Leo Khasin, director of Kaddish for a Friend

Kaddish for a Friend,the debut film of director Leo Khasin, and Beating Time, a documentary about the struggle to overcome ALS, won The 23rd Boston Jewish Film Festival's Audience Awards for Best Feature and Best Documentary films respectively.

"I had the chance to be here in Boston and be part of a wonderful vivid, receptive and, at the same time, profound audience," said Khasin. "That is why this award is so special and important to me - a spontaneous impartial and truthful approval of my work."

Beating Time Director Odett Orr won in her first effort as a feature documentary director. The film tells the story of Israeli Harvard Business School graduate Avi Kremer, who learns he has ALS, and his personal fight against ALS and efforts supporting research. "What a wonderful surprise," Orr said. "This kind of response is what a filmmaker waits for at the end of the day. You know making this film was not easy. I was following Avi Kremer's battle against ALS for five years, a battle which has had enormous impact on science and the research of ALS."

Those attending the film screenings voted for the awards.

Khasin will receive Media Composer 5 film editing software from Avid, while Orr will receive Sony Vegas Pro 11 film editing software.