The Winners, Awards, and Jurors:

“One of our greatest pleasures in presenting the annual MSP International Film Festival, a 22 day world tour through the lens of 250+ films, is the culmination of the Festival with an Award Ceremony.  The event offers a platform of support for local, national and international independent filmmakers, and an opportunity to pay a very deserved tribute to the filmmakers’ work.”

- Susan Smoluchowski, Executive Director of The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul, the Festival’s presenting organization.

Best Narrative

Recipient – Director Gianni Amelio for The First Man

Winner receives $2500. Award was presented by Joe Dressel, Winner 2011 Best MINNESOTA-Made Feature.

The Jurors for the 2012 Best Narrative Competition were Joe Dressel, Verena Mund, and Ali Selim.

Best Documentary

Recipient – Director Shannah Laumeister for Bert Stern: Original Madman

Recipient – Director Arnon Goldfinger for The Flat

This was a split Award.

Each winner receives $1,250. Awards were presented by Lucinda Winter, ED of the MN Film and TV Board.

The Jurors for the 2012 Best Documentary Competition were Nora Paul, John Whitehead, and Lucinda Winter

Emerging Filmmaker Award

Recipients – Directors Helvécio Marin Jr. and Clarissa Campolina for Swirl

Winners receives $2500. Award was presented by Elizabeth Redleaf. CEO of Werc, Werk, Works.

The Jurors for the 2012 Emerging Filmmaker Award were Brady Kiernan, Elizabeth Redleaf, and John Schott.

Best MINNESOTA-Made Feature

Recipients – Directors Bryan Vue and Mong Vang for Journey to the Fallen Skies

Winners receive $2500. Award was presented by Tom DeBiaso, MINNESOTA-Made Programmer. The Jurors for all MINNESOTA-Made films were Mary Ahmann, Robert Byrd, Patrick Coyle, Emily Goldberg, Jane Minton, Craig Rice, Tom Schroeder, Chuck Statler, Gregory Winter.

Best Short Presented by Splice

Recipient – Maya Washington, White Space.

Winner receives $5000 Post Production at Splice Here. Award presented by Heidi Schuster, Director of Operations at Splice.

Special Jury Award for Emerging Talent

in the Music Video Category

Awarded to Maria Juranic for her creative work in the music video genre.

Tom DeBiaso, MINNESOTA-Made Programmer, presented the Special Jury Award for Emerging Talent in the Music Video

Special Jury Award for Documentary Work

Demonstrating exceptional social relevance and filmmaking excellence

Special Jury Award to Silas Haugerty for Dakota 38

Award presented by Tom DeBiaso, MINNESOTA-Made Programmer.

Winners of the Audience Choice Award

Best Short – Director Martin Wichmann Andersen for Stuck

Best Narrative – Director Sam Fischer for Memorial Day

Best Documentary – Directors Nick Holle and Michael Zimmer for The Entertainers

Awarded to the highest ranked films from the Audience Choice Ballots. Presented by Jesse Bishop, Programming Manager.