The Circuit

The Jackson Hole Film Festival and Institute has closed its doors. 

Chalking it up to the financial crisis, managing director Todd Rankin told The Jackson Hole Daily that as the market went, so did the fest.

“Funding dried up pretty quickly because of what’s been going on with the financial markets,” said Todd Rankin, managing director of the Jackson Hole Film Festival, the primary program of the institute. “Even leading up to this summer’s festival, things were tight.”

In an email to supporters, artistic director Melanie Miller said:

I can’t begin to put into words how deeply saddened I am knowing that I will no longer bring together two incredible and awe inspiring communities, Jackson Hole and the film industry. I had the fortunate opportunity to be a part of something that I truly believed in and for it to be over is very difficult to accept.

The Jackson Hole fest has announced the winners of their Cowboy Awards, giving its best feature and screenplay award to Avi Nesher's "The Secrets" (pictured) and best doc to Weijun Chin's "Please Vote For Me." 

Jackson Hole had a hefty jury - actress Bridget Moynahan, actor Bill Pullman, writer Frank Cappello, vice president of acquisitions and production for National Geographic Kattie Evans; agent Alexis Garcia of Endeavor Talent Agency; executive vice president of production for Participant Productions Jonathan King; producer Samara Koffler; director and photojournalist Brian Liu; chairman and CEO of Reliant Pictures Corporation Thomas Mount; manager of documentary acquisitions for HBO Documentary Films Greg Rhem; literary manager and producer for Anonymous Content Michael Sugar; and writer, producer Stu Zicherman.

Best Feature
The Secrets, director Avi Nesher

Best Documentary
Please Vote For Me, director Weijun Chin

Best Global Insight
Where the Water Meets the Sky, directors David Eberts and Helen Cotton

Best World Program Spotlight: Latin America
Año Uña (Year of the Nail), director Jonás Cuarón

Best Sports Action
Class C, directors Justin Lubke and Shasta Grenier

Best Short
Dark Yellow, director Glen Luchford

Best Student Voices
Clear Cut, Simple; director Vineet Dewan

Best Director: Feature
Perro Come Perro (Dog Eat Dog), director Carlos Moreno

Best Director: Short
Pariah, director Dee Rees

Best Screenwriter
The Secrets, writers Avi Nesher and David Silber

Best Editor
The Butcher’s Daughter, editor Terry Walters

Best Cinematographer
Das Gefrorene Meer (The Frozen Sea), cinematographer Martin Gschlacht

Best Composer
Everyone But You, composer Eric Shiveley

Audience Choice: Feature
The Flyboys, director Rocco Devilliers

Audience Choice: Documentary
Pray the Devil Back to Hell, director Gini Reticker

Audience Choice: Short
Cute Couple, director Courtney Moorehead Balaker

The Jackson Hole Film Festival has announced a lineup heavy on international fare, the result of an effort by its programmers, including artistic director Melanie Miller, to travel the global fest circuit.  100 films from 30 countries will screen at JHFF, with 81 competing for the Cowboy Award. 

The worldwide program also factors into the Global Insight Summit, an effort by the United Nations and the Jackson Hole Film Institute to focus on international concerns through the entertainment community.  Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to attend the summit.

The program includes Cristian Nemescu's (pictured) Cannes Un Certain Regard winner "California Dreamin' (Endless)", Marianna Palka's Sundance entry "Good Dick," photog Lauren Greenfield's doc "Kids + Money," and the world preem of Charles Weingarten's doc "The Rescue Foundation."

Full program is here.