Editor

After nearly two years of planning, organizers estimate over 8,000 tickets were sold throughout the four day event.

A sell-out crowd of 400 gathered at Blue Ridge Motion Pictures Saturday night for the Asheville Film Festival’s awards program during the Charles Schwab Spotlight celebration. After screening more than 50 films throughout the weekend, festival attendees anxiously awaited the announcement of winners from the documentary, feature, short and student film categories. Event organizer, Melissa Porter exclaimed, “We are elated, excited and exhausted all at the same time. The event’s success can be directly attributed to the tremendous support of the Asheville community through volunteers, filmmakers and sponsors. We are already looking forward to making an even bigger splash next year.”


The official winners and runner-ups in each category include:

Feature film winner: My Dinner with Jimi
Feature film runner-up: The Angel Doll

Documentary film winner: Live and Let Go – An American Death
Documentary film runner-up: King of Bluegrass: the Life & Times of Jimmy Martin

Short film winner: Armor of God
Short film runner-up: Coming Down the Mountain

Student film winner: Sunday Paper p. 2B
Student film runner-up: 19 at 11

Films were judged by a six-member panel with experience in film review, production, writing, sales and distribution. The winner in each category was honored with $500 and a festival “AFFy” award, designed by internationally renowned local glass artist Sam Stark. The feature film winner also received $1000 in Kodak film. Saint Augustine’s College Theatre and Film Program provided the $500 award for the student film winner.

Film festival attendees also selected audience favorites by voting through a ballot system. Audience favorites include:

Favorite audience feature: The Angel Doll

Favorite audience documentary: Emma’s Gifts

Favorite audience short: Rewind

Favorite audience student film: Sunday Paper p.2B

Asheville Film Commission Chair Leni Sitnick was also honored during the ceremony for her commitment to the film festival and bringing film and television production to Asheville. Asheville resident, John Cram was honored for bringing quality art and film to the Asheville community. Cram is the owner of the Fine Arts Theatre, Blue Spiral among others. Other honorees at the Charles Schwab Spotlight Celebration included actor, Pat Hingle and producer, Sam Kitt.

The Asheville Film Festival concluded with screenings of the winning films as well as feature film “Love and Basketball” produced by Spike Lee and Sam Kitt. 500 attendees officially ended the festival at the sold-out closing night reception featuring a screening of “The Cooler,” starring William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin and Maria Bello. “The Cooler” opens in LA and New York this weekend.