New York, NY [May 1, 2008] – The seventh annual Tribeca Film Festival, co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, and presented by American Express, announced the winners of its competition categories tonight at the Target-Tribeca Filmmaker Lounge in New York City.  Highlights from the Awards Ceremony can be seen on WNBC-TV’s “Tribeca Presents:  Best of the Festival” on Saturday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m., as well as on the Festival website, www.tribecafilmfestival.org.

 

This year’s Festival included 121 features and 79 shortfilms from 41 countries.  The world competition winners were chosen from 12 narrative and 12 documentary features from 18 countries. Two awards were also given to honor New York films, which were chosen from seven narrative and nine documentary features. Awards were also given for the best narrative, best documentary and student visionary films in the Shorts competition.  The winner of the Cadillac Award, best film in the festival as determined by audience vote, will be announced during the WNBC-TV program on Saturday, May 3rd.

 

“We are extremely proud of these directors’ accomplishments and we are honored to have had these films as part of the Festival,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival.

“It’s especially gratifying and exciting to see that the members of our juries selected an extremely diverse group of films – in terms of both their themes and their countries of production – and that the majority of the prizes are going to filmmakers and performers who are all at an early stage of their careers,” said Peter Scarlet, Artistic Director of the Festival.
 
Screenings of all winning films will take place at AMC Village VII on Sunday, May 4. Specific times and ticketing information is available on the Festival website, www.tribecafilmfestival.org.

In addition to cash awards and in-kind services provided by sponsors including American Express, Apple, Cadillac, Delta Air Lines, Edelman Studios, The New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture and Television Development, The New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting the Festival presented the winners with original pieces of art created by 13 acclaimed artists.


Following are the awards and their winners:

• The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – “Let the Right One In” (Lat den rätte komma in) directed by Tomas Alfredson (Sweden).  Winner receives $25,000 cash and the art award "Maternal Nocture: Clearing Storm” created by Stephen Hannock. 

   

  Jury Comments: “For its mesmerizing exploration of loneliness and alienation through masterful reexamination of the vampire myth.”
• Best New Narrative Filmmaker – “My Marlon and Brando” (Gitmek) directed by Hüseyin Karabey (Turkey, Netherlands, UK).  Winner receives $25,000 cash, sponsored by American Express, and the art award “Bonfire,” created by Ross Bleckner.

   

  Jury Comments: “For its skillful blending of documentary style with a classic love story and ultimate creation of a truly modern and unlikely international heroine.”
• Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Thomas Turgoose and Piotr Jagiello in “Somers Town” directed by Shane Meadows (UK).  Sponsored by Delta Air Lines.  Each winner receives a business elite ticket voucher for anywhere Delta travels.

   

  Jury Comments: “For an extraordinary and exhilarating rendering of a friendship found, the Narrative Feature Jury is awarding the Best Actor prize to this magical team.”
• Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film – Eileen Walsh in “Eden” directed by Declan Recks (Ireland).  Sponsored by Delta Air Lines.  Winner receives two business elite ticket vouchers for anywhere Delta travels.

   

  Jury Comments: “For her exquisite rendering of a lonely wife aching to be seen and heard.”
• Best Documentary Feature – “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” directed by Gini Reticker (USA).  Winner receives $25,000 cash and the art award “Liza Minnelli,” created by Timothy White. 

   

  Jury Comments: “In a relentless pursuit of peace, the women of Liberia show us how community, motherly love and perseverance can change the fate of a society. Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a reminder that we have the power to say “Enough!” to the atrocities of our world.”
• Best New Documentary Filmmaker – “Old Man Bebo” directed by Carlos Carcas (Spain). Winner receives $25,000 cash, sponsored by American Express, and the art award “Maquette for Primary Compass,” created by Don Gummer.

   

  Jury Comments: “We the jury feel that Carlos Carcas showed us that if you truly have art in your body and soul it will find its way out into the world. We applaud the filmmaker for bringing Old Man Bebo into our consciousness.”
• “New York LOVES Film” – “Zoned In” directed by Daniela Zanzotto (USA,UK). Winner receives $5,000 cash, sponsored by New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture and Television Development, and the art award “Table Odeon,” created by Donna Ferrato.
  Special Mention: “Hotel Gramercy Park” directed by Douglas Keeve (USA).

   

  Jury Comments: “This was a challenging and spirited discussion with two clear favorites: both films are very different and the jury felt that both should get equal mention even though only one gets the prize. We thought Hotel Gramercy Park was a highly entertaining and moving story about a New York family and a New York institution coming to terms with a changing city, but in the end we felt Zoned In deserved the prize for having the bravery to tell a seemingly typical story that ends up revealing bold and difficult truths.”
• “Made In NY” – Narrative – “The Caller” directed by Richard Ledes (USA).  Winner receives $5,000 cash, sponsored by The City of New York Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, and the art award “Nude on Guitar” created by Ralph Gibson.

   

  Jury Comments: “The Caller superbly uses its New York locations – from the sleek mid-town high-rises to the desolate Brooklyn Bridge piers – to create a chilling and finally stirring suspense movie; an unusual thriller whose mysterious plot finally exposes the mysteries of the heart.”
• Best Narrative Short – “New Boy” directed by Steph Green. Sponsored by Edelman Studios. Winner receives $5,000 cash and the art award “Air” created by Francesco Clemente.

   

  Jury Comments: “New Boy took us on a complete emotional journey. It was moving, funny and powerful.”
• Best Documentary Short – “Mandatory Service” directed by Jessica Habie.  Sponsored by Edelman Studios. Winner receives $5,000 cash and the art award “The Screamer,” created by John Alexander.

   

  Jury Comments: “Mandatory Service, a perspective of war and conflict from participants themselves.  The Israeli’s empathy for the Palestinians is not a perspective we glimpse too often in Western Media.”
• Student Visionary Award – “Elephant Garden” directed by Sasie Sealy.  Sponsored by Apple.  Winner receives an Apple Mac Pro Desktop with a 15" Display and Final Cut Studio 2 and the art award "Harmonium" created by Clifford Ross.

   

  Jury Comments: “Elephant Garden captured the “inner-life” of a beautiful young girl; her confusion as she becomes a young adult. Wonderful visual story telling and the performance of Kelley Mack is stellar.”
• Cadillac Award – Winner to be chosen by the Audience and will be announced on WNBC-TV on Saturday, May 3rd.  Winner receives $25,000 cash and the art award “Peripheral Drift Illusion,” created by Ryan McGinness, as well as a trophy created by Cadillac.

   

2008 Tribeca Film Festival Jurors

 

A distinguished and diverse panel of jurists selected the winning films in this year’s Festival.  Jurors included:

World Competition Categories:

The jurors for the 2008 World Narrative Competition were Peter Hedges, Gregory Hoblit, Callie Khouri, Oliver Platt and Christine Vachon. 

The jurors for the 2008 World Documentary Competition were Jared Cohen, Whoopi Goldberg, Ross Kauffman, Padma Lakshmi and Jose Padilha.

New York Competition Categories:

The 2008 “Made in NY” Narrative Feature Award jurors were Peter Dinklage, Fred Durst, Greg Mottola, Stephen Schiff and Annabella Sciorra.

The 2008 “NY Loves Film” Documentary Feature Award jurors were Liya Kebede, Doug Liman, Esther Robinson, Josh Schwartz, Jay McInerney and Andre Leon Talley.

Short Film Competition Categories:

The 2008 Narrative Short jurors were Mario Batali, Christine Lahti, Molly Shannon, Lili Taylor and Zac Posen.

The 2008 Documentary and Student Short jurors were David Bowie, Red Burns, Matthew Modine, Lee Schrager and David de Rothschild.

2008 Full List of Eligible Films in Each Category of Competition

 

World Narrative Feature Competition:

• Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature: 12 films
  
• Best New Narrative Filmmaker: 7 filmmakers
  
• Best Actress in a Narrative Feature: 12 actresses
  
• Best Actor in a Narrative Feature: 13 actors
  

World Documentary Feature Competition:

• Best Documentary Feature: 12 films
  
• Best New Documentary Filmmaker: 12 filmmakers
  

New York Films:

• “NY Loves Film” – Documentary: 9 films
  
• “Made In NY” – Narrative:  7 films
  

Short Films in Competition:

• Best Narrative Short: 36 films
  
• Best Documentary Short: 19 films
  
• Student Visionary Award: 20 films
  

Tickets for 2008 Festival:

 

Tickets are available now for screenings through May 4th.

 

Tickets for the Festival will be $15.00 for evening and weekend screenings and $8.00 for daytime weekday and late night screenings. In addition, the Festival will offer a few select screenings with panel discussions for $25.00.

 

Tickets can be purchased online at www.tribecafilmfestival.org or by telephone, toll free, at (866) 941-FEST (3378). The 2008 Festival will continue ticket discounts for evening and weekend screenings for students, seniors and select downtown Manhattan residents. Additional information and further details on the Festival can be found at www.tribecafilmfestival.org.

 

About Tribeca Film Festival:

 

Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff founded the Tribeca Film Festival in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music and culture. The Festival’s mission focuses on assisting filmmakers to reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promoting New York City as a major filmmaking center.

 

Since its founding, the Festival has attracted more than two million attendees from the US and abroad and has generated more than $425 million in economic activity for New York City.

 

About the 2008 Festival Sponsors:

 

As Founding Sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival, American Express is committed to supporting the Festival, offering benefits that enhance the festival-going experience, and bringing business and energy to Downtown Manhattan & New York City communities.

 

The Festival is pleased to announce the return of its Signature Sponsors: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, AMC Entertainment, Apple, Bloomberg, Brookfield Properties, Cadillac, Delta Air Lines, Empire State Development/I Love New York, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Montblanc, NBC4HD, RR Donnelley, The New York Times, Target, Telemundo 47, Vanity Fair, Verizon and Yahoo!.

 

The Tribeca Film Festival is also honored to welcome the following new Signature Sponsors: BMCC, IFC, iShares, LG Electronics, The New School and Snapple.
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