Greg Morgan (center) accepts Best Feature award for “The Boatman.” Morgan wrote and directed the film. He is flanked on the right by Oscar Torre who won Best Actor in a feature for his role in “The Boatman.” Photo by John drake
Greg Morgan (center) accepts Best Feature award for “The Boatman.” Morgan wrote and directed the film. He is flanked on the right by Oscar Torre who won Best Actor in a feature for his role in “The Boatman.”
Photo by John drake

The Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema wrapped year seven with a sold-out Awards Ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 10.

“The Boatman,” a film about a coyote ferrying immigrants from Mexico to the U.S., took top honors: Best Feature; Best Director, Feature, Greg Morgan; Best Actor, Feature, Oscar Torre; and Best Screenplay, Feature, Greg Morgan.

“Art Bastard,” a documentary about New York artist Robert Cenedella, won for Best Documentary and Best Director Documentary, Victor Kanefsky.

Best Actress in a feature went to Maria Papas, “Here Lies”; Best Supporting Actor Feature, Max Wrottesley’ “Love Me Do”; Best Supporting Actress Feature, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, “Amok”; Best Ensemble Cast, Feature, “Where We Begin”; and Best of Festival, the Chuck Washington Award, went to “Brix and the Bitch.”

The Faulkner Award, given to an Idyllwild resident who supports the arts and the community in general, went to Chris Singer.

A complete list of winners will be posted at www.idyllwildcinemafest.com.

Stephen Savage, festival founder and director, said, “This year we solidified ourselves as one of the best independent film festivals in the world. And importantly, we made artists feel like they were respected. We set a high bar for the major trophies we gave out, but we also came up with some amazing awards that do give recognition, acknowledgment and a pat on the back saying, ‘Keep it up. You have a voice that should be heard. And if you keep working, it will be.’”

Jennifer Thorington and Sam Markus, IIFC coordinators for the music video segments, spoke about music videos as a growing part of the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema at the Saturday Awards Ceremony. Photo by Cheryl Basye
Jennifer Thorington and Sam Markus, IIFC coordinators for the music video segments, spoke about music videos as a growing part of the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema at the Saturday Awards Ceremony.
Photo by Cheryl Basye

 

Savage noted, “Financial numbers were way up all around as we took control of our own sales and program catalog. We served a lot of meals that we controlled through our catering crew. Hat and T-shirt sales were also up.”

He said in past year, having a central gathering place for camaraderie had been lacking. “This year, setting up what became know as The Media Center, at the new Middle Ridge Winery [across from the Rustic], fixed that flaw in our event.”

Savage noted that next year the festival will expand to 10 days over two weekends. “Ask anyone who makes movies about [the importance] of Idyllwild. They will tell you that having a film in our festival will soon be as important as being in Sundance. And, we will never lose our dedication to

Steve Savage, director and chair of the Idyllwild International Festival Of Cinema, stands with the crowd waiting for the Sunday Awards Ceremony to start. Photo by John Drake
Steve Savage, director and chair of the Idyllwild International Festival Of Cinema, stands with the crowd waiting for the Sunday Awards Ceremony to start.
Photo by John Drake

our artists who bring us their films.”