Chinese Film Wins Silverdocs Award
Top doc "Please Vote for Me" follows a class election. From left, Cheng Cheng, Xiafei and Luo Lei.
(Silverdocs)
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Who's Blogging  |
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The top prize of this year's Silverdocs documentary film festival went to a nail-biting political drama . . . about 7-year-olds.
"Please Vote for Me," which chronicles the battle of three Chinese students to become class monitor, beat out 99 other films to win the Sterling Award for feature film on Sunday, capping off six days of screenings, conference panels and workshops. "It's a film about the idea of democracy, and a window into modern China," says Patricia Finneran, the festival's director. "It's also about the shady politicking that goes on with third-graders."
The Sterling Award for a short film went to "Lot 63, Grave C," an examination of the death of Meredith Hunter, who was killed at the Altamont Free Concert in 1969.
Meanwhile, the two Audience Awards both went to films about fathers and sons. The feature-length "Souvenirs" explores the relationship between a World War II vet and his son as they retrace the soldier's path through wartime Italy. The short, "A Son's Sacrifice," follows a man who gives up his career to run his family's Halal slaughterhouse.
Other festival winners include: Music Documentary Award, "Nömadak Tx"; Cinematic Vision Award (feature), "Kurt Cobain About a Son"; Cinematic Vision Award (short), "My Eyes"; Witness Award, "The Devil Came on Horseback"; Silverdocs/American Film Market Award, "Big Rig"; Beyond Belief Award, "Audience of One"; and the grant winner for Animal Content in Entertainment, "The Concrete Jungle."
This year was the fifth annual Silverdocs festival, which is co-sponsored by the American Film Institute and the Discovery Channel and held in Silver Spring. Check http:/
