August 10, 2009

2009 NYILFF Awards!

I realized I never posted the winners of the 2009 NYILFF. What a bonehead, right?? Please see below!!

2009 BEST FILM, PRESENTED BY HBO®

INSIDE A CHANGE - Director: Rik Cordero

Cast: Ephraim Benton, Donté Bonner, Karen Chilton, Consequence, Darrell Vanterpool, Seth Stewart. Chris Price is about to serve six months in prison for a first-time offense. When his mother invites him back home for her birthday, he finds his younger brother following in his footsteps and his older brother disowning him. Now, on his last night of freedom, he is forced to re-examine his life and find a way to bring his family together before it is too late.

In addition to winning the 2009 Best Film Award, Director Rik Cordero also receives $2,500 from HBO.

2009 BEST SHORT

LALO – Director: Daniel Maldonado

Cast: Karina Bonnefil, Neftali Jurec, Billy Magnussen, Doua Moua, Giselle Rodriguez , Abigail Stucker. Lalo, a NYC Mexican delivery worker on the brink of losing his job, is given one last run to prove himself. Naturally, a series of mishaps ensue. When his bike is totaled, he steals a little pink one belonging to a 10 year-old girl, who enters in hot pursuit to get it back. The next thing he knows, Lalo finds himself in a race to the death against a Chinese delivery-man and a pimped-out punk rock bike messenger.

In addition to winning the 2009 Best Short award, Daniel Maldonado also receives $500 film certificate from Kodak and software from AVID.

2009 CINELATINO AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD: BEST PICTURE

EL REGALO DE LA PACHAMAMA – Director: Toshifumi Matsushita

Cast: Christian Huaygua. In the Salar de Uyuni, there is a 13 year-old boy, Kunturi, who lives a life much like any other boy in his village. But when his grandmother dies and his best friend moves away, he decides to embark on a trip with the llama caravan. For three months, he travels throughout the "Ruta de la Sal," exchanging salt for other Andes products, reluctantly bearing witness to an animal sacrifice in the snow-covered peaks and interacting with the indigenous cultures seemingly untouched by modernity.

But when the caravan arrives at its destination, the town of Macha where the “Tinku” Festival is taking place, Kunturi’s life will be changed forever. There he finds the most beautiful girl he could have ever imagined, Ulala. Kunturi and Ulala share the same dream: “to run together across the immense white sea that is the Salar de Uyuni, until they reach the end of the horizon.”

In addition to winning the 2009 Cinelatino Audience Choice Award, director Toshifumi Matsushita also receives $1,000 on behalf of Cinelatino.

2009 NYILFF BEST DOCUMENTARY

2009 CINELATINO AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD: BEST DOCUMENTARY

STAGES - Director: Meerkat Media Collective

In New York City's changing Lower East Side, a group of older Puerto Rican women are brought together with a group of inner city youths to create an original play from the stories of their lives. Over a twenty-week period, the participants confront stereotypes and examine their own histories, exploring themes of immigration, relationships, coming-of-age and growing older. Woven together, their stories take on new meaning, first as they are spoken across generations, and later when they are performed in a sold-out show. Responding to a political climate that assigns little value to community arts initiatives, "Stages" offers an intimate portrait of an unlikely ensemble, transformed by the liberating power of their own stories.

In addition to winning the 2009 Cinelatino Audience Choice Award, Meerkat Media Collective also receives $1,000 on behalf of Cinelatino.

Congratulations to you all!!

Liz.

p.l.h.h.

Cinedulce.com

NYLatinoFilm.com

1 comment:

Quentin Strum said...

You sound like a genuine, easy-going person Cinedulce. The type anyone could hang with and have a beer or something. But "Inside A Change"? Do you think that film deserved to win Best of Festival? I can't imagine there not being another film in the whole festival that wasn't better. Here's my review of the film.