The 22nd Annual Tribeca Festival took over New York City in June showcasing top contending films, talk back’s with filmmakers & talent, and some of the best parties New York has seen in a while. The Festival wrapped up on Sunday June 18th with the announcement of the competition winners. The winners list includes many filmmakers of color and films starring actors of color. The top honors include went to: Cypher, a music-driven mystery from Chris Moukarbel (Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature); the Brazilian film, A Strange Path (Best International Narrative Feature), and Between the Rains (Best Documentary Feature) about the reality of climate change in Northern Kenya. The Nora Ephron Award went to Gabriella Moses for Boca Chica, a touching portrait of a 12 year old aspiring singer in Boca Chica. The Human/Nature Prize was awarded to Common Ground, a film highlighting the connection between racism and farming policy.
A selection of awarded films are available to watch via the Tribeca at Home platform now through July 2, 2023.
There were many films this year from filmmakers of color or starring leading actors of color that earned top honors. Here are some highlights from the full list of winners.
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U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature – Cypher, (United States) – World Premiere
Best Performance in a U.S. Narrative Feature – Ji-Young Yoo for Smoking Tigers, (United States)
Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature – So Young Shelly Yo for Smoking Tigers, (United States)
U.S. Narrative Feature Special Jury Mention – Monica Sorelle for Mountains, (United States)
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Best International Narrative Feature – Guto Parente for A Strange Path, (Brazil)
Best Performance in an International Narrative Feature – Carlos Francisco for A Strange Path, (Brazil)
Best Screenplay in an International Narrative Feature – Guto Parente for A Strange Path, (Brazil)
Best Cinematography in an International Narrative Feature, Linga Acácio for A Strange Path, (Brazil)
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Best Documentary Feature – Andrew H. Brown & Moses Thuranira for Between the Rains, (Kenya)
Best Cinematography in a Documentary Feature – Andrew H. Brown for Between the Rains, (Kenya)
BEST NEW NARRATIVE DIRECTOR AWARD (Sponsored by Canva)
Hugo Ruiz for One Night With Adela, (Spain)
ALBERT MAYSLES AWARD FOR BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR (Sponsored by Bulleit)
Jude Chehab for Q, (Lebanon, United States)
NORA EPHRON AWARD
Nora Ephron Award Special Jury Mention – Smoking Tigers , (United States)
HUMAN / NATURE AWARD (Sponsored by Bulleit)
Common Ground, (United States)
SHORTS COMPETITION
Narrative Short Special Jury Mention – Gabrielle Demers for Blond Night
Narrative Short Special Jury Mention – Annelise Hickey for Hafekasi
Best Animated Short – Mitra Shahidi for Starling, (United States)
Student Visionary Award – Daniela Soria Gutiérrez for Fairytales, (Mexico)
Best Documentary Short – Joe Brewster and Michele Stephenson for Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games, (United States) – World Premiere
Documentary Short Special Jury Mention – Devon Blackwell for Goodbye, Morganza
TRIBECA IMMERSIVE COMPETITION
Main Competition – Storyscapes Award – Eloise Singer for The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend, (United Kingdom)
Special Jury Mention –Kinfolk for Kinfolk: Black Lands
New Voices Award – Terril Calder for Meneath: The Mirrors of Ethics, (Canada)
New Voices Special Mention – Poulomi Basu and CJ Clarke for Maya: The Birth (Chapter 1), (United Kingdom, France, United States, India)
TRIBECA GAMES AWARD
Special Jury Mention for Tribeca Games – Julián Cordero and Sebastian Valbuena for Despelote, (New York, Ecuador)
TRIBECA AUDIO STORYTELLING COMPETITION (Sponsored by Audible)
Independent Fiction Audio Storytelling Award – Cory Choy and Feyiṣayo Aluko for Aisha
TRIBECA X AWARD COMPETITION (Sponsored by Tubi)
Best Feature: Farhoud Meybodi for Earthbound (Gjenge Makers) – Earthbound
Best Short: Rudy Valdez for Translators (U.S. Bank) – Translators
Best Series: Patrick Daughters for Full Bleed
Best Immersive: Jamie Hewlett and Fx Goby for Gorillaz Presents… Skinny Ape
Best Audio: Pedro Mendes for Making an Impossible Airplane (Atlassian)
