South by Southwest Film Fest unveils 2017 audience award winners

PanARMENIAN.Net - The South by Southwest Film Festival announced the 2017 audience award winners on Saturday, March 18. The formal SXSW film festival prizes were announced earlier this week, Variety said.

Writer-director Jessica M. Thompson’s “The Light of the Moon” took the narrative feature competition prize. In his review for Variety, critic Andrew Barker called the film, starring Stephanie Beatriz, “sensitive without ever being sanctimonious, brutally frank without ever lapsing into exploitation.”

“Dealt” won the documentary feature competition prize. Joe Leydon called the film, directed by Luke Korem, “a fascinating portrait of a blind card mechanic” in his review for Variety.

Other standouts include Edgar Wright’s buzzy “Baby Driver” which won the headliner award and ex-“SNL” star Noel Wells’ “Mr. Roosevelt,” which was the narrative spotlight prize recipient. Netflix’s television series “Dear White People” was also recognized.

2017 SXSW Film Festival Audience Award Winners:

Narrative Feature Competition: “The Light of the Moon
,” directed by Jessica M. Thompson

Documentary Feature Competition: “Dealt
,” directed by Luke Korem

Headliner: “Baby Driver,” directed by Edgar Wright

Narrative Spotlight: “Mr. Roosevelt.” directed by Noel Wells

Documentary Spotlight: “The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin,” directed by Jennifer M. Kroot

Visions: “Becoming Bond,” directed by Josh Greenbaum

Midnighters: “68 Kill,” directed by Trent Haaga

Episodic: 
”Dear White People,” directed by Justin Simien

24 Beats Per Second: “May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers,” directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio

Global: “Divine Divas,” directed by Leandra Leal

Festival Favorites: “The Big Sick
,” directed by Michael Showalter