FEATURE-LENGTH FILM AWARDS

The Regal Cinemas/ Nashville Film Festival Dreammaker Award entitles the winning narrative feature film to a press/industry screening in a Los Angeles County Regal Cinema theater. (Films must not have acquired U.S. distribution prior to Festival to qualify. A 35mm print must be available by the fall of 2009.)

2009 Winner:  Make-out with Violence, Dir. The Deagol Brothers
2009 Honorable Mention:  Poundcake, Dir. Rafael Monserrate

Nashville Public Television (NPT) Human Spirit Award acknowledges the feature film (narrative or documentary) that best captures the human spirit and illuminates, in a high artistic manner, the most important characteristics of humanity. Winner receives cash award and will be broadcast on NPT. (All rights must be cleared for broadcast on local public TV.)
2009 Winner:  Crude, Dir. Joe Berlinger

Reel Current Award presented by Al Gore for the documentary that provides extraordinary insight into a contemporary global issue.

2009 Winner:  Garbage Dreams, Dir. Mai Iskander 

Lonely Seal Releasing Award for best narrative feature, selected by Lonely Seal Releasing.  Cash prize plus option of international representation for one year.

Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature
2009 Winner:  That Evening Sun, Dir. Scott Teams

Best Documentary Feature* (for documentaries without US distribution)
2009 Winner:  Shakespeare and Victor Hugo's Intimacies, Dir. Yulene Olaizola

2009 Honorable Mention:  Pressure Cooker, Dir. Mark Becker, Jennifer Grausman

Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary Feature Sponsored by The Documentary Channel
2009 Winner:  Rock Prophecies, Dir. John Chester

Best Female Filmmaker Award for the best feature film (narrative or documentary) directed by a female.  Cash Award.  Sponsored by Women In Film & Television
2009 Winner:  Shakespeare and Victor Hugo's Intimacies, Dir. Yulene Olaizola

SPECIAL MUSIC FILMS IN MUSIC CITY AWARDS

NaFF celebrates Music City’s heritage with unique music and film awards.

Best Music In a Narrative Feature Film, awarded to the feature film with the best soundtrack, music supervision or combination thereof.

2009 Winner: The Non-Commisioned Officers, Make-out with Violence

Impact of Music Award sponsord by Gibson for the feature film (narrative or documentary) that most effectively explores or celebrates the impact of music on the human experience.

2009 Winner: Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love, Dir. Elizabeth Cjai Vasarhelyi

SHORT-FORM FILM AWARDS

Best Narrative Short*

Best Animation*

Best Documentary Short*

Best Experimental Film*

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY AWARD for  BEST COLLEGE STUDENT SHORT sponsored by VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY (any short-form category.) Cash award.

First prizes in the Narrative Short and Animation categories qualify the winning films for Academy Award® consideration.

 
YOUNG FILMMAKER SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

First prize in the Young Filmmaker category (filmmakers 18 and under) receives a $10,000 scholarship** to Watkins Film School (Nashville, TN).  Sponsored by Watkins Film School.

TENNESSEE INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS

Awards are presented to the best feature-length film and the best short-form film directed by a Tennessee resident.  Each winner receives a cash award. 

AWARDS OPEN TO ALL FILMS

Rosetta Miller-Perry Award for the best film, in any feature or short category, by a black Filmmaker.  Cash award.

Best Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgendered (LGBT) Film Award for the best film, in any feature or short category, with LGBT content. Cash award.

NAHCC Cine Latino Award for the Best Film by a Hispanic Filmmaker (any category), sponsored by Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. http://www.nashvillehispanicchamber.com/



*Top Prize in each category receives a cash award.

**$10,000 Watkins Scholarship is divided over 8 semesters, based on full-time registration of 12 or more credit hours per semester and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.