Tribeca honors international films

Foreign features win big at film festival

By DADE HAYES

Zoe Kazan took the actress in a narrative nod for 'The Exploding Girl.'

Iranian pic 'About Elly' picked up the narrative feature kudo.

The jury prizes for the Tribeca Film Festival's eighth edition had an international flavor, with Iran's "About Elly" winning for narrative feature and Norway's "North" winning for new narrative filmmaker, Rune Denstad Langlo. In the docu categories, "Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi," about a foreign journalists' aide and his perilous work in Afghanistan, won the new prize filmmaker for director Ian Olds. "Racing Dreams," about adolescent go-kart drivers took the doc kudo. Winners were saluted Thursday night at Union Square Ballroom, pocketing $150,000 in prize money.

Ciaran Hinds won actor in a narrative feature for the Conor McPherson-helmed "The Eclipse." Zoe Kazan captured actress in a narrative for "The Exploding Girl."

Narrative jurors included Bradley Cooper, Richard Fischoff, Todd Haynes, Meg Ryan and Uma Thurman. On the doc jury were Liz Garbus, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Whoopi Goldberg, Morgan Spurlock and Brian Williams.

As this year's slimmed-down Tribeca winds down this weekend, the reaction among regulars and Gotham industry figures has been fairly upbeat. A handful of the fest's 85 features have secured pickups during the fest, and buyers are circling other titles. The narrowed scope has become an asset, allowing films to get more widely appreciated, while the parade of stars continues apace.

The winner of the audience award will be announced Saturday night after voting wraps earlier that day.