SXSW festival winners announced

'Made in China' takes best narrative feature

By DAVE MCNARY

Judi Krant's debut feature "Made in China" has won the narrative feature jury competition at South by Southwest while Scott Teems' "That Evening Sun" won the narrative feature audience award.

"Made in China," which premiered at the festival, follows a Texas novelty inventor who travels to Shanghai.

"That Evening Sun," a drama set in Tennessee between two old foes, also received a special jury award for best ensemble cast. Pic, which is Teems' feature debut, stars Hal Holbrook, Mia Wasikowska, Ray McKinnon, Walton Goggins and Carrie Preston.

Bill Ross' "45365," a look at everyday life in Sidney, Ohio, won the documentary jury award. Geralyn Pezanoski's "Mine," centered on the custody battles over pets in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, won the audience award for documentary feature. Jennifer Steinman's "Motherland," centered on six grieving mothers journey to Africa, won the Emerging Visions audience award.

SWSX is screening 133 feature-length films including 57 world premieres. Scott Foundas, Ted Hope and Kim Voynar judged the narrative feature competition while the documentary competition judges included Anne Thompson, Basil Tsiokos and Lois Vossen.

The 2009 SXSW Film Festival Award Winners:

Feature Jury Awards

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Winner – 45365
Director: Bill Ross

Honorable Mention – The Way We Get By
Director: Aron Gaudet

NARRATIVE FEATURE
Winner – Made in China
Director: Judi Krant

Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble Cast – That Evening Sun
Director: Scott Teems

Audience Awards

EMERGING VISIONS
Winner – Motherland
Director: Jennifer Steinman

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Winner – MINE
Director: Geralyn Pezanoski

NARRATIVE FEATURE
Winner – That Evening Sun
Director: Scott Teems

24 BEATS PER SECOND
Winner – To Be Announced on Friday, 3/20

LONE STAR STATES
Winner – To Be Announced on Friday, 3/20

Special Jury Awards

SXSW & AIGA AUSTIN MOVIE POSTER AWARD
Best in Show – The Dungeon Masters
Director: Keven Macalester
Designer: David Plunkert, Spur Design, LLC

SXSW / CHICKEN & EGG EMERGENT WOMAN AWARD
Winner – Made in China
Director: Judi Krant

SXSW WHOLPHIN SHORT FILM AWARD
Winner – Sister Wife
Director: Jill Orschel

Shorts Jury Awards

REEL SHORTS
Winner – Thompson
Director: Jason Tippet

Special Jury Award – Happy 95 Birthday Grandpa
Director: Gary Huggins

ANIMATED SHORTS
Winner – Shaman
Director: Luc Perez

Special Jury Award – Sweet Dreams
Director: Kirsten Lepore

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS
Winner – Cattle Call
Director: Matthew Rankin & Mike Maryniuk

Special Jury Award – The Idiot Stinks
Director: Helder Sun

MUSIC VIDEOS
Winner – Thunderheist, “Jerk It”
Director: That Go-Noel Paul & Stefan Moore

Special Jury Award – Fleet Foxes, “White Winter Hymnal”
Director: Sean Pecknold

Jury Special Mention – New Pornographers, “Myriad Harbor”
Director: Fluorescent Hill

TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION
Winner – Performance Evaluation
Director: Breannah Gibson

Special Jury Award – TIE
Fresh Fruit
Director: Edward Kelley & Brenden Cicoria

AND

A Hospital Bathroom
Director: Miguel Johnson