●       We Feed People is Audience Award Winner

●       Linoleum and Mama Bears win Best Narrative & Documentary Feature Film 

●       Karmalink and Sirens score One in A Million Awards

The 2022 Sun Valley Film Festival (SVFF), announced this year’s juried film award winners during the annual Awards Bash, presented by SVFF and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. The Awards Bash was hosted by Bobby Farelley and Hayes MacArthur with a performance by The Nude Party. SVFF took place from March 30-April 3, 2022. 

SVFF Film Awards

Audience Award Winner – Awarded to the film which received the most votes from audience attendees.

WINNER: We Feed People, directed by Ron Howard

Best Narrative Feature Film - Awarded to the best narrative feature film in the festival.  

WINNER: Linoleum, directed by Colin West 

SPECIAL MENTION: Holy Emy directed by Araceli Lemos

Jury members were Jo Addy (Global Film and Entertainment Director, Soho House), Eric Bress (award-winning writer, director and producer), Mariama Diallo (director, Master).

Best Documentary Feature Film - Awarded to the best documentary feature film in the festival.   

WINNER: Mama Bears, directed by Daresha Kyi  

Jury members were Julie Parker Benello (Founder of Secret Sauce Media and co-founder of Chicken & Egg Pictures), Trevor Groth (film financier at 30WEST) and Heather Rae (producer).

One in a Million Awards - The One in a Million Awards honor feature length stories made for under one million dollars. One narrative and one documentary film are each awarded.  

NARRATIVE WINNER: Karmalink, directed by Jake Wachtel

 DOCUMENTARY WINNER: Sirens, directed by Rita Baghdadi

The SVShorty Award - The best short film across all categories. All shorts are eligible for this award.  

WINNER:  Last Days of August, directed by Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck and Robert Machoian

SPECIAL MENTION: Starfuckers, directed by Antonio Marziale

Jury members were Kimberley Browning (Founder and festival director of Hollywood Shorts Film Festival), Lindsay Calleran (writer, director and co-producer) and Steven Snyder (Innisfree Pictures).

The Gem State Award - The best short film made in Idaho. The films in the Idaho Shorts program are eligible for this award.

WINNER: Meridian, directed by Aidan Brezonick

 SVFF Film & Screenwriting Competition Winners

High Scribe Award - The High Scribe honors an emerging voice in screenwriting with Jared Stern, Zach Baylin and Trevor Groth, serving as judge and mentor of the contest. Three finalists were selected which include:  

WINNER: Shooting at BAllerinas, written by Hank Isaac

Future Filmmaker Forum - Showcases student-made films and encourages students in their craft, storytelling and self-expression. 

HOT SHOT WINNER: The First 280 Honest Words of My Life, directed by Ella Janes

2nd PLACE: Pho, directed by Ethan CHu

3rd PLACE: The Hole, directed by Piotr Kazmierczak

The festival saw attendance rise this year with the sold-out opening night screening of the Hemingway drama Across the River and Into the Trees, standing room only Coffee Talks, and two of the four passes selling out before the festival began. Festival highlights included, Woody Harrelson and Amy Poehler receiving the Vision Award, Danny Strong receiving the Pioneer Award presented by Variety, Dr. Nathalie Dougé as recipient of National Geographic’s Further Award, and Rising Star Award honorees, the cast of Outer Banks: Madelyn Cline, Jonathan Daviss, Rudy Pankow, Austin North, Drew Starkey and Carlacia Grant. SVFF is grateful to have the continued support of longtime festival partners and patrons including National Geographic, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Our Gorongosa, Variety and the community of generous arts supporters.  

Beginning this summer, the Sun Valley Film Festival will expand into year-round storytelling through a monthly series of events including Cocktail Talks, Dinner & A Movie, The Score, World premieres, Works-In-Progress and more. The festival will work with patrons, community leaders and industry friends to help curate and develop programming for this initiative. Commenting on the program said SVFF Executive Director Teddy Grennan and Festival Director Candice Pate, “This growth has been under development for more than two years and because of a patron's initiative and our relationship with the Argyros Performing Arts Center, we're able to launch this incredible opportunity and make it a staple of the Valley.  We are excited to create additional programming outside of the Sun Valley Film Festival.” 

About the Sun Valley Film Festival

This year’s Sun Valley Film Festival took place from March 30-April 3, 2022. Since 2012 SVFF has proven to be a concierge of opportunity connecting filmmakers with support both financially and through mentorship. Every spring the Festival celebrates with a slate of cutting-edge films and TV premieres, industry panels, engaging Coffee Talks with entertainment luminaries, a Screenwriters Lab led by award-winning writers and a series of parties culminating with the spectacular SVFF Awards Bash. The Sun Valley Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization whose mission is to cultivate and promote the art of filmmaking, and to use the power of storytelling to foster meaningful connections. To learn more, visitsunvalleyfilmfestival.org. Follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.