Austin, Texas – The winners of the major awards at SXSW 2024 have been announced by the film festival’s jury. The competition included categories such as narrative feature, documentary feature, and various short films, episodic works, and XR experiences.
In the narrative feature competition, Tracie Laymon’s dramedy “Bob Trevino Likes It” took home the top prize. The film follows a young woman, played by Barbie Ferreira, who forms an unconventional bond with a man who shares the same name as her abusive father, portrayed by John Leguizamo.
The top documentary award was presented to Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane for their groundbreaking film “Grand Theft Hamlet.” The documentary explores a group of actors staging a production of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” inside the popular video game “Grand Theft Auto Online” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The festival also recognized outstanding performances and filmmaking in various categories. Maria Rodriguez Soto received a special jury award for her performance in “Mamifera,” while Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu was honored for filmmaking excellence in “We Were Dangerous.”
In the narrative shorts competition, Anthony Saxe’s “Dissolution” was awarded the jury prize, and Sam Cutler-Kreutz and David Cutler-Kreutz received a special jury award for their work on “Trapped.” The documentary shorts competition winner was “Remember, Broken Crayons Colour Too” by Shannet Clemmings and Urša Kastelic, with a special jury award going to David Gauvey Herbert for “Frank.”
Other categories celebrated the artistry and craftsmanship in animated shorts, music videos, Texas shorts, independent pilots, poster design, and XR experiences. Noteworthy winners include Nina Gantz for “Wander to Wonder” in the animated shorts competition, Joe Nicolosi for technical wizardry in the music video “All I Need,” and Sara Nimeh for “Jedo’s Dead” in the Texas shorts category.
Furthermore, the SXSW Special Awards recognized outstanding works and individuals. The Best of Texas Award went to “Preconceived” directed by Sabrine Keane and Kate Dumke, while the Janet Pierson Champion Award was presented to Kara Durrett, President of Pinky Promise Films. The Kickstarter NextGen Award acknowledged Benjamin Finkel’s work in the film “Family.”
These diverse and innovative films showcased at SXSW 2024 highlight the talent and creativity of filmmakers pushing boundaries in storytelling and filmmaking. With compelling narratives and exceptional craftsmanship, these award-winning films captivated audiences and left a lasting impact on the festival.