The Santa Fe Film Festival is a Non-Profit Organization which presents important world cinema in a non-commercial context that represents aesthetic, critical and entertainment standards highlighting New Mexican film, new American and foreign film including revivals, retrospectives, independent productions and mini-festivals. They partner with educational groups, schools and non profits and also provide a forum for filmmakers, critics, educators and historians. The award is in the form of a mounted original sculpture.
Festival and Awards
The festival is generally run between Thanksgiving and Christmas time (late November to early December) in the Santa Fe, New Mexico area and was inaugurated in 1999 but began an institutionalized schedule starting in the year 2000 which sold over 9,000 tickets and passes. The festival was founded by Kurt Young and Joanna England The awards varied over the years. Initial categories included: Best Short, Best Documentary, Best Feature, Best Native American Film, and Best Latino Film. By 2006 the awards became the Milagro Award (best American independent film), the Independent Spirit Award (Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Independent Spirit Award), and the Audience Award, Honorable Mention (if needed), Creative Spirit Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award (if warranted). Major contributors to the event Robert O'connor , Ben Mason, Jon Bowman and John Armijo serving as the board of directors, Linda Horn. Kurt Young was the first Director of the festival and appointed Jon Bowman. Jon Bowman was the director of the festival for ten years.
Individuals awarded include:
Best Feature- Cider House RulesBest Short - This Guy Is Falling (2000) - Michael Horowitz (I); Gareth Smith (I)Best Documentary - One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich - Chris MarkerBest Feature - Zamani barayé masti asbha (2000) - Bahman GhobadiBest Native American Film - Backroads (2000) - Shirley CheechooBest Latino Film - Estorvo (2000) - Ruy GuerraBest Short - Dragonflies, the Baby Cries (2000) - Jane Gillooly and Gina, an Actress, Age 29 (2001) - Paul HarrillBest Documentary - Paperboys (2001) - Mike Mills (II)Best Native American-Themed Film - Christmas in the Clouds (2001) - Kate Montgomery (I)Best Feature - Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001) - Zacharias KunukBest Latino Film - Y tu mamá también (2001) - Alfonso CuarónBest Short - Book of Kings (2002) - Chris TerrioBest Documentary - Vakvagany (2002) - Benjamin MeadeBest Native American-Themed Film - Lady Warriors (2002) - John C.P. GoheenBest Feature - Hukkle (2002) - György Pálfi (I)Best Latino Film - Todas las azafatas van al cielo (2002) - Daniel BurmanBest New Mexico Film - Little Lourdes (2002) - Elisabeth UnnaMilagro Award - Slaughter Rule, The (2002) - Alex Smith (II); Andrew J. SmithAudience Award - Ruthie and Connie: Every Room in the House (2002) - Deborah DicksonCreative Spirit Award - Jon E. Edwards Is In Love (2003) - Chris Bradley, Kyle LaBracheHonorable Mention - Blackwater Elegy (2003) - Joe O'Brien (III); Matthew Porter (I)Audience Award - Indigo (2003) - Stephen SimonBest of the Southwest - Jesus Freak (2003) - Morgan Nichols and Movie FarmBest Short - Simones Labyrinth (2003) - Iván Sáinz-PardoBest Short Film - Raven Tales: Raven Steals the Sun (2004) (TV) - Chris KientzBest Documentary - Mojados: Through the Night (2004) - Tommy Davis (V)Best of Festival - Dare mo shiranai (2004) - Hirokazu KoreedaCreative Spirit Award - Loss of Nameless Things, The (2004) - Bill Rose (I)Best of the Fest - Depuis qu'Otar est parti... (2003) - Julie BertucelliIndependent Spirit Award - Sonata (2004) (V) - Boris UndorfBest Latino Film- Paloma de papel (2003) - Fabrizio Aguilar Screenwriting - Fall to Grace (2005) - Mari MarchbanksBest of the Southwest - Self Medicated (2005) - Monty Lapica (director); Tommy Bell (II) (producer)Best Animation - Souvenir (2004) - Stephen Rose (III)Creative Spirit Award in Documentary - Balloonhat (2005) - A.G. VermouthMilagro Award - Cowboy del Amor (2005) - Michèle Ohayon and English as a Second Language (2005)Independent Spirit Award - Jam (2006/I) - Craig Serling; Nicole LonnerAudience Award - Gymnast, The (2006) - Ned FarrLifetime Achievement award for Hungarian cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs Kovacs has more than 60 feature films to his credit, including the 1969 biker film Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, Paper Moon and Ghostbusters. Actress Ali MacGraw hosted the ceremony.Luminaria Lifetime Achievement award for National Film Board of Canada First Nations filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin.Best documentary - The Ballad of Esequiel Hernandez
