Naples International FF 2020 announces awards led by MATERNA, BASTARDS’ ROAD, and COMING CLEAN

The 2020 Naples International Film Festival announced the filmmaker award winners following the conclusion of this year’s virtual/outdoor screening hybrid fest. The jury prize for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $1,250) went to David Gutnik’s MATERNA, and the jury prize for Best Documentary Feature (and $1,250) was given to Brian Morrison’s BASTARDS’ ROAD. Audience Awards went to Lanie Zipoy’s THE SUBJECT (Best Narrative Film) and Lynn Montgomery’s AMAZING GRACE (Best Documentary Film), which each won a cash prize of $1000.

MATERNA
BASTARDS’ ROAD

NIFF’s trio of judges for the 2020 edition included Academy Award-nominee Candy Clark (AMERICAN GRAFITTI, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH), CineCina Film Festival Co-Director of Programming, Frank Yan, and journalist Eric Althoff (Screen Comment).

The filmmaker awards selected by the programmers’ committee included; Olympia Stone winning NIFFs Focus on the Arts Award for her film, ACTUALLY, ICONIC: RICHARD ESTES; Ondi Timoner’s COMING CLEAN winning the Impact Award for the light her film shines on the country’s opioid crisis; Hannah Black and Megan Petersen’s DROUGHT winning the Indie Spirit Award; and Stephen Kunken and Jack Lewars’ BEFORE/DURING/AFTER selected as the Programmers’ Choice honoree. Casimir Nozkowski’s THE OUTSIDE STORY took the Best First Feature honors, while The Bragg Brothers directing tandem won this year’s Rising Star Award for their work on the short film A PIECE OF CAKE. Doug Roland’s FEELING THROUGH received NIFF’s Audience Award for “Best Short Film” and the cash prize of $500 that comes with that award.

THE SUBJECT
AMAZING GRACE

“While this was a different year for NIFF in terms of format, one thing – incredible films – remained the same,” said Shannon Franklin, festival producer. “The award winners reflect the high quality of independent film that was on view throughout the virtual and in-person screenings at NIFF 2020.”

In a year which demanded innovation and creativity for film festivals, NIFF successfully offered a hybrid approach which included outdoor screenings on a large screen in the newly renovated and expanded Norris Garden on the Artis─Naples Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus and virtual presentations of 66 films (13 narrative features, 12 documentary features, 41 short films) from 16 countries. The virtual screenings were made available to film fans throughout the state of Florida, and some films available worldwide. Audiences were also able to see select filmmakers discuss their films in virtual live and pre-recorded TalkBack Q&A sessions, and filmmakers gathered in online “filmmaker lounge” events with several also participating in a virtual press junket.

DROUGHT
COMING CLEAN

Artis—Naples offers thanks to the following for their generous support of the 12th Annual Naples International Film Festival: Collier County Tourist Development Council and the Convention and Visitors Bureau; Stan and Sarann Kraushaar (TalkBack Q&A Sponsor); Gulfshore Life and Pixel Lightening Productions, Inc. (Media Partners); Bill, Ann and Heather Hoffman; Lisa and Andy Lipman; Dr. Jonathan Sonne and Dr. Rebecca Lambert; and Entech (Closing Night Film and Awards Sponsor).

BEFORE/DURING/AFTER

The 2020 Naples International Film Festival Award Winners:

NIFF JURY AWARDS

Best Narrative Feature – $1250

MATERNA
Director: David Gutnik

Best Documentary Feature – $1250
BASTARDS’ ROAD
Director: Brian Morrison


NIFF PROGRAMMERS’ AWARDS

Focus on the Arts Award

ACTUALLY, ICONIC: RICHARD ESTES

Director: Olympia Stone

Impact Award
COMING CLEAN
Director: Ondi Timoner

Indie Spirit Award
DROUGHT 
Directors: Hannah Black, Megan Petersen

Programmers’ Choice Award
BEFORE/DURING/AFTER
Directors: Stephen Kunken, Jack Lewars

Best First Feature

THE OUTSIDE STORY
Director: Casimir Nozkowski

Rising Star Award
The Bragg Brothers
A PIECE OF CAKE


NIFF AUDIENCE AWARDS

Audience Award Winner, Narrative Feature – $1000
THE SUBJECT
Director: Lanie Zipoy

Audience Award Winner, Documentary Feature – $1000
AMAZING GRACE
Director: Lynn Montgomery

Audience Award Winner, Best Short Film – $500

FEELING THROUGH

Director: Doug Roland