Winners of 24th annual Stony Brook Film Festival announced
The 24th annual Stony Brook Film Festival wrapped up with a Closing Night Awards Reception held on July 27. The evening recognized the outstanding new independent films screened at the festival, which was held at SBU’s Staller Center for the Arts from July 18 to 27.
Dozens of filmmakers, directors, cast and crew attended the event. With support from presenting sponsor Island Federal and other corporate and private donors, the Stony Brook Film Festival was able to welcome and host guests from all over the world including Spain, Austria, Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada and India.
The opening night film, Balloon, from Germany, was sold out as were many of the other screenings in Staller Center’s 1,000-seat Main Stage theater.
Chuskit, directed by Priya Ramasubban, won the Grand Prize. “When the jury and the audience rank the same film the highest, then it receives a Grand Prize,” said Alan Inkles, festival director. This is the second year in a row and the ninth time in the festival’s 24-year run that a film has received a Grand Prize. “This festival was one of the most competitive yet,” he said. “Nearly 3,000 films were submitted, and only 36 were selected for the festival, so Chuskit was really a very special film – it’s a must-see.”
And the winners are:
2019 Jury Award for Best Feature
In God I Trust
East Coast Premiere (Canada)
Directed by Maja Zdanowski; written by Paul St. Amand and Maja Zdanowski; starring Marc Senior, John Cassini (Se7en), Steven Roberts, Bilal Oliver and Melissa Roxburgh (Star Trek Beyond).
2019 Audience Choice for Best Feature
The Silent Revolution
East Coast Premiere (Germany)
Written and directed by Lars Kraume; from the book by Dietrich Garstka; starring Leonard Scheicher, Tom Gramenz, Ronald Zehrfeld (Sweethearts) and Florian Lukas (The Invisibles)
2019 Jury Award Best Short
Toke Is Cheap
(Canada)
A film by Kerry van der Griend
2019 Audience Award Best Short
The Portraitist
New York Premiere (Luxembourg)
A film by Cyrus Neshvad
Entries will be accepted for the 25th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival starting on Dec. 1. For more information, visit www.stonybrookfilmfestival.com.
