DOC NYC U JURY PRIZES ANNOUNCED

This year, DOC NYC launched a new initiative, DOC NYC U Showcase which features the best short form student work coming out of the city’s top documentary programs, as determined by their faculty. A selection of the participating films are awarded jury awards and receive an encore screening on Thursday, November 18th at 7:30pm. Tickets are available here.

The jury made of Iyabo Boyd (filmmaker and Manager of Programs at Chicken & Egg Pictures), Bryce Renninger (Producer and Editorial Coordinator for Field and Vision) and Greg Rhem (Director of Documentary Programming at HBO) has reached their decision – below are the winners.

Best Film awarded to Fairy Tales (New York University)(pictured) directed by Rongfei Guo.  The jurors felt the director demonstrated skill and confidence in her choices.  Among the directing strengths they highlighted were the unique story which was creatively and well told, that she wasn’t afraid to use techniques, and that she demonstrated a clear sense of herself as a filmmaker.
Fairy Tales (USA, 30 min., Rongfei Guo, NYU) profiles Fairy Wang, a working-class girl from rural China, who thinks she’s the next Coco Chanel, and becomes an overnight sensation with Weibo, China’s largest social media site.

Special Mentions:

Spirited Storytelling awarded to Alive and Kicking (New York Film Academy) directed by Lara-Ann de Wet.
In Limpopo, South Africa, the village grannies are Alive and Kicking (USA, 20 min.) as they lace up their soccer boots and confront centuries of subjugating taboos.

The jurors agreed this film has a great sense of heart. They felt it took a light-hearted look at what could have been a dark and serious subject. They were excited by how the characters found life in soccer and how the filmmakers found life in the characters.

Experimental Vision awarded to Last Days of Domino (School of Visual Arts) directed by Yuqi Kang.
Last Days of Domino (USA, 5 min.) offers a peek inside Williamsburg’s landmark Domino Sugar Refinery, recently turned into luxury apartments.

This film was celebrated for its visually compelling elements and an experimental approach. The jurors liked how they made the “place” a character. They felt it used experimental techniques well.

Encore screenings of the winning films will take place on Thursday, November 19th at 7:30pm at the IFC Center. For tickets, go here.

Says Opal H. Bennett, who oversees the DOC NYC U showcase: “It was an absolute pleasure to work with all of the participating schools.  They presented a stellar group of artists, and are cultivating some outstanding talent.  We look forward to seeing more strong student work in the future!”