(October 27, 2021 | Memphis, TN) Indie Memphis Film Festival, presented by Duncan-Williams, Inc., is pleased to announce this year’s award-winners. The ceremony was held virtually on the evening of October 26th and awards were presented by festival staff, as well as members of the awards juries. The 2021 festival screened over 170 feature films, shorts, and music videos, with most screenings followed by filmmaker Q&As.
Jury Award highlights include Best Narrative Feature for Nana Mensah’s QUEEN OF GLORY (winner of $1K cash prize), Best Documentary Feature for Nadia Szold’s LARRY FLYNT FOR PRESIDENT (winner of $1K cash prize), Best Hometowner Feature for Zachary Barr and Peter Mortimer’s REEL ROCK, BLACK ICE (winner of $1K cash prize), Best Departures Feature for Rhayne Vermette’s STE. ANNE (winner of $500 cash prize), and Best Sounds Feature for Celeste Bell + Paul Sng’s POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHE (winner of $500 cash prize), among others.
The festival also awarded two yet-to-be-produced short films with Indie Grant prizes: “I Am” (Dir. Jessica Chaney) and “Soil and Clay” (Dir. Emmanuel Amido). These films were chosen by a jury and were each awarded with a $15K total grant ($7.5K cash, $7.5K in-kind filmmaking services). The recipients applied with a project idea and these funds were granted to them to produce their short film, which we hope to see at a future festival.
The Festival Awards, decided by Indie Memphis Festival staff, include the Ron Tibbett Excellence in Filmmaking Award for ONE OF OURS (Dir. Yasmine Mathurin) and the Craig Brewer Emerging Filmmaker Award for FERNY & LUCA (Dir. Andrew Infante), among others.
Finally, the Audience Awards, tallied from audience ballots, went to QUEEN OF GLORY (Dir. Nana Mensah) for Narrative Feature, LARRY FLYNT FOR PRESIDENT (Dir. Nadia Szold) for Documentary Feature, ELDER’S CORNER (Dir. Siji Awoyinka) for Sounds Feature, NORTH BY CURRENT (Dir. Angelo Madsen Minax) for Departures, and REEL ROCK: BLACK ICE (Dirs. Zachary Barr + Peter Mortimer) for Hometowner Feature, among others.
Missed any of the screenings? There will be virtual encores added for a limited time for the following winning titles: THE PILL, QUEEN OF GLORY (in the film’s first time screening virtually), STE. ANNE, ONE OF OURS, and LARRY FLYNT FOR PRESIDENT. Click on each of the virtual screening links on the titles to view the films.
2021 Indie Memphis Film Festival Award-Winners
Winner by Category
Jury Awards
Narrative Features
Awarded by Jury Members Bandamlak Yimenu, Carlos Valladares + Caroline Golum
Best Narrative Feature, QUEEN OF GLORY (Dir. Nana Mensah) - $1000 Cash Prize
Duncan Williams Best Screenplay Award, THE PILL (Dir. Franco Clarke) - $1000 Cash Prize
Special Jury Mention to Narrative Feature, Actors Anna Cobb (WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR) + Lauren Kelisha Muller (FERNY & LUCA)
Documentary Features
Awarded by Jury Members Simran Hans, Monica Castillo + Devika Girish
(Presented by Classic American Hardwoods)
Best Documentary Feature, LARRY FLYNT FOR PRESIDENT (Dir. Nadia Szold) - $1,000 Cash Prize Presented by Classic American Hardwoods
Hometowner
Awarded by Jury Members Yoshi James, Annie Berman + Sheila O’Malley
Best Hometowner Feature, REEL ROCK: BLACK ICE (Dir. Zachary Barr, Peter Mortimer) - $1000 Cash Prize
Best Hometowner Narrative Short, “The Devil Will Run” (Dir. Noah Glenn) - $500 Cash Prize
Best Hometowner Documentary Short, “Nuestra” (Dir. Aaron Baggett) - $500 Cash Prize
Special Jury Mention, Hometowner Narrative Short, “Main Street” (Dir. Joshua Woodcock)
Special Jury Mention, Hometowner Documentary Short, “Letter to My Son” (Dirs. Brittany Butler + Joshua Woodcock)
Departures
Awarded by Jury Members Blake Williams + Mackenzie Lukenbill
Best Departures Feature, STE. ANNE (Dir. Rhayne Vermette) - $500 Cash Prize
Best Departures Short, “A Few Things I'm Beginning to Understand” by Xenia Matthews
Sounds
Awarded by Jury Members Rōgan Graham + Toby Leonard
Best Sounds Feature, POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHE (Dirs. Celeste Bell + Paul Sng) - $500 Cash Prize
Best National Music Video, “Hideaway” by Nîm (Dir. Etienne Fu-Le Saulnier)
Best Hometowner Music Video, “Brain Fluid” by Don Lifted (Dirs. Nubia Yasin + Joshua Cannon)
Shorts
Awarded by Jury Members Opal Hope Bennett + Martha Kunda
Best Documentary Short, “You Can’t Stop Spirit” (Dir. Vashni Korin) - $500 Cash Prize
Best Narrative Short, “Cousins,” (Dir. Mandy Marcus) - $500 Cash Prize
Special Jury Mention, Documentary Short “Rebyrth” (Dir. Cydney Tucker)
Special Jury Mention for Actor Felix Alexis in “Last Summer on Bainbridge St”
Special Jury Mention for the Main Participant, Brandi, in “A Fine Girl” (Dir. Darcy McKinnon, BIliana Grozdanova)
IndieGrants
Awarded by Jury Members Kolby Ari, Deni Cheng + Aaron Hunt
“I Am” (Dir. Jessica Chaney) - $15K Grant ($7.5K cash, $7.5K In-Kind Filmmaking Services)
“Soil and Clay” (Dir. Emmanuel Amido) - $15K Grant ($7.5K cash, $7.5K In-Kind Filmmaking Services)
Poster Design
Awarded by Jury Members Eso Tolson, Lexi Perkins, + Gabrielle Brooks
Jury Award for Best Poster Design, JUJU STORIES (Dirs. Michael Omonua, Abba Makama, + C.J. Obasi)
Festival Awards
Ron Tibbett Excellence in Filmmaking
ONE OF OURS (Dir. Yasmine Mathurin)
Craig Brewer Emerging Filmmaker
FERNY & LUCA (Dir. Andrew Infante)
Vision Award
Mark Jones
Indie Award
Jason Thibodeaux
Best After Dark Short
“I’m So Sorry” by Chester Toye - $500 Cash Prize
Audience Awards
Narrative Feature
QUEEN OF GLORY (Dir. Nana Mensah)
Documentary Feature
LARRY FLYNT FOR PRESIDENT (Dir. Nadia Szold)
Sounds Feature
ELDER’S CORNER (Dir. Siji Awoyinka)
Departures
NORTH BY CURRENT (Dir. Angelo Madsen Minax)
Hometowner Feature
REEL ROCK: BLACK ICE (Dirs. Zachary Barr + Peter Mortimer)
National Narrative Short
“Desperate LA” (Dir. Jeanetta Rich)
National Doc Short
“You Can't Stop Spirit” (Dir. Vashni Korin)
Departures Short
“A Few Things I'm Beginning to Understand” (Dir. Xenia Matthews)
Hometowner Narrative Short
“The Devil Will Run” (Dir. Noah Glenn)
Hometowner Documentary Short
“Firebird Rising” (Dirs. David Roseberry + Jordan Danelz)
Hometowner Music Video
“Buzzsaw Kick” by Idi X Teco (Dirs: Jordan Danelz + Sharrika Evans)
National Music Video
“Fire” by Fimone (Dir. Fimone)
Poster Design
WE STILL HERE (Dir. Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi)