This in from Lizerne Guiting: The sun has set on 2008’s Sundance Film Festival, but not before bringing to light a crop of esteemed new indie dramas and docs. One of the fest’s most buzzed-about films was Frozen River, a drama about a desperate trailer-park mom and a Mohawk Indian girl who team up to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States from Canada. Frozen River was a short-turned-feature length film, not unlike Half Nelson, which got nominated for Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize in 2006.
Here are 10 of the big winners: (Click here for the full list.)
TROUBLE THE WATER
Grand Jury Prize: Documentary
FROZEN RIVER
Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic
MAN ON WIRE
The World Cinema Jury Prize: Documentary
KING OF PING PONG
The World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic
FIELDS OF FUEL
Audience Award: Documentary
THE WACKNESS
Audience Award: Dramatic
MAN ON WIRE
World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary
CAPTAIN ABU RAED
World Cinema Audience Award: Dramatic
Alex Rivera and David Riker for SLEEP DEALER
Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award
The cast of CHOKE
Special Jury Prize: Dramatic, Work by an Ensemble Cast