The 11th annual Dallas International Film Festival concluded its 11 days of screenings, red carpets and events by presenting awards for excellence among the movies that screened.
The Grand Jury Prize for Narrative Feature went to The Relationtrip, about two loners who decide to take a platonic road trip together. The Grand Jury Prize for Documentary went to Quest, a portrait of an African-American family.
Two Special Jury Prizes were also presented: To Heartstone, pictured, for directing in the narrative category; and to Spettacolo for artistry in the documentary category. Heartstone revolves around two young boys, one of who is pursuing a girl while the other confronts his attraction for his best friend. Spettacolo is about a small Italian village that turns the lives of its town into a play.
The Texas Competition presented its Grand Jury Prize to Mr. Roosevelt, with a Special Jury Prize for Directing to Mustang Island.
In the shorts category, the Grand Jury Prize went to What Happened to Her with the Animated Prize going to Mr. Madila. Special Jury Prizes also went to Hairat and to Arin MacLaine for a performance in Spring. The Silver Heart Award went to City of Ghosts.
These followed the Audience Awards, which were presented Friday night at a banquet I attended. (I sat at the table with Chris Gabriel, co-director of The Relationtrip.) Narrative Feature went to the Texas-filmed Bomb City, about a hate crime; and Documentary Feature went to Dealt. The Short Film Award went to No Other Way to Say It.
At the same dinner, recognition was handed out; The Dallas Shining Star Award to Zoey Deutch (Before I Fall); the L.M. Kit Carson Maverick Filmmaker Award to Richardson’s David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express); and a posthumous presentation of the Dallas Star Award to the late Fort Worth native Bill Paxton.
Congrats to all the recipients.