“The Million Dollar Duck” has won Sparky trophies for the Jury Award and Audience Award for Documentary Feature at the Slamdance Film Festival.
Alex Simmons’ “Honey Buddies” won the Audience Award for Narrative Feature, announced at the awards ceremonies for the 22nd Slamdance festival at the Treasure Mountain Inn in Park City, Utah.
Paul Taylor’s “Driftwood” won the Jury Award for Narrative Feature.
“Congratulations to all of the filmmakers this year. Outside of winning a Sparky, as a collective they showed us the power of real independent film and how much it enriches our lives,” said Peter Baxter, Slamdance President and co-founder.
Directed by Brian Golden Davis, “The Million Dollar Duck” explores the world of the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, which is the only juried art competition run by the U.S. government. The film follows six artists who competitively paint waterfowl to enter in the contest.
On Monday, Discovery Communications’ Animal Planet and Lionsgate announced that “The Million Dollar Duck” had been acquired for distribution in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. Animal Planet has acquired television rights to the film while Lionsgate will distribute “Million Dollar Duck” in a limited theatrical release and through digital home entertainment and packaged media.
The feature competition films in the Documentary and Narrative Programs are limited to first-time filmmakers working with production budgets of less than $1 million.
The Slamdance Festival was founded as an alternative to the larger Sundance film festival. The winners:
AUDIENCE AWARDS
Audience Award for Narrative Feature:
Honey Buddies, dir. by Alex Simmons
Audience Award for Documentary Feature:
The Million Dollar Duck, dir. by Brian Golden Davis
JURY AWARDS
Jury Award for Narrative Feature:
Driftwood, dir. by Paul Taylor
Jury Honorable Mention for Acting – Narrative Feature:
Hunky Dory, dir. by Michael Curtis Johnson, starring Tomas Pais and Edouard Holdener
Jury Award for Documentary Feature:
The Million Dollar Duck,dir. by Brian Golden Davis
Jury Honorable Mention for Documentary Feature:
Art of the Prank,dir. by Andrea Marini
Jury Award for Documentary Short:
If Mama Ain’t Happy, Nobody’s Happy, dir. by Mea de Jong
Jury Honorable Mention for Cinematography -Documentary Short:
The Bullet, dir. by Jordan Bahat, cinematography by Mike Gioulakis
Jury Award for Narrative Short:
Winter Hymns, dir. by Dusty Mancinelli
Jury Honorable Mention for Narrative Short:
The Beast, dir. by Daina Oniunas Pusic
Jury Award for Animation Short:
My Dad, dir. by Marcus Armitage
Jury Honorable Mention for Animation Short:
Flaws, dir. by Josh Shaffner
Jury Award for Experimental Short:
Infrastructures, dir. by Aurèle Ferrier
Jury Honorable Mention for Experimental Short:
Cup of Stars, dir. by Ryan Betschart, Tyler Betschart
Jury Award for Anarchy Short:
Disco Inferno, dir. by Alice Waddington
Jury Honorable Mention for Anarchy Short:
Gwilliam, dir. by Brian Lonano
Jury Honorable Mention for Anarchy Short:
Hi How Are You Daniel Johnston?, dir. by Gabriel Sunday
SPECIAL AWARDS
Spirit of Slamdance Award:
Cast and crew of Fursonas, dir. by Dominic Rodriguez
Digital Bolex Fearless Filmmaking Grand Prize:
Small Talk, dir. by Hilary Campbell
Digital Bolex Fearless Filmmaking Honorable Mention:
You Will Find a Way, dir. by A.J. Molle
Digital Bolex Fearless Filmmaking Honorable Mention:
Eyes of the City, dir. by Luke Randall