Sundance 2013: Killer Films' Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler Dish on Their Sundance Slate and Discuss How the Festival Has Changed

by Nigel M Smith on January 18, 2013

There's no arguing that Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler's New York-based production company Killer Films is synonymous with the indie film movement. Since breaking out onto the indie scene in a huge way by taking the 1991 Sundance Film Festival by storm with their Grand Jury Prize-winning stunne...

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Berlin Completes Official Program; 'Before Midnight' and Final River Phoenix Film In The Mix

by Peter Knegt on January 18, 2013

The competition of the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival is now complete with 19 of the 24 films in the official programme vying for the Golden and Silver Bears.Read More »



Indiewire's Picks For the Five Breakouts of Slamdance 2013

by Beth Hanna on January 18, 2013

The 19th annual Slamdance Film Festival, which runs in Park City January 18-24, boasts expanded narrative and documentary lineups and counts Christopher Nolan, Benh Zeitlin and Oren Peli as alums. So who might this year’s Slamdance heroes be? Below, five diverse titles to seek out at Slamdance...Read More »



SYRFILMFEST '12 WINNERS

The SOPHIA AWARD
Tom Bower

BEST FEATURE
WINNER: OCEAN HEAVEN directed by Xiao Lu Xue (China)
Judges Citation: FACING MIRRORS directed by Negar Azarbayjani (Iran)

BEST DOCUMENTARY
WINNER: RAISING RENEE directed by Jeanne Jordan & Steven Ascher (USA)
Judges Citation: LOVING SOPHIA directed by Ohad Itach (Israel)
Judges Citation: VORTEX directed by Csaba Szekeres (Hungary)

BEST SHORT FICTION
WINNER: BASSA MAREA directed by Roberto De Paolis (Italy)
Judges Citation: BIRTHDAY directed by Sandor Csukas (Hungary)
Judges Citation: THE MAN WHO KNEW HOW TO FLY directed by Robi Michael (USA)
Directors Citation: BOMINI directed by Kim Bang-Hyun (Korea)

BEST ANIMATION
WINNER: GRAFFITIGER directed by Libor Pixa (Czech Republic)
Director’s Citation: My Home by Four Directions Productions
Judges Citation: LIFE IS A BITCH by Michaela Hoffova (Czech Republic)
Judges Citation: ALL SOULS DAY by Jan Bohuslav (Czech Republic)

BEST EXPERIMENTAL
WINNER: GREENWASHERS directed by Bret Malley USA
Judges Citation: RADIOSTAN directed by Tomas Sheridan (United Kingdom)
Directors Citation: GRAVEDIGGER directed by Sandor Kardos (Hungary)

BEST DIRECTOR
WINNER: XIAO LU XUE for OCEAN HEAVEN (China)
Judges Citation: ROB NILSSON for THE STEPPES (USA)

BEST SCREENPLAY
WINNER: Balázs Maruszki, Bence Miklauzic and Gábor Németh for CHILDREN OF THE
GREEN DRAGON (Hungary)
Judges Citation: Xiao Lu Xue for OCEAN HEAVEN (China)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
WINNER: Yuri Rajsky for SIBERIA MONOMOUR (Russia)
Judges Citation: Michael Leuthner for SILBERWALD (Swizerland)

BEST EDITING
WINNER: BLANK BULLET
Judges Citation: Igor Litoninskiy for SIBERIA MONOMOUR (Russia)
Judges Citation: Robi Michael for THE MAN WHO KNEW HOW TO FLY (USA)

BEST ACTING
WINNER: Wen Zhang for OCEAN HEAVEN (China)
Judges Citation: Irit Levi for THE STEPPES
Judges Citation: Shayesteh Irani for FACING MIRRORS (Iran)
Judges Citation: Jet Li for OCEAN HEAVEN (China)
Judges Citation given Posthumously to David Hess for THE STEPPES (USA)

BEST SOUND & MUSIC
WINNER: Joe Hisaishi for OCEAN HEAVEN (China)
Judges Citation: BLANK BULLET (Israel)

BEST CNY
WINNER: BLANK BULLET directed by Haim Bouzaglo (Israel)
Judegs Citation: DEFINING BEAUTY: MS WHEELCHAIR AMERICA directed by Alexis
Ostrander (USA)
Judges Citation: GREENWASHERS directed by Bret Malley (USA)

CAROL NORTH SCHMUCKLER NEW FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE
WINNER: JAQUELINE AND THE SPAWN directed by Will Giamas (USA)