Dances With Films – the Indie Film Festival that eschews ‘Marquee Names’ for Indie Talent announced its Audience and Industry Choice Award winners during a celebratory breakfast event at The Stand (116 E 16th Street) following a successful weekend filled with big crowds at the screenings and events during its 3rd New York edition of the indie-focused film festival. The Audience Choice Award winners were led by Kristen Hansen’s Sonny Boy (Best Narrative Feature) and Mikaela Shwer’s The Kids Are Not Alright (Best Documentary Feature).
Industry and Programmers’ Choice Awards went to Chris Beier’s The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia in the “Over 40 Minutes” category, and Matthew Perkins’ Fortune in the “Under 40 Minutes” category.
In the pre-awards presentations remarks during the ceremony, Dances With Films’ Founders Leslee Scallon and Michael Trent highlighted DWF’s philosophy of fostering the support between the festival’s ever-growing family of filmmakers. Scallon and Trent touched on Dances With Films’ dedication to adding to that support, as well as having fun with the festival experience, while celebrating and promoting truly independently produced films and projects.
A big addition to the awards lineup were awards for the Midnight category featuring genre and off-the-wall films. The winners in the Midnight section were Andrew Bell’s Bleeding (Best Midnight Feature), and Benedict Chiu’s Boy Band (Best Midnight Short). Dances With Films is another one of the key film festivals on the circuit which has gained notice for paying particular attention to giving a platform for pilots and proof of concept works. The audience winner for DWF NY’s Best Television and Web Series Pilot was Ruthie Marantz’s Raging Doll.
Additional Audience Choice Award winners included a tie for Best Narrative Short Film. Sharing that honor were Jesse Cowell’s B!Tch I’m Early (B.I.E.) and Timur Guseynov’s Brooklyn. During his acceptance speech, Cowell spoke about the impact of the award for himself since it highlighted a moment where he stopped chasing fame with his work and focused squarely on the joy of the work itself. The Audience Award for Best Documentary Short Film went to Degrees of Freedom, a project directed by Aisha X. Elliott, Cheryl Wilkins, Kathy Boudin, and Jake Ratner.
Packing a lot into the film festival’s four days of screenings, nearly half of DWF NY’s lineup of 146 films, including 22 narrative and midnight features, 9 documentary features, 18 television and streaming pilots, and 92 short films, made their world, North American or US premieres. DWF alumni Evan Oppenheimer’s Peas and Carrots kicked things off with a world premiere screening on Opening Night in front of a full house, setting the tone for the rest of the weekend. The festival concluded with another full house for the Closing Night presentation of Christina Eliapolous’ whimsical comedy Here’s Yianni! Stars Joe Cortese, Julia Ormond, and Rosanna Arquette were on hand with many other cast and crew members to see the crowd pleaser on the big screen.
A film festival that has enjoyed a well-earned reputation for routinely drawing huge crowds to many of its screenings, Dances With Films NY saw additional sold out and near full house screenings with Nicola Rose’s Magnetosphere, William Tyler Wiseman’s Moonwater, Jarrett Jung’s Sergeant Pickle Breath And The Rooftop Warriors, Victoria Kupchinetsky’s documentary Calico Rebellion, and multiple shorts and pilots programs. DWF NY’s daily Orange Carpets averaged 30+ films each night with hundreds of filmmakers getting the rock star treatments as they posed for photos and did interviews with the press.
Dances With Films will next return for its 28th outing in Los Angeles and the Historic Chinese Theatre in June. For more information about Dances With Films, please go to: https://danceswithfilms.com/.
The 2024 Dances With Films NY Filmmaker Award Winners:
INDUSTRY AND PROGRAMMERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
Industry Choice Award – Over 40 Minutes
The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia
Director: Chris Beier
Industry Choice Award – Under 40 Minutes
Fortune
Director: Matthew Perkins
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
Best Narrative Feature
Sonny Boy
Director: Kristen Hansen
Best Documentary Feature
The Kids Are Not Alright
Director: Mikaela Shwer
Best Midnight Feature
Bleeding
Director: Andrew Bell
Best Television and Web Series Pilot
Raging Doll
Director: Ruthis Marantz
Best Narrative Short Film – TIE
B!Tch I’m Early (B.I.E.)
Director: Jesse Cowell
Brooklyn
Director: Timur Guseynov
Best Documentary Short Film
Degrees of Freedom
Directors: Aisha X. Elliot, Cheryl Wilkins, Kathy Boudin, Jake Ratner
Best Midnight Short Film
Boy Band
Director: Benedict Chiu
