LINGUA FRANCA, THE DONUT KING, and FAREWELL lead 2020 Bentonville Film Festival’s Filmmaker Awards

LINGUA FRANCA, THE DONUT KING, and FAREWELL lead the Bentonville Film Festival awards, presented in partnership with founding sponsor Walmart and presenting sponsor Coca-Cola, announced the jury prize winners for their sixth annual festival, which concluded today.

Bentonville Film Festival is a one-of-a-kind event, uniquely dedicated to championing underrepresented voices in film, entertainment and media and this year was their most diverse festival to-date with over 70 films where over 80% were directed by women, 65% BIPOC and 45% LGBTQA+.

Isabel Sandoval’s LINGUA FRANCA took home the top prize winning the jury award for Best Narrative Feature.

Alice Gu’s THE DONUT KING was awarded Best Documentary, Rachel Harrison Gordon’s BROKEN BIRD was selected for Best Short Film Narrative and Rachel Fleit’s AVA & BIANCA won for Short Film Documentary. Taylor Lee Nagel’s Lady Liberty and Miguel Angel Duran’s Immigrant Voices of America took the honors in Episodic.

Co-founded by Academy Award®-winning actor Geena Davis, this year’s festival was a new hybrid model that paired digital screenings, panels and events alongside select on-the-ground premieres and conversations.

Jury Award Winners for the 2020 Bentonville Film Festival

Narrative Film Award: LINGUA FRANCA, Director: Isobel Sandoval


Documentary Film Award: THE DONUT KING, Director: Alice Gu


Short Film Narrative Award: BROKEN BIRD, Director: Rachel Harrison Gordon


Short Film Documentary Award: AVA & BIANCA, Director: Rachel Fleit


Episodic Narrative Award: LADY LIBERTY, Director: Taylor Lee Nagel


Episodic Documentary Award: IMMIGRANT VOICES OF AMERICA, Director: Miguel Angel Duran

Special Recognition Awards

Best First Feature, Narrative: FAREWELL, Director: Chris Chalk

Best Performance, Narrative: TAKE OUT GIRL, Director: Hissoni Johnson, Actor: Hedy Wong

Best Editing, Documentary: MY DARLING, VIVIAN, Director: Matt Riddlehoover

For more information, visit the Bentonville Film Festival Foundation.

Additional sponsors supporting BFF’s mission include:

Kellogg’s, MARS, Inc., Mattel, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures Television, Starz/ Lionsgate, Unilever, Upfield and ViacomCBS.

Isabel Sandoval’s LINGUA FRANCA, THE DONUT KING, and FAREWELL lead the Bentonville Film Festival awards, presented in partnership with founding sponsor Walmart and presenting sponsor Coca-Cola, announced the jury prize winners for their sixth annual festival, which concluded today.