donlon and Sara Newens, Freeland
  • Best Actress: Krisha Fairchild, Freeland
  • Best Actor: Mcabe Gregg, Teenage Badass

Jury Awards (Documentary Features Competition):

  • Best Documentary Feature: I Am Not Alone, directed by Garin Hovannisian
  • Best Director: Sam Ellison, Chèche Lavi
  • Honorable Mention: Anbessa, directed by Mo Scarpelli

Jury Awards (Shorts Competetion)

  • Best Narrative Short: Tattoo, directed by Farhad Delaram
  • Best Student Narrative Short: Terminal, directed by Kim Allamand
  • Special Jury Award, Narrative Short: Wonder, directed by Javier Molina
  • Special Jury Mention, Narrative Short: Nighty Night, directed by Matt Porter
  • Best Documentary Short: Exit 12, directed by Mohammad Gorjestani
  • Best Documentary Short: Ashes to Ashes, directed by Taylor Rees and Renan Ozturk
  • Best Animated Short: Petty Thing, directed by Li Zexi
  • Special Jury Award for Outstanding Film, Animated Short: Sous la Glace, directed by Milan Baulard, Ismail Berrahma, Flore Dupont, Laurie Estampes, Quentin Nory and Hugo Potin
  • Special Jury Award for Experimental Film, Animated Short: Medium Rare, directed by Luca Cioci
  • Special Jury Award for Design Integration, Animated Short: The Kite, directed by Martin Smatana
  • Special Jury Award for Outstanding Craft, Animated Short: Fata Morgana, directed by Daniella Bokor and Leanna Berkovitch

Other Awards:

  • Pitch Fest 1st prize: Painting Your Room in My Heart, Yuqi Lu (Wake Forest University)
  • Pitch Fest runner-up: Clickbait: Stop the Traffic, Madison Rae Reitz (UNC-Wilmington)

2019 Awards:

Master of Cinema Awards:

  • Richard Benjamin
  • Mike Medavoy
  • Paula Prentiss

Spark Award

  • Martha Stephens

Audience Awards:

  • Overall Audience Award Winner: Who Killed Lt. Van Dorn? (USA), directed by Zachary Stauffer
  • Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Re: Vision Independent Feature: Alice (Australia/France), directed by Josephine Mackerras
  • Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: Kifaru (Kenya/USA), directed by David Hambridge

Jury Awards (Re: Vision Independent Feature Competition):

  • Best Film: Alice (Australia/France), directed by Josephine Mackerras
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: Josephine MackerrasAlice (Australia/France)
  • Special Jury Prize for Bold Innovation: Life is Fare (USA), directed by Sephora Woldu

Jury Awards (Documentary Features Competition):

  • Best Documentary Feature: American Factory (USA), directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
  • Best Director: Marcus LindeenThe Raft (Sweden/Denmark/Germany/USA)
  • Best Cinematography: For Sama (Syria/UK), directed by Waad Al-Khateab and Edward Watts
  • Human Rights Award: Always in Season (USA), directed by Jacqueline Olive
  • Special Jury Prize: Kifaru (Kenya/USA), directed by David Hambridge

Jury Awards (Shorts Competetion):

  • Best Narrative Short: Damage (USA), directed by Matt Porter
  • Best Student Narrative Short: Weaning (USA/Argentina), directed by Ines Gowland
  • Best Documentary Short: A Jew Walks into a Bar (USA), directed by Jonathan Miller
  • Special Jury Prize for Cinematic Quality, Documentary Short: El Desierto (USA), directed by Carly Jakins and Jared Jakins
  • Special Jury Prize for Social Impact, Documentary Short: Hamama and Caluna (Switzerland), directed by Andreas Anuuk Muggli
  • Best Animated Short: Cat Days (Germany), directed by Jon Frickey
  • Honorable Mention, Animated Short: Game Changer (USA), directed by Aviv Mano

Other Awards:

  • Reel South Award: As in Death (USA), directed by Mark Kammel
  • Pitch Fest 1st prize: A Space for Me (Elon University), directed by Riley Bradford and Sophia Ortiz
  • Pitch Fest runner-up: Alchemy (Wake Forest University), directed by Bridget Fitzgerald

2018 Awards:

Master of Cinema Awards:

  • Piper Laurie
  • Chuck Workman

Visionary Award:

  • Dale Pollock

Audience Awards:

  • Overall Audience Award Winner: In Pursuit of Justice (USA), directed by Gregg Jamback
  • Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Bye Bye Germany (Germany/Luxembourg/Belgium), directed by Sam Garbarski
  • Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: Silas (Canada/South Africa/Kenya), directed by Hawa Essuman and Anjali Nayar
  • Altered States Audience Award for Best American Independent Film: Saints Rest (USA), directed by Noga Ashkenazi

Jury Awards (Narrative Features Competition):

  • Best Narrative Feature: Angels Wear White (China), directed by Vivian Qu
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: Vivian Qu, Angels Wear White (China)
  • Best Actor: Thomas Gioria in Custody (France)
  • Best Actress: Meijun Zhou in Angels Wear White (China)
  • Best Screenplay: Laurent Cantet and Robin CampilloThe Workshop (France)

Jury Awards (Documentary Features Competition):

  • Best Documentary Feature: Minding the Gap (USA), directed by Bing Liu
  • Best Director: Mila Turajlic, The Other Side of Everything (Serbia/France/Qatar)
  • Best Editing: Kieran Gosney & Dino Jonsäter, Time Trial (UK)
  • Best Cinematography: Julian Schwanitz, Donkeyote (Germany/Spain/UK)

Jury Awards (Shorts Competetion):

  • Best Narrative Short: Garage at Night (Canada), directed by Daniel Daigle
  • Special Jury Prize: Welcome Home (Norway), directed by Armita Keyani
  • Best Documentary Short: Xavier Corbero: A Portrait of an Artist in Winter (Spain), directed by Nathalie Biancheri
  • Special Jury Prize, Documentary Short: While I Yet Live (USA), directed by Maris Curran
  • Best Animated Short: Sog (Germany), directed by Jonatan Schwenk
  • Special Jury Prize, Animated Short: Weekends (USA), directed by Trevor Jimenez
  • Special Jury Prize, Animated Short: Carlotta’s Face (Germany), directed by Valentin Riedl & Frédéric Schuld

Other Awards:

  • Reel South Award: The Woman Who Was in Love with Seashells and Other Stories (USA), directed by Olivia Booker
  • Pitch Fest 1st prize: No Sanctuary (UNC School of the Arts), directed by Moriah Hall and Nathan Knox
  • Pitch Fest runner-up: Dead in the Water (UNC Wilmington), directed by Lizzie Bankowski

2017 Awards:

Master of Cinema Awards:

  • Jane Alexander
  • Celia Weston

Spark Award:

  • Keith Powell

Audience Awards:

  • Audience Award for Best of Fest: Purple Dreams (USA), directed by Joanne Hock
  • Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Little Wing (Finland/Denmark), directed by Selma Vilhunen
  • Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: Unrest (USA), directed by Jennifer Brea
  • Altered States Audience Award for Best American Independent Film: 11:55 (USA), directed by Ari Issler and Ben Snyder

Jury Awards (Narrative Features Competition):

  • Best Narrative Feature: After Love (France/Belgium), directed by Joachim Lafosse
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: João Pedro Rodrigues, The Ornithologist (Portugal/France/Brazil)
  • Outstanding Performance: Bérénice Bejo in After Love (France/Belgium)
  • Best Screenplay: Raja AmariForeign Body (France/Tunisia)
  • Best Cinematography: Pablo Paniagua, Dark Skull (Bolivia/Qatar)
  • Visionary Award: Dayveon (USA), directed by Amman Abbasi
  • Human Rights Award: Window Horses (Canada), directed by Ann Marie Fleming

Jury Awards (Documentary Features Competition):

  • Best Documentary Feature: Quest (USA), directed by Jonathan Olshefski
  • Honorable Mention: Sacred, directed by Thomas Lennon
  • Honorable Mention: Forever Pure (UK/Israel/Russia), directed by Maya Zinshtein
  • Honorable Mention: The Islands and the Whales (UK/Denmark), directed by Mike Day

Jury Awards (Shorts Competetion):

  • Best Narrative Short (tie): Apolo81 (Spain), directed by Óscar Bernàcer and Weg Met Willem (Netherlands), directed by Willem Bosch
  • Best Student Narrative Short: The Dam (Australia), directed by Brendon McDonall
  • Best Documentary Short: Waiting for Hassana (Nigeria), directed by Ifunanya Maduka
  • Honorable Mention, Documentary Short: Sourtoe: The Story of the Sorry Cannibal (Canada), directed by Daniel Roher
  • Best Animated Short: Love (Hungary/France), directed by Réka Bucsi
  • Best Student Animated Short: Lethe (UK), directed by Kat Michaelides

2016 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • Audience Award for Best of Fest: My Love Affair with the Brain: The Life and Science of Dr. Marian Diamond (USA), directed by Catherine Ryan and Gary Weimberg
  • Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Olmo and the Seagull (Brazil/Denmark/France/Portugal/Sweden), directed by Petra Costa and Lea Glob
  • Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: Tower (USA), directed by Keith Maitland
  • Altered States Audience Award for Best American Independent Film: First Girl I Loved (USA), directed by Kerem Sanga

Jury Awards (Narrative Feature Competition):

  • Best Narrative Feature: The Fits (USA), directed by Anna Rose Holmer
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: Radu Muntean, One Floor Below (Romania/France/Sweden/Germany)
  • Best Ensemble: Jackson Martin, Nick Serino and Reece Moffett in Sleeping Giant (Canada)
  • Best Actress: Royalty Hightower in The Fits (USA)
  • Best Screenplay: Alexandra Baciu, Radu Muntean, Razvan Radulescu, One Floor Below (Romania/France/Sweden/Germany)

Jury Awards (Documentary Feature Competition):

  • Best Documentary Feature: Salero (Bolivia/USA), directed by Mike Plunkett
  • Best Director: Mike Plunkett, Salero (Bolivia/USA)
  • Humanitarian Award: A Journey of a Thousand Miles: Peacekeepers (USA/Pakistan/Bangladesh), directed by Geeta Gandbhir and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
  • Special Jury Prize for Illuminating the Art & Legacy of Documentary Filmmaking: Cameraperson (USA), directed by Kirsten Johnson

Jury Awards (Shorts Competetion):

  • Best Narrative Short: Cat (France), directed by Philippe Lasry
  • Best Student Narrative Short: For Ofelia (USA/Philippines), directed by Christopher de las Alas
  • Best Documentary Short: The 100 Years Show (USA), directed by Alison Klayman
  • Special Jury Prize for Artistic Achievement: Journey to the Sea (USA), directed by Josh Gibson
  • Best Animated Short: Edmond (UK), directed by Nina Gantz
  • Honorable Mention, Animated Short: The Orchestra (Australia), directed by Mikey Hill
  • Honorable Mention, Animated Short: Perfect Houseguest (USA), directed by Ru Kuwahata and Max Porter
  • Honorable Mention, Animated Short: We Can’t Live without Cosmos (Russia), directed by Konstantin Bronzit

2015 Awards:

Master of Cinema Award:

  • Stanley Nelson

Emerging Master Awards:

  • Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady (Loki Films)

Audience Awards:

  • Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best of Fest: The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (USA), directed by Stanley Nelson
  • Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Anywhere Else (Germany/Israel), directed by Ester Amrami
  • Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: 3 1/2 Minutes (USA), directed by Marc Silver
  • Altered States Audience Award for Best American Independent Film: Proud Citizen (USA), directed by Thomas Southerland

Jury Awards (Narrative Feature Competition):

  • Best Narrative Feature: Memories on Stone (Iraq/Germany), directed by Shawkat Amin Korki
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: Naomi Kawase, Still the Water (Japan/Spain/France)
  • Best Actor: Hussein Hassan in Memories on Stone (Iraq/Germany)
  • Best Actress: Julieta Diaz in Refugiado (Argentina/France/Colombia/Poland)
  • Best Cinematography: Yutaka Yamazuki, Still the Water (Japan/Spain/France)
  • Best Screenplay: Anna Muylaert, The Second Mother (Brazil)
  • Special Jury Prize for Editing: Ebrahim Saeedi, Memories on Stone (Iraq/Germany)
  • Honorable Mention for Cinematography: Sara Mishara, Felix and Meira (Canada)
  • Honorable Mention for Best Actress: Hadas Yaron, Felix and Meira (Canada)
  • Honorable Mention for Best Actor: James ‘Primo’ Grant, Five Star (USA)

Jury Awards (Documentary Feature Competition):

  • Best Documentary Feature: The Chinese Mayor (China), directed by Hao Zhou
  • Best Director: Joshua Oppenheimer, The Look of Silence (Denmark/Finland/Indonesia/Norway/UK)
  • Special Jury Prize: Welcome to Leith (USA), directed by Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher Walker

Jury Awards (Shorts Competetion):

  • Best Narrative Short: The Kármán Line (UK), directed by Oscar Sharp
  • Honorable Mention, Narrative Short: Ártún (Iceland/Denmark), directed by Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson
  • Best Student Narrative Short: Rota (USA), directed by Jean-Jacques Martinod
  • Best Documentary Short: Cailleach (UK), directed by Rosie Reed Hillman
  • Honorable Mention, Documentary Short: Notes from Liberia (Liberia/USA), directed by Ryo Murakami and Judd Ehrlich
  • Best Animated Short: Bear Story (Chile), directed by Gabriel Osorio Vargas

Best Student Animated Short:

  • The Present (Germany), directed by Jacob Frey

2014 Awards:

Master of Cinema Award:

  • Kartemquin Films

Emerging Master Awards:

  • Debra Granik
  • Melanie Lynskey

Spark Awards:

  • Sophie Desmarais
  • Tye Sheridan
  • Tyler James Williams

Audience Awards:

  • Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Nightingale (China/France), directed by Philippe Muyl
  • Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: The Case Against 8 (USA), directed by Ben Cotner and Ryan White
  • Altered States Audience Award for Best American Independent Film: Hank and Asha (USA), directed by James E. Duff

Jury Awards (Narrative Feature Competition):

  • Best Narrative Feature: Ida (Poland), directed by Pawel Pawlikowski
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: Marcela SaidThe Summer of Flying Fish (Chile/France)
  • Best Actor: Néstor Guzzini in Tanta Agua (Uruguay/Mexico/Netherlands/Germany)
  • Best Actress: Agata Kulesza in Ida (Poland)
  • Best Cinematography: Inti BrionesThe Summer of Flying Fish (Chile/France)
  • Best Screenplay: Rebecca Lenkiewicz and Pawel Pawlikowski, Ida (Poland)
  • Special Jury Prize: 2 Autumns, 3 Winters, directed by Sébastien Betbeder

Jury Awards (Documentary Feature Competition):

  • Best Documentary Feature: The Case Against 8 (USA), directed by Ben Cotner and Ryan White
  • Best Director: Stephanie Spray and Pacho Velez, Manakamana (Nepal/USA)
  • Human Rights Award: The Kill Team (USA), directed by Dan Krauss

Jury Awards (Shorts Competetion):

  • Best Narrative Short: Inertial Love (Spain), directed by Jose Esteban Alenda and Cesar Esteban Alenda
  • Special Jury Prize for Visual Ingenuity, Narrative Short: Rhino Full Throttle (Germany), directed by Erik Schmitt
  • Special Jury Prize for Emotional Authenticity, Narrative Short: Whale Valley (Denmark/Iceland), directed by Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson
  • Best Documentary Short: Cathedrals (Germany), directed by Konrad Kästner
  • Special Jury Prize, Documentary Short: Godka Cirka (Spain/USA), directed by Alex Lora and Antonio Tibaldi
  • Best Animated Short: Padre (Argentina/France), directed by Santiago “Bou” Grasso
  • Special Jury Prize, Animated Short: Sonata (France), directed by Nadia Micault
  • Best Student Narrative Short:  Kanyekanye (South Africa), directed by Miklas Manneke of AFDA Film School
  • Best Student Documentary Short: Godka Cirka (USA/Spain), directed by Alex Lora of City College of New York
  • Best Student Animated Short: The Magnificent Lion Boy (UK), directed by Ana Caro of National Film and Television School
  • Honorable Mention, Best Student Animated Short: Punctuwool (USA), directed by Jacob Streilein of California Institute of the Arts

2013 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • The Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature was presented to Picture Day, directed by Kate Melville
  • The Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature was presented to Rising from Ashes, directed by T.C. Johnstone
  • Altered States Audience Award for Best American Indie was presented to Remote Area Medical, directed by Jeff Reichert and Farihah Zaman

Narrative Features Competition:

  • Best Narrative Feature: In the House, directed by François Ozon
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: William Vega, La Sirga
  • Best Actor: Aniello Arena, Reality
  • Best Actress: Suzanne Clément, Laurence Anyways
  • Best Cinematography: Sofia Oggioui, La Sirga
  • Best Screenplay: François Ozon, In the House
  • Special Jury Prize: Tey, directed by Alain Gomis

Documentary Features Competition:

  • Best Documentary Feature: I Am Breathing, directed by Emma Davie and Morag McKinnon
  • Best Director: Ilian Metev, Sofia’s Last Ambulance
  • Human Rights Award: A River Changes Course, directed by Kalyanee Mam
  • Best Cinematography: Sebastián Hofmann, Pedro González Rubio and Fernanda Romandía, Canícula
  • Special Jury Prize: Twenty Feet from Stardom — “a well crafted, multi-layered film that inspires and entertains.” 

Shorts Competitions:

  • Best Narrative Short: Trois Secondes et Demie, directed by Edouard Beaucamp
  • Best Student Narrative Short: Trois Secondes et Demie, directed by Edouard Beaucamp
  • Best Documentary Short: Slomo, directed by Joshua Izenberg
  • Best Student Documentary Short: The Words in the Margins, directed by Sara Mott
  • Special Jury Prize (Documentary Short): Unravel, directed by Meghna Gupta
  • Best Animated Short: Second Hand, directed by Isaac King
  • Best Student Animated Short: Head Over Heels, directed by Timothy Reckart

2012 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Monsieur Lazhar (Canada), directed by Philippe Falardeau
  • Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: Chasing Ice (USA), directed by Jeff Orlowski
  • Altered States Audience Award for Best American Independent Film: Small, Beautifully Moving Parts(USA), directed by Annie Howell and Lisa Robinson

Jury Awards (Narrative Feature Competition):

  • Best Narrative Feature: Found Memories (Argentina/Brazil), directed by Júlia Murat
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: Júlia Murat, Found Memories (Argentina/Brazil)
  • Best Actor: Mohamed Fellagin Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
  • Honorable Mention, Best Actor: Anders Danielsen Liein Oslo, August 31st (Norway)
  • Best Actress: Nadezhda Markina, Elena (Russia)
  • Honorable Mention, Best Actress: Sonia Guedes, Found Memories (Argentina/Brazil)
  • Best Cinematography: Lucio Bonelli, Found Memories (Argentina/Brazil)
  • Best Screenplay: Philippe Falardeau, Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)

Jury Awards (Documentary Feature Competition):

  • Best Documentary Feature: The Boy Who Was a King (Bulgaria/Germany), directed by Andrey Paounov
  • Best Director: Lauren Greenfield, Queen of Versailles (USA)
  • Human Rights Award: Love Free or Die (USA), directed by Macky Alston

Jury Awards (Shorts Competetion):

  • Best Narrative Short: The Trip (Portugal/USA), directed by Simao Cayatte
  • Honorable Mention, Best Narrative Short: They Say (Spain), directed by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
  • Best Documentary Short: Cutting Loose (UK), directed by Finlay Pretsell and Adrian McDowall
  • Best Animated Short: Something Left, Something Taken (USA), directed by Ru Kuwahata and Max Porter
  • Honorable Mention, Best Animated Short: Bottle (USA), directed by Kirsten Lepore
  • Honorable Mention, Best Animated Short: Luminaris (Argentina), directed by Juan Pablo Zaramella
  • Best Student Narrative Short: Against The Sea (USA), directed by Richard Parkin of UCLA
  • Best Student Documentary Short: Where We Live (USA), directed by Fady Hadid of USC
  • Best Student Animated Short: The Reality Clock (USA), directed by Amanda Tasse  of USC
  • Honorable Mention, Best Student Animated Short: Bottle (USA), directed by Kirsten Lepore of Cal Arts

2011 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature —Home For Christmas (Norway), directed by Bent Hamer
  • Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature —Kinshasa Symphony(Germany), directed by Claus Wischmann and Martin Baer
  • Altered States Audience Award for Best American Independent Film — to.get.her, directed by Erica Dunton

Jury Awards (Narrative Feature Competition):

  • Best Narrative Feature: Bal (Turkey), directed by Semih Kaplanoglu
  • Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Thailand)
  • Best Actor: Mathieu Amalric in On Tour (France)
  • Best Actress: Djeneba Kone, A Screaming Man (Chad/France/Belgium)
  • Best Cinematography: Baris Ozbicer, Bal (Turkey)
  • Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Cast: Crab Trap (Colombia)

Jury Awards (Documentary Feature Competition):

  • Best Documentary Feature: Armadillo (Denmark), directed by Janus Metz Pedersen
  • Best Director: Nicolas Philibert, Nénette (France)
  • Best Cinematography: Naomi Kawase, Genpin (Japan)

Shorts Competition:

  • Best Narrative Short: The Award (Spain), directed by Leon Siminiani
  • Honorable Mention, Best Narrative Short: You Too (Belgium), directed by Ivan Goldschmidt
  • Best Documentary Short: Surpriseville (Scotland), directed by Tim Travers Hawkins
  • Honorable Mention, Best Documentary Short: Bathing Micky (Denmark/Sweden), directed by Frida Kempff
  • Honorable Mention, Best Documentary Short: Hypnotism (USA), directed by Bradley Beesley
  • Best Animated Short: The Eagleman Stag (UK), directed by Mike Please
  • Honorable Mention for Artistic Technique, Animated Short: Madagascar, a Journey Diary (France), directed by Bastien Dubois
  • Best Student Short: The Eagleman Stag (UK), directed by Mike Please of Royal College of Art
  • Honorable Mention, Best Student Short: Flip (USA), directed by Jill Hackett of Ringling College of Art and Design
  • Honorable Mention, Best Student Short: Traumdeutung (UK), directed by Lauri Warsta of Royal College of Art

2010 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • BB&T Audience award for Best Narrative Feature: Letters to Father Jacob (Finland), directed by Klaus Haro
  • BB&T Audience award for Best Documentary Feature: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls (New Zealand), directed by Leanne Pooley

Jury Awards

  • Best Narrative Feature: Katalin Varga (Romania & UK), directed by Peter Strickland
  • Best Documentary Feature: Last Train Home (Canada, China, & UK), directed by Lixin Fan
  • Best Performance: Hilda Peter in Katalin Varga (Romania & UK)
  • Best Director, Narrative: Giorgos Lanthimos in Dogtooth (Greece)
  • Best Director, Documentary: Susan Gluth in Soap and Water (Germany)
  • Best Screenplay: Edgar San Juan & Rigoberto Perezcano in Northless (Mexico & Spain, directed by Perezcano)
  • Best Cinematography, Narrative: Martin Gschlact in Lourdes (France, Austria & Germany, directed by Jessica Hausner) and Women Without Men (Germany, Austria & France, directed by Shirin Neshat & Shoja Azari)
  • Best Cinematography, Documentary: Robert Persons in General Orders No. 9 (USA)

Special Jury Prizes

  • Editing: Marek Sulik in Cooking History (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, & Finland, directed by Peter Kerekes)
  • Nonfiction Storytelling: His & Hers (Ireland, directed by Ken Wardrop)

Shorts Competetion

  • Best Narrative Short: Ivadelle (Canada), directed by Nicole Dorsey
  • Best Documentary Short: A Song for Ourselves (USA), directed by Tadashi Nakamura
  • Honorable Mention: Wagah (Germany), directed by Supriyo Sen and Najaf Bilgrami
  • Best Animated Short: Please Say Something (Germany), directed by David O’Reilly
  • Best Student Narrative Short: Almost Normal (France & Israel), directed by Keren Ben Rafael of La Femis
  • Best Student Documentary Short: A Song For Ourselves (USA), directed by Tadashi Nakamura of UC-Santa Cruz
  • Best Student Animated Short: Touchdawn of the Dead, directed by Pierre Mousquet, Hubert Seynave & Marc
  • Deleplanque of ENSAV-La Cambre

2009 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • BB&T Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Mommy is at the Hairdresser’s (Canada), directed by Léa Pool
  • BB&T Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: Food, Inc. (USA), directed by Robert Kenner

Jury Awards:

  • Best Narrative Feature: Three Monkeys (Turkey, France & Italy), directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan
  • Best Director, Narrative Feature: Paolo Sorrentino for Il Divo (Italy & France)
  • Best Cinematography: Luca Bigazzi for Il Divo (Italy & France)
  • Best Screenplay: Sergey Dvortsevoy & Gennady Ostrovskiy for Tulpan (Germany/Kazakhstan/Poland/Russia & Switzerland)
  • Best Actor: Toni Servillo in Il Divo (Italy & France)
  • Best Actress: Hatice Aslan in Three Monkeys (Turkey, France & Italy)
  • Special Jury Prize for Cinematic Audacity: Rumba (France & Belgium), directed by Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Bruno Romy
  • Best Documentary Feature: Unmistaken Child (Israel), directed by Nati Baratz
  • Best Director, Documentary Feature: Robert Kenner for Food, Inc. (USA)
  • Special Jury Prize for Original Music: Rocaterrania, directed by Brett Ingram
  • Best Narrative Short: Pop Art (UK), directed by Amanda Boyle
  • Best Documentary Short: The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306 (USA), directed by Adam Pertofsky
  • Best Animated Short: This Way Up (UK), directed by Adam Foulkes and Alan Smith
  • Honorable Mention, Documentary Short: Irinka and Sandrinka (France), directed by Sandrine Stoianov

2008 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: The Baker, directed by Gareth Lewis
  • Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: JUMP!, directed by Helen Hood Scheer

Jury Awards:

  • Best Narrative Feature: The Edge of Heaven (Germany/Turkey), directed by Fatih Akin
  • Best Cinematography, Narrative Feature: Liviu Marghidan for California Dreamin’ (Endless)
  • Best Screenplay: Fatih Akin for The Edge of Heaven
  • Best Actor: Razvan Vasilescu in California Dreamin’ (Endless)
  • Best Actress: Hanna Schygulla in The Edge of Heaven
  • Special Jury Prize for Directing: Cristian Nemescu for California Dreamin’ (Endless)
  • Best Documentary Feature: Up the Yangtze (Canada), directed by Yung Chang
  • Best Cinematography, Documentary Feature: Shi Qing Wang for Up the Yangtze
  • Human Rights Award: Intimacy, directed by Ashley Sabin and David Redmon
  • Special Jury Prize for Editing: Joelle Alexis for The Champagne Spy
  • Best Narrative Short: Milan (Germany & Serbia), directed by Michaela Kezele
  • Best Documentary Short: Board Control (Norway), directed by Emil Trier
  • Best Animated Short: I Met the Walrus (Canada), directed by Josh Raskin
  • Honorable Mention, Narrative Short: Tanghi Argentini, directed by Guido Thys
  • Honorable Mention, Documentary Short: Salim Baba, directed by Tim Sternberg
  • Honorable Mention, Documentary Short: B For Beekeeper, directed by Tom O’Keefe

2007 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Fay Grim, directed by Hal Hartley
  • Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: The Rape of Europa, directed by Richard Berge, Bonni Cohen & Nicole Newnham

Jury Awards:

  • Best Narrative Feature: For the Living and the Dead (Finland), directed by Kari Paljakka
  • Best Director, Narrative Feature: Mark Dornford-May for Son of Man (South Africa)
  • Best Cinematography, Narrative Feature: Son of Man (South Africa), directed by Mark Dornford-May
  • Best Screenplay: 12:08 East of Bucharest (Romania), directed by Corneliu Porumboiu
  • Best Actor: Hannu-Pekka Bjorkman for For the Living and the Dead (Finland
  • Best Actress: Malgorzata Buczkowska for Ode to Joy (Poland)
  • Special Jury Prize for Original Creative Vision: Son of Man (South Africa), directed by Mark Dornford-May
  • Special Jury Prize for Best Production Design: Vanaja (India & USA), directed by Rajnesh Domalpalli
  • Best Documentary Feature: Manufactured Landscapes (Canada), directed by Jennifer Baichwal
  • Best Director, Documentary Feature: Jennifer Baichwal for Manufactured Landscapes (Canada)
  • Special Jury Prize for Cinematic Expression: Havana: The New Art of Making Ruins (Germany), directed by Florian Borchmeyer
  • Best Cinematography, Documentary Feature: War/Dance (USA), directed by Andrea Nix Fine & Sean Fine
  • Best Narrative Short: Laid Off (UK), directed by Zam Salim
  • Best Documentary Short: The Blood of Yingzhou District (USA & China), directed by Ruby Yang
  • Special Jury Prize: Useless Dog (Ireland), directed by Ken Wardrop
  • Best Animated Short: One Rat Short, directed by Alex Weil
  • Special Jury Prize for Animation: Dreams and Desires – Family Ties (UK), directed by Joanna Quinn
  • Special Jury Prize for Animation: Tyger (Brazil), directed by Guilherme Marcondes

2006 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Aurora Borealis, directed by James Burke
  • Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature:  Rene and I, directed by Gina Angelone

Jury Awards:

  • Best Narrative Feature: A Wonderful Night In Split (Croatia), directed by Arsen Anton Ostojic
  • Best Documentary Feature: Taimagura Grandma (Japan), directed by Yoshihiko Sumikawa
  • Best Director, Narrative Feature: Arsen Anton Ostojic for A Wonderful Night In Split (Croatia)
  • Best Director, Documentary Feature: Matt Mahurin for I Like Killing Flies
  • Best Narrative Short: Green Bush (Australia), directed by Warwick Thornton
  • Best Documentary Short: Dimmer, directed by Talmage Cooley
  • Best Animated Short: The Fan and the Flower, directed by Bill Plympton
  • Best Student Short: Breached, directed by Laura Richard, New York University
  • Best Actor: Donald Sutherland in Aurora Borealis
  • Best Actress: Maria Bello in The Sisters
  • Sara Lee Women’s Eye Award: Been Rich All My Life, directed by Heather Lyn MacDonald
  • Human Rights Award: Rene and I, directed by Gina Angelone
  • Best Screenplay: Arsen Anton Ostojic for A Wonderful Night In Split (Croatia)
  • Best Cinematography, Narrative Feature: Mirko Pivcevic for A Wonderful Night In Split (Croatia)
  • Best Cinematography, Documentary Feature: Manfred Kirchheimer for Tall: The American Skyscraper and Louis Sullivan
  • Best North Carolina Feature: Find Love, directed by Erica Dunton
  • Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Technical Achievement: Palimpsest (Poland) directed by Konrad Niewolski
  • Special Jury Prize for Editing: Spin, directed by Jamin Winans
  • Special Jury Prize for Original Creative Vision: City Paradise (UK), directed by Gaelle Denis

2005 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • BB&T Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer, (USA), directed by Georgina Garcia Riedel
  • BB&T Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: Barbecue is a Noun (USA), directed by Hawes Bostic & Austin McKenna

Jury Awards:

  • Best Narrative Feature: Innocent Voices (Mexico), directed by Luis Mandoki
  • Best Documentary Feature: Parallel Lines (USA), directed by Nina Davenport
  • Best Narrative Short: Quadrilateral (USA/Spain), directed by Jose-Carlos Ruiz
  • Best Documentary Short: Rosevelt’s America (USA), directed by Roger Weisberg
  • Best Animated Short: Joyride (USA), directed by John Cernak
  • Best Director: Konrad Niewolski for Symmetry (Poland)
  • Best Screenplay: Luis Mandoki & Oscar Torres for Innocent Voices (Mexico)
  • Best Cinematography: Evan Estern for A Letter to True (USA), directed by Bruce Weber
  • Best Actor in a Feature Film: Arek Detmer for Symmetry (Poland)
  • Best Actress in a Feature Film: Matilda Brown for Martha’s New Coat (Australia)
  • Best Foreign Feature: Innocent Voices (Mexico), directed by Luis Mandoki
  • Best Student Film: (three-way tie) Oskar (Narrative Short, Norway), directed by Guro Ekornholmen, The Pier (Animated Short, USA), directed by Jason Bennett, Each One, Teach One (Documentary Short, USA), directed by Lila Place
  • North Carolina Filmmaking Award: Where Do You Stand? (USA), directed by Alexandra Lescaze
  • Outstanding Individual Contribution: Kathryn Tucker Windham, the subject of the documentary Kathryn: The Story of a Teller (USA), directed by Norton Dill
  • Human Rights Award: Mardi Gras: Made in China (USA), directed by David Redmon
  • Sara Lee Women’s Eye Award: Georgina Garcia Riedel for How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer (USA)

2004 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • Audience Award for Best Feature: A PECK ON THE CHEEK (Director, Mani Ratnam )
  • Audience Award for Best Documentary THE LEGACY OF ROSINA LHEVINNE (Director, Salome Arkatov)

Jury Award Winners:

  • Best Feature Film DANDELION (Producer, Molly Mayeux; Writer-Director, Mark Milgard)
  • Best Documentary Film LONG GONE (Directors, Jack Cahill and David Eberhardt)
  • Best Live Action Short THREE POSSIBLE SCENES (Director, Lawrence Johnson)
  • Best Documentary Short LIVING THE BLUES (Director, Tim Duffy)
  • Best Animated Short LEGENDS FROM CAMP (Director, Evan Carroll)
  • Best Director (Feature or Documentary) Jack Cahill and David Eberhardt, LONG GONE
  • Best Screenplay Elliot Greenebaum, ASSISTED LIVING
  • Best Cinematography Tim Orr, DANDELION
  • Best Actor in a Feature Film Michael Bonsignore, ASSISTED LIVING
  • Best Actress in a Feature Film Trish Goff, NOISE
  • Best Student Film BICYCLES AND RADIOS (Director, O Nathapon)
  • Best Student Animated Film WILLIS SILLIM’S TALL TALE (Director, Steffen Valla)
  • Vision Award (Dual Winner) TALKING TO THE WALL (Director, Steve Alves), HE SHAMAN’S APPRENTICE (Director, Miranda Smith)
  • Human Rights Award FARMINGVILLE (Directors, Catherine Tambini, Carlos Sandoval)
  • Women’s Eye Award PERSONS OF INTEREST (Directors, Alison Maclean, Tobias Perse)
  • North Carolina Filmmaking Award Live Action: MONSTER ROAD (Director, Brett Ingram)
  • Animated: FLYAWAY (Director, Danny Oakley)
  • Jury Award OUR HOUSE (Director, Sevan Matossian)
  • 48 Hour Short Film Competition I GOTTA CAT (R. Keith Harris)

2003 Awards:

Audience Awards:

  • Audience Award for Best Feature STANDARD TIME
  • Audience Award for Best Documentary THE BOYS OF SECOND STREET PARK

Jury Awards:

  • Best Feature THE TRUTH – YATHHARTH
  • Best Documentary THE BOYS OF SECOND STREET PARK
  • Best Live Action Short SWALLOW
  • Best Documentary Short WHY CAN’T WE BE A FAMILY AGAIN?
  • Best Animated Short PA
  • Best Director of a Feature or Documentary Bobby Roth for MANHOOD
  • Best Produced Screenplay SUPERGUY
  • Best Cinematography THE ROUGH SOUTH OF LARRY BROWN
  • Best Actor in a Feature Film Matthew Harbour for TWO SUMMERS
  • Best Student Film SOPHIE
  • Vision Award TRUST ME
  • Human Rights Award FEBRUARY ONE
  • Women’s Eye Award WEIGHTLESS
  • North Carolina Filmmaking Award SURRENDERING IN A CHAMPION’S WORLD