Miami International Film Festival Announces 2011 Winners

On Saturday night, the Miami International Film Festival closed their 10-day flick fest with a screening of Oscar-nominated Incendies and by honoring the winners in their cinema competitions. Among the international films, The Piano in a Factory, in which a laid-off steel worker does whatever he can to get his hands on a piano, won the World Competition. Getting sacked is also the impetus in the film that won the Ibero-American Competition. In Marimbas From Hell, a xylophone player gets fired and decides to start a new band that blends heavy metal and marimba. And finally, the audience award went to deaf boxer biopic, Hamil. Read on for a full list of winners.

Knight Foundation Ibero-American Competition:

• Knight Foundation Grand Jury Prize: Marimbas From Hell (Las marimbas del infierno) by Julio

Hernández Cordón (Guatemala/France/Mexico)–a $20,000 USD cash prize

awarded by the Miami-based John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

• Honorable Mention: Half of Oscar (La mitad de Óscar) by Manuel Martín Cuenca (Spain/Cuba)

Knight Foundation World Competition:

• Knight Foundation Grand Jury Prize: The Piano in a Factory (Gang de qin) by Zhang Meng

(China)–a $20,000 USD cash prize awarded by the Miami-based John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

• Honorable Mention: Intimate Grammar (Hadikduk Hapnimi) by Nir Bergman (Israel)

Knight Foundation Dox Competition:

• Knight Foundation Grand Jury Prize: The Interrupters by Steve James

(USA)–a $10,000 USD cash prize awarded by the Miami-based John S. and

James L. Knight Foundation

• Honorable Mention: If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front by Marshall Curry

University of Miami Shorts Competition:

• University of Miami Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film: Blokes

(Blockes) by Marialy Rivas (Chile)–a $2,500 USD cash prize awarded by

the University of Miami

• Honorable Mention: Yuri Lennon’s Landing on Alpha46 by Anthony Vouardoux (Switzerland/Germany)

The Jordan Alexander Ressler Screenwriting Award:

• The husband-and-wife directing and screenwriting team of Israel

Cárdenas and Laura Amelia Guzmán of Jean Gentil–a $5,000 USD cash prize

awarded by the Jordan Alexander Ressler Charitable Fund; open to films

in the Ibero-American Competition

Miami Beach Visitor & Convention Authority Innovation in Industry Award:

• The Greatest Movie Ever Sold by Morgan Spurlock (USA)–sponsored by the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority

Venemovies Audience Award, Best Feature Film:

• Hamill by Oren Kaplan (USA)

Venemovies Audience Award, Best Short Film:

• Yuri Lennon’s Landing on Alpha46 by Anthony Vouardoux (Switzerland/Germany)

Florida Focus Competition:  CineaSlam for College Filmmakers in Miami

• Winner: Augustus by Bobby Douge of Miami International University of Art & Design

• Honorable Mention: Nurse Interrupted by Lara Fuchsbrauner of Miami International University of Art & Design

Florida Focus Competition: Miami Coalition for the Homeless for High School Filmmakers in Miami

• Winner (Overall): Homelessness: Just Look Around by Kasey Gonzalez, Emily Galvez and Lauren Thermes, South Dade Senior High

• Winner (Public Service Announcement): The Road to Ruin, by Eric Flemons, University School of Nova Southeastern University

Lexus Pursuit of Perfection Award:

• Given to Andy Garcia (executive producer), Aaron J. Salgado (director) and Jaydee Freixas (producer), Magic City Memoirs