Heather Young’s debut feature film Murmer won the Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize at the Slamdance Film Festival, which announced winners at the end of its 26th edition Thursday. Merawi Gerima’s Residue was named honorable mention and won the fest’s audience award.
The jury called Murmur a “richly detailed and deeply humane drama” that “offers an insightful and sympathetic portrait of a lonely woman … who goes to self-destructive extremes while attempting to fill the gaping void in her life.”
Residue, awarded for its “at once inventive, poetic and angry about issues of identity, gentrification and the difficulty of returning home,” according to the jury, also won star Obinna Nwachukwu the Slamdance Acting Award.
The Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize went to Higher Love, directed by Hasan Oswald.
Other audience winners included Brian Morrison’s Bastards’ Road, which won for Documentary Feature. Shoot to Marry, directed by Steve Markle, won the Best of Breakouts Audience Award.
Here’s the full list of winners:
Jury Awards | Narrative Features
Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize
Murmur (Dir.: Heather Young)
Honorable Mention: Residue (Dir.: Merawi Gerima)
Jury Awards | Documentary Features, Documentary Shorts
Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize
Higher Love (Dir.: Hasan Oswald)
Honorable Mention – Maxima (Dir.: Claudia Sparrow)
Documentary Short Grand Jury Prize
To Calm the Pig Inside (Dir.: Joanna Vasquez Arong)
Honorable Mention: Umbilical (Dir.: Danski Tang)
and
My Favorite Food is Indian Tacos, my Favorite Drink is Iced Tea and my Favorite Thing is Drumming (Dir.: Derius Matchewan)
Jury Awards – Narrative Shorts
Narrative Shorts Grand Jury Prize
Moving (Dir.: Adinah Dancyger)
Honorable Mention: Proof (Dir.: Nishtha Jain, Deepti Gupta)
Jury Awards – Experimental Shorts/ Animated Shorts
Experimental Shorts Grand Jury Prize
Shooting Stars (Dir.: Magda Jaroszewicz)
Honorable Mention: Meteorite (Dir.: Mauricio Saenz)
Animated Shorts Grand Jury Prize
The Little Soul (Dir.: Barbara Rupik)
Honorable Mention: Symbiosis (Dir.: Nadja Andrasev)
Slamdance Acting Award
Obinna Nwachukwu (Residue)
Honorable Mention: Maya Harman (Chubby)
George Starks Spirit of Slamdance Award
Yani Gellman of Greetings, from the Planet Krog!
CreativeFuture Innovation Award
The Little Soul (Dir.: Barbara Rupik)
The AGBO Fellowship, presented by Joe and Anthony Russo
Winner: Carlota Pereda, (Dir.:PIGGY)
Audience Awards
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
Residue (Dir.: Merawi Gerima)
Audience Award for Documentary Feature
Bastards’ Road (Dir.: Brian Morrison)
Best of Breakouts Audience Award
Shoot to Marry (Dir.: Steve Markle)