The 29th Portland International Film Festival’s
Hollywood Video Audience Awards

The 29th Portland International Film Festival wrapped up its 16 day run Sunday, February 26 after screening 67 features and 50 shorts from 35 countries to more than 31,000 Festival attendees.  Enthusiastic audiences voted Radu Mihaileanu’s LIVE AND BECOME (France/Israel) Best Feature, followed closely by Gavin Hood’s Oscar-nominated TSOTSI (South Africa) and Marc Rothemund’s Oscar-nominated SOPHIE SCHOLL: THE FINAL DAYS (Germany).

Ward Serril’s THE HEART OF THE GAME (US) emerged with the Best Documentary prize while Sarah Watt’s debut feature LOOK BOTH WAYS (AUSTRALIA) won the New Director award. Oregon filmmaker Peter Richardson’s documentary, CLEAR CUT: THE STORY OF PHILOMATH, OREGON placed ninth overall in the audience balloting.

Topping the Short Film Awards was Rob Pearlstein’s OUR TIME IS UP (US), followed by Rob Burke’s JELLY BABY (Ireland) and Henry Sellick MOONGIRL, produced by Portland animation studio Laika.

PIFF 29  AUDIENCE AWARDS
FEATURE FILMS

1. LIVE AND BECOME (FRANCE/ISRAEL)
Director: Radu Milahileanu
BEST FEATURE           

2. TSOTSI (South Africa)
Director: Gavin Hood

3. SOPHIE SCHOLL FINAL DAYS (Germany)
Director: Marc Rothemund

4. THE HEART OF THE GAME  (US) 
Director: Ward Serrill   
BEST DOCUMENTARY           

5. MERRY CHRISTMAS (FRANCE)
Director:Christian Carion

6.  MOTHER OF MINE (FINLAND)
Director:Klaus Härö

7.  LOOK BOTH WAYS (AUSTRALIA)
Director:Sarah Watt  
NEW DIRECTOR AWARD           

8. KINKY BOOTS (GREAT BRITAIN)
Director:Julian Jarrold

9. CLEAR CUT: THE STORY OF PHILOMATH, OREGON (US)
Director:Peter Richardson

10. FAVELA RISING (BRAZIL/US)
Director:Jeff Zimbalist, Matt Mochary

11. IN MY FATHER'S DEN (NEW ZEALAND)
Director:Brad McGann

12. FATELESS (HUNGARY) 
Director:Lajos Koltai

13. THE HIDDEN BLADE (JAPAN) 
Director:Yôji Yamada

14. SO CLOSE, SO FAR   (IRAN)
Director:Seyyed Reza Mirkarimi

15. TAPAS (SPAIN)
Director:José Corbacho, Juan Cruz

16. C.R.A.Z.Y. (CANADA) 
Director:Jean-Marc Vallée

17. COWBOY DEL AMOR (US)
Director:Michèle Ohayon

18. BLUEBIRD (NETHERLANDS)
Director:Mijke de Jong

19. NEIL YOUNG: HEART OF GOLD (US) 
Director:Jonathan Demme

20. THE BOYS OF BARAKA (US) 
Director:Heidi Ewing, Rachael Grady

  SHORTS

1. OUR TIME IS UP (US)
Director: Rob Pearlstein 
BEST SHORT

2. JELLY BABY (IRELAND)
Director: Rob Burke           

3. MOON GIRL (US/Portland)
Director: Henry Selick

4. HELLO, THANKS (US/Portland)
Director: Andrew Blubaugh