
The Documentary competition jury also gave a Special Jury Prize to Michael Pertnoy’s and Michael Kleiman’s THE LAST SURVIVOR and a Special Mention for Editing (for Claire Didier’s work on the film) to Mark Landsman’s THUNDER SOUL.
DALLAS Star Award recipient John Lee Hancock (THE BLIND SIDE) made the presentation of the Target Filmmaker Awards during an evening that also included the presentations of the DALLAS Star Awards to Academy Award nominated director Frank Darabont (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, THE GREEN MILE) and cinematographer Wally Pfister (BATMAN BEGINS, THE PRESTIGE, THE DARK KNIGHT), as well as the Texas Avery Animation Award to Pete Docter (UP).
Hancock’s award was presented by “Prison Break” producer Garry Brown, Darabont received his award from longtime Dallas area film critic Philip Wuntsch, and Pfister’s DALLAS Star Award has handed to him by longtime friend and Dallas Film Society Chairman Michael Cain. Docter was introduced by REEL FX Entertainment’s Animation Director Bryan Engram.
Matt Harlock’s and Paul Thomas’ AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY was the recipient of MPS Studios’ Texas Filmmaker Award and $20,000 in cash, goods and services. Robert Byington’s HARMONY AND ME received a Special Jury Prize. The presentation was made by MPS Studios’ Meredith Stephens with Bill Hicks’ niece Rachel Hicks on hand to accept the award.
Amy Grappell’s QUADRANGLE won the award for Best Short. Special Jury Prizes went to David Call’s B.U.S.T., Chris Teague’s MONKEYWRENCH and Kelly Sears’ VOICE ON THE LINE. Daniel Elliot’s JADE received a Special Mention for Acting for Aisling Loftus’ performance in the film. The award for Best Student Short went to Beth Spitalny’s PROCESSION. Shorts jurors Jon Korn and Kaz Radwanski presented the awards. Reel FX ENTERTAINMENT XXChief Operating Officer Kyle Clark presented the award for Best Animated Short to Cordell Barker’s RUNAWAY.
Will Cannon’s BROTHERHOOD won the Audience Award for Best Narrative, while Mark Landsman’s THUNDER SOUL won for Best Documentary and T.G. HERRINGTON’s MR. OKRA won the Audience Award for Best Short. DALLAS IFF Artistic Director James Faust and Senior Programmer Sarah Harris presented the awards.
Introduced by TXU Energy’s Chief Marketing Officer Michael Grasso, Lou Diamond Phillips presented the prizes for the TXU Energy Fast Forward Video Contest. Alex Nelson’s, Drew Mowrey’s and Zach Zador’s film LIGHTS OFF won the $7500 award for Garland High School, Michael Nowak’s THE EFFECT OF ONE took the $2500 prize for Richardson High School and Ladon Ghannadpour’s and Brandon Cantrell’s ENER G’Z: PSA won the $1500 award for Garland High School.
JURY AWARDS:
TARGET NARRATIVE FEATURE: THE DRY LAND
TARGET DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: WASTE LAND
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: THE LAST SURVIVOR
SPECIAL MENTION, EDITING: THUNDER SOUL (for Claire Didier)
MPS STUDIOS TEXAS FILMMAKER AWARD: AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: HARMONY AND ME
ENVIRONMENTAL VISIONS FILMMAKER AWARD: CLIMATE REFUGEES
SHORT: QUADRANGLE
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: B.U.S.T.
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: MONKEYWRENCH
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: VOICE ON THE LINE
SPECIAL MENTION, ACTING: JADE (for Aisling Loftus)
STUDENT SHORT: PROCESSION
SPECIAL MENTION: YOUNG LOVE
ANIMATED SHORT: RUNAWAY
AUDIENCE AWARDS:
NARRATIVE: BROTHERHOOD
DOCUMENTARY: THUNDER SOUL
SHORT: MR. OKRA