Indie Memphis Film Festival Celebrates 2020 Award-Winners

MEMPHIS, TN-Indie Memphis Film Festival has announced this year’s award-winners. Presented by Duncan-Williams, Inc., the award’s objective is to “create community through independent film and support the development of filmmakers.”

This year’s Indie Memphis Film Festival was held “Online and Outdoors” because of the coronavirus. Film lovers from all over the world participated in virtual screenings and events. The 2020 festival screened over 230 feature films, film shorts, and music videos, with most screenings followed by filmmaker Question and Answer sessions.

The award ceremony was virtual due to the coronavirus. Awards were presented by festival staff, as well as members of the awards juries. Awards were given in different categories of the festival.

Jury awards went to young and amazing filmmakers and sound producers. The Best Narrative Feature went to Emma Seligman for Shiva Baby, while the Best Documentary Feature went to Anthony Banua-Simon’s for Cane Fire.  Best Hometowner Feature was given to Lauren Ready for We Can’t Wait, Lily Renae won

Best Sounds Feature for Born Balearic: JonSaTrinxa and The Spirit of Ibiza, and Best Departures Feature went to Tali Yankelevich for My Darling Supermarket. The feature focuses on the life of man and the people working in a supermarket as they perform their daily duties.

Indie Memphis Film Festival

Here is a comprehensive Indie Memphis Film Festival Award-winners. As filmmakers look forward to next year’s event, the hope is that it will happen in-person and not virtually. The awards come with cash incentives.

Festival Award Winners

• Best Narrative Feature – Shiva baby by Emily Seligman, $1K Cash Prize
• Duncan-Williams, Inc. Scriptwriting – Executive Order by Lázaro Ramos & Lusa Silvestre, $1K Cash Prize
• Best Narrative Short – “Paradise” by Deni Cheng, $500 Cash Prize
• Cane Fire by Anthony Banua-Simon won Best Documentary Feature – $1K Cash Prize
• Best Documentary Short – “Jesa” by Kyungwon Song, $500 Cash Prize
• My Darling Supermarket by Tali Yankelevich won Best Departures Feature – $500 Cash Prize
• Best Departures Short – “The Return of Osiris” by Essa Grayeb
• We Can’t Wait by Lauren Ready won Best Hometowner Feature -,  $1K Cash Prize
• Best Hometowner Narrative Short – “Empty” by Michael Butler, Jr., $500 Cash Prize
• “Road to Step” by Zaire Love won Best Hometowner Documentary Short – $500 Cash Prize
• Best Hometowner Music Video – “You’re My Jesus” by The Poet, Havi
• Lily Renae’s Born Balearic: Jon Sa Trinxa and The Spirit of Ibiza won Best Sounds Feature -$500 Cash Prize
• Camrus Johnson, Pedro Piccinini’s “Grab My Hand: A Letter to My Dad” Best Animated Short
• Best Music Video – “Colors” by Black Pumas, dir. by Kristian Mercado
• Documentary Short Indiegrant – “Here Be Dragons” by GB Shannon, $13K Grant Package
• Narrative Short Indiegrant – “Beware of Goat” by Justin Malone, $13K Grant Package
• Proof-of-Concept Indiegrant – “Beale St. Blues” by Daniel Ferrell, $13K Grant Package
• Best Poster Design – PIER KIDS

• Ron Tibbett Excellence in Filmmaking – The Inheritance by Ephraim Asili
• Craig Brewer Emerging Filmmaker – I Blame Society by Gillian Horvat
• Soul of Southern Film – The Hub by Lawrence Matthews
• Best After Dark Short – “The Three Men You Meet at Night” by Beck Kitsis, $500 Cash Prize
• Indie Award – Daniel Lynn, Sound Engineer @Music + Arts Studio
• Vision Award – Kelly Chandler, Founder of Indie Memphis

Have you been to the Indie Memphis Film Festival? What do you think about film awards? Share your thoughts. Leave a comment