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Dollhouse: The Eradication of Female Subjectivity in American Popular Culture and Kifaru Win Top Prizes at Slamdance 2019
Dollhouse Dollhouse: The Eradication of Female Subjectivity in American Popular Culture, Nicole Brending’s puppet animation about the rise and fall of a female pop star, took home the Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize and the George Sparks Spirit of Slamdance Award at the Slamdance Film Festival’s award ceremony at Treasure Mountain Inn in Park City Utah tonight. Kifaru, David Hambridge’s documentary about two young Kenyan men who join a rhino caretaking conservatory, won the Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize as well as a documentary Audience Award. “Dollhouse wasn’t like any other film at the festival or any festival,” said the jury in a statement. “It was outrageous, bold, hilarious. We’re also giving it the grand prize because we think it really embodies the spirit of the Slamdance.” About Kifaru, the doc jury said, “The winning film, Kifaru, doesn’t just have technical, creative, and imaginative chops — which it does in spades — it has purpose. Both epic and intimate, the subject and subject matter is enormous, the characters strong, committed, and complicated individuals. It is a film packed with scenes you won’t forget, delivered as if you were there.”
Among the other awards was an honorable mention given to East of the River, a short by Hannah Peterson, who appeared on Filmmaker‘s 25 New Faces list in 2018. Peterson also was awarded the festival’s Russo Brothers Fellowship, which comes with $25,000 as well as mentorship by the filmmaking team.
“Slamdance has helped launch many filmmakers that have gone on to change the face of entertainment,” said Slamdance co-founder Peter Baxter in the press release. “Our artist led community, including the support and mentorship of this year’s Founder’s Award recipient Steven Soderbergh and alumni Anthony and Joe Russo, continues to focus on the discovery and support of great new artists. We congratulate the winners and everyone at Slamdance who represent the authentic voice of independent artists and our cultural future.”
The complete list of awards follows.
Jury Awards | Narrative Features
Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize – Dollhouse: The Eradication of Female Subjectivity in American Popular Culture (Dir.: Nicole Brending)
Honorable Mentions: Cat Sticks (Dir.: Ronny Sen)
Jury Awards | Documentary Features, Documentary Shorts
Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize – Kifaru (Dir.: David Hambridge)
Honorable Mention – Markie in Milwaukee (Dir.: Matt Kliegman)
Documentary Short Grand Jury Prize – Tungrus (Dir.: Rishi Chandna)
Honorable Mention: Las Del Diente (Dir.: Ana Perez Lopez)
Jury Awards – Narrative Shorts
Narrative Shorts Grand Jury Prize: Woman In Stall (Dir.: Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli)
Honorable Mention: East of the River (Dir.: Hannah Peterson)
Jury Awards – Experimental Shorts/ Animated Shorts
Experimental Shorts Grand Jury Prize: Wayward Emulsions (Dir.: Tina Takemoto)
Honorable Mention: Applied Pressure (Dir.: Kelly Sears)
Animated Shorts Grand Jury Prize: Shalva (Tranquility) (Dir.: Danna Windsor)
Honorable Mention: Bloeistraat 11 directed (Dir.: Nienke Deutz)
Slamdance Acting Award:
Siyabonga Majola (We Are Thankful)
Slamdance Acting Award Honorable Mention:
Aya Kitai (Demolition Girl)
Lauren McCune (Ready for Love)
George Starks Spirit of Slamdance Award Winner:
Nicole Brending (dir. of Dollhouse: The Eradication of Female Subjectivity in American Popular Culture)
CreativeFuture Innovation Award:
Bloeistraat 11 (Dir.: Nienke Deutz)
The Russo Brothers Fellowship Award Winner:
Hannah Peterson, dir. of East of the River
Audience Awards:
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: The Vast of Night (Dir.: Andrew Patterson)
Audience Award for Documentary Feature: Kifaru (Dir.: David Hambridge)
Audience Award for Beyond Feature: Ski Bum: The Warren Miller Story (Dir.: Patrick Creadon)
