
The big surprise of last night's awards ceremony — aside from the crazy range of resort-town high-occasion garb — was that in both the documentary and dramatic categories, the grand jury awarded their prizes to the same films that won the audience awards: God Grew Tired of Us, the documentary about Sudanese children; and Quinceañera, the story of a 15-year-old Mexican girl, shot by two honky gay male directors.
Frankly, we were a little surprised: Although both films were quite good — and the Quinceañera team were so goofily grateful that you couldn't begrudge them a thing — we'd hoped that either Thin or The Trials of Darryl Hunt would've taken home one of the unwieldy glass squares they call an award around these here parts. Other big winners of the night: the documentary Iraq in Fragments' James Longley took home awards for editing, cinematography, and directing. Not so shabby, James!
We were most gratified that American Blackout was awarded a special jury prize for documentary; that the very endearing So Yong Kim received the Independent Vision award; and that In the Pit, about Mexico City construction workers, took home best world documentary. As the directing/production team took the stage, the audience whistled Mexi style, and Juan Carlos Rulfo screamed, "This is for the workers!"
Overly commercialized or no, moments like that are what Sundance will always be about. A complete list of the winners is posted after the jump.
Grand Jury Prize, Documentary: God Grew Tired of Us (Christopher Quinn)
Audience Award, Documentary: God Grew Tired of Us (Christopher Quinn)
Special Jury Prize, Documentary: American Blackout (Ian Inaba)
Special Jury Prize, Documentary: TV Junkie (Michael Cain and Matt Radecki)
Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic: Quinceañera (Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer)
Audience Award, Dramatic: Quinceañera (Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer)
Special Jury Prize, Dramatic, Best Ensemble Performance: Cast of A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (Dito Montiel)
Special Jury Prize, Dramatic, Independent Vision: In Between Days (So Yong Kim)
Jury Prize, World Cinema Documentary: In the Pit (Juan Carlos Rulfo)
Audience Award, World Cinema Documentary: De Nadie (Tin Dirdamal)
Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Documentary: Into a Great Silence (Philip Groening)
Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Documentary: Dear Pyongyang (Yonghi Yang)
Jury Prize, World Cinema Dramatic: 13 Tzameti (Géla Babluani)
Audience Award, World Cinema Dramatic: No. 2 (Toa Fraser)
Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Dramatic: Eve & the Fire Horse (Julia Kwan)
Directing Award, Documentary: James Longley (Iraq in Fragments)
Directing Award, Dramatic: Dito Montiel (A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints)
Cinematography Award, Documentary: James Longley (Iraq in Fragments)
Cinematography Award, Dramatic: Tom Richmond (Right at Your Door)
Documentary Film Editing: Billy McMillin, Fiona Otway, and James Longley (Iraq in Fragments)
Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: Hilary Brougher (Stephanie Daley)
Jury Prize, Short Filmmaking: Bugcrush (Carter Smith) and The Wraith of Cobble Hill (Adam Parrish King)
Jury Prize, International Short Filmmaking: The Natural Route (Alex Pastor)
Honorable Mention, Short Filmmaking: Before Dawn (Bálint Kenyeres)
Honorable Mention, Short Filmmaking: Preacher With an Unknown God (Rob VanAlkemade)
Honorable Mention, Short Filmmaking: Undressing My Mother (Ken Wardrop)
Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award: Patrice Toy (The Spring Ritual), Fernando Eimbcke (Lake Tahoe), Cruz Angeles (Don't Let Me Drown), and Kanji Nakajima (The Clone Returns to the Homeland).