The Starz Denver Film Festival (SDFF), sponsored by Starz Entertainment and produced by the Denver Film Society, announced today its jury and audience award winners for this year's festival, which ran from November 12-23 in Denver.

"Beginning with our Opening Night presentation of 5 to 7 with special guests Victor Levin and Jocelyn DeBoer, to filmmakers from around the world joining us, and award recipients including Roberto Andò, Michael Beugg, Tom Bower, Bruce Greenwood and Lawrence Jordan, the 37th Starz Denver Film Festival was an inspiring cinematic celebration," said Festival Director Britta Erickson. "In one of our most successful festivals to date, it was also a true honor to recognize the outstanding work happening in our own community with the induction of Daniel Junge into the Colorado Film Hall of Fame and the presentation of the first annual True Grit Award to Paula DuPré Pesman and Davis Coombe for Keep On Keepin' On."

The 37^th Starz Denver Film Festival featured 252 films from 45 countries comprised of 115 features and 137 shorts, with 16 titles being local Colorado productions. Recognized as the Rocky Mountain Region's premier film event, SDFF attracted over 55,000 filmgoers during the twelve-day celebration.

STARZ PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS   

Narrative Feature

Winner: Viva la libertà

Directed by Roberto Andò

Documentary Feature

Winner: Capturing Grace

Directed by Dave Iverson

Short Film

Winner: The Bravest, The Boldest

Directed by Moon Molson

Music Video

Winner: Irma - Save Me

Directed by Xavier Maingon 

JURIED AWARDS

The Krzysztof Kieślowski Award for Best Foreign Feature Film

Winner: The Tribe (Plemya), directed by Miroslav Slaboshpitsky (Ukraine)

The jury stated: "The film that spoke most eloquently was one where every line of dialogue is told through action and gestures. For its audacious premise, its uncompromising tone, its incessant visual style and its unforgettable mix of brutality and adolescent ennui that would have pleased the auteur that gives our section its name, the jury awards the 2014 Krzysztof Kieślowski Award for Best International Feature Film to Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy's The Tribe."

Special Jury Award: August Winds, directed by Gabriel Mascaro (Brazil)

The jury stated: "An exceptional visual and auditory journey."

Special Jury Award: Stations of the Cross, directed by Dietrich Brüggemann (Germany)

The jury stated: "Stellar, shattering performances from the ensemble."

The jury was comprised of Leo Fitzpatrick - Actor, Jason Gorber - Film Critic for Twitch / filmfest.ca, Amanda Lebow - Director of Film Strategy at Bond

The Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary Film

Winner: The Look of Silence, directed by Joshua Oppenheimer (USA)

The jury stated: "Powerful, captivating, terrifying...the film not only brings awareness to important subject matter, but Oppenheimer's distinct style and palpable, innovative storytelling allows us to look into the eyes of both the victims as well as the killers...two vivid perspectives that are all at once heartbreaking, chilling and unforgettable."

Honorable Mention:Watchers of the Sky, directed by Edet Belzberg (USA)

The jury stated: "Rather than have the general public look away from a subject so uncomfortable and horrific as genocide, this brilliant documentary encourages people throughout the world to stare genocide straight on...and, more importantly, affect change. For this, we award the film with an Honorable Mention."

The jury was comprised of Mary Dossinger - Program Manager at River Run Film Festival, Steve Lukanic - Producer, Melanie Miller - Producer at Fishbowl Films

The American Independent Award for Best Feature Film

Winner: The Midnight Swim, directed by Sarah Adina Smith (USA)

The jury stated: "Eerie and mystical in tone yet grounded by naturalistic performances, this carefully crafted genre bender about family, loss, and perception marks a promising debut from a fresh cinematic voice. We're proud to present the award for best American Independent film to Sarah Adina Smith for The Midnight Swim.

The jury was comprised of Milan Chakraborty - Producer, Mynette Louie - President of Gamchanger Films, Luzer Twersky - Actor 

ASIFA-Colorado Best Animated Short Award

Winner: Salmon Deadly Sins, directed by Steven Vander Meer (USA)

The jury stated: "It was very surreal and quite clever.  The fast pacing and mesmerizing morphing kept us entertained and interested. From the use of the word, the tint of the images, to the name of the band keeping us on edge it was all salmon, salmon, salmon. Imaginative and creative, this year's ASIFA-Colorado Best Animated Short Award goes to Salmon Deadly Sins by Steven Vander Meer with music by Leftover Salmon."

The jury was comprised of ASIFA-Colorado members

The Liberty Global International Student Short Award

Winner: The Bigger Picture, directed by Daisy Jacobs (United Kingdom)

The jury stated: "For the playful, mixed-media animation techniques the likes of which this jury has never encountered, and warm, wise yet unexpectedly witty take on the passing of a parent, we give the First Look Foreign Short Award to The Bigger Picture."

The jury was comprised of Jeff Reichert - Filmmaker, Farihah Zaman - Filmmaker, Paul Zimmerman - Entertainment Writer

The Spike Lee Student Filmmaker Award

Winner: A Grand Canal, directed by Johnny Ma (USA)

The jury stated: "For its surprising and unexpected introduction of behind-the-scenes, nonfiction elements mid-film, impeccable cinematography that provides a spot-on evocation of Chinese films from the 1980s, and the poignant core that underlines it all, we give the First Look Domestic Short Award to A Grand Canal."

The jury was comprised of Jeff Reichert - Filmmaker, Farihah Zaman - Filmmaker, Paul Zimmerman - Entertainment Writer

Feature Screenplay Award

Winner: Little House, written by Claire Fowler

The jury was comprised of Lisa Kennedy - Film Critic for The Denver Post, William Leiren - Film & Television Program, College of Arts and Media, UC-Denver Alumni, Stephanie Two Eagles - Former Colorado Film Commissioner, Craig Volk - Film & Television Program, College of Arts and Media, UC-Denver Professor

Short Screenplay Award

Winner: Pelham Bay Park, written by John Burdeaux

The jury was comprised of Lisa Kennedy - Film Critic for The Denver Post, William Leiren - Film & Television Program, College of Arts and Media, UC-Denver Alumni, Stephanie Two Eagles - Former Colorado Film Commissioner, Craig Volk - Film & Television Program, College of Arts and Media, UC-Denver Professor

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For a look back at the 37^th Starz Denver Film Festival engage with us on social media: like the SDFF Facebook page, follow @DenverFilm on Twitter and join the conversation by using the hashtags: #SDFF37 and #stepintothestory.

2014 Starz Denver Film Festival Sponsors:

PREMIER: Starz ASSOCIATE: Anna & John J. Sie Foundation, AOR Marketing & Advertising, Barbara Bridges, CEAVCO Audio Visual, Liberty Global, Mike's Camera, Regal Entertainment Group, Stanley Film Festival, Three Tomatoes Catering SUPPORTING: Argonaut Wine & Liquor, Ciroc, Denver Pavilions, Infiniti of Denver, Integrity Print Group, Kline Alvarado Veio, Kronenbourg 1664, Oster Jewelers, Rocky Mountain College of Art+Design, Sage Hospitality, William Hill Estate Winery, Wright Group Event Services PATRON: AARP, Biennial of the Americas, Clyfford Still Museum l film/still, EXDO Event Center, Helikon Gallery, Kentwood City Properties, milkhaus, Rare Finds Warehouse MEDIA: Badass Digest,

DandizetteMagazine.com, Denver Life Magazine, IMDB, In Focus CPT12, KBNO, KUVO, Movie Maker Magazine, Out Front, Reverb, Westword GOVERNMENT: Arts & Venues Denver, Colorado Office of Film Television & Media, Scientific & Cultural Facilities District CONTRIBUTING: Basil Doc's Pizza, Brookfield Parking, Colorado Film & Video Association, Contagious Media, DADA Art Bar, Denver Screen Print & Embroidery, Eldorado Natural Spring Water, Fine Arts Foundation, Freshies, L.E.G. Valet, Lighting and Design By Scott, Lynda Goldstein, Mike Wright Gallery, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Novo Coffee, OhHeckYeah, Postmodern, RedLine, RedShift Framing, SAG-AFTRA, SAGIndie, Silver Spur Marketing, Sunset Limo, Survey Gizmo, Visit Denver FESTIVAL FRIENDS: ArtDenver, ASIFA-Colorado, Asian Art Coordinating Council, Bulleit, Captain Morgan, Chiller, Courtyard Denver Downtown, The Crawford, Creative Cosmos, Crown Royal, The Curtis, Danny Graul - Black & Read, Dave Ratner - Creative Law Network, Denver International Airport, Embassy Suites Denver Downtown, Film & Television Program-Department of Theatre, Film & Video Production-College of Arts and Media-University of Colorado Denver, Grazi Communications, Guru Graphics, Iliff School of Theology, Johnnie Walker, Mighty Fudge Studios, Mile High Spirits, MountainDogBooks.com, Open Media Foundation, The Oxford, Paramount Café, Peligroso Tequila, Play Mile High, Residence Inn Denver City Center, SpringHill Suites Denver Downtown, Tanqueray, Tech for All, TownePlace Suites Denver Downtown,Two Moms in the Raw. Withoutabox. Zetta Marie's Patisserie SPECIAL THANKS: Allied-THA, Denver Film Society's Advisory Council, Denver Film Society's Alumni Board, Denver Film Society's Board Members, Graland Country Day School, Volunteers of the Denver Film Society

About the Denver Film Society:

Founded in 1978, the Denver Film Society (DFS) is a membership-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution that produces film events throughout the year, including the award-winning Starz Denver Film Festival and the popular, summertime series Film on the Rocks. With a vision to cultivate community and transform lives through film, the Film Society provides opportunities for diverse audiences to discover film through creative, thought-provoking experiences.

The permanent home of the Denver Film Society, the Sie FilmCenter, is Denver's only year-round cinematheque, presenting a weekly-changing calendar of first-run exclusives and arthouse revivals both domestic and foreign, narrative and documentary - over 600 per year, all shown in their original language and format. DFS's one-of-a-kind programs annually reach more than 200,000 film lovers and film lovers-in-training.