The 25th Annual Indie Memphis Film Festival Announces 2022 Award-Winners, Including Ellie Foumbi’s Best Narrative Feature OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL and Reed Harkness’ Best Documentary Feature SAM NOW
Indie Memphis Film Festival, presented by Duncan-Williams, Inc. and Duncan Williams Asset Management, is pleased to announce this year’s award-winners. The awards show, sponsored by Eventive, was held in-person in Memphis, as well as online, on the evening of October 22th. The awards were presented by festival staff, as well as members of the awards juries. The 2022 festival screened over 184 feature films, shorts, and music videos, with most screenings followed by in-person filmmaker Q&As.
Jury Award highlights include Best Narrative Feature for OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL (Dir. Ellie Foumbi, $1K cash prize), Best Documentary Feature for SAM NOW (Dir. Reed Harkness, $1K cash prize), Best Hometowner Feature for THE ‘VOUS (Dir. Jack Lofton’s, $1K cash prize - World Premiere), Best Departures Feature for THIS HOUSE (CETTE MAISON) (Dir. Miryam Charles, $500 cash prize), and Best Sounds Feature for KUMINA QUEEN (Dir. Nyasha Laing, $500 cash prize), among others.
The festival also awarded two yet-to-be-produced short films with Indie Grant prizes: “Bluff City Chinese” (Dir. Anna Cai) and “R.E.G.G.I.N." (Dir. A.D. Smith). These films from Memphis-based filmmakers were chosen by a jury and were each awarded with $39K; grant support comprised of $15K cash provided by sponsor Mark Jones and $24K of cash-equivalent rentals and donations provided by sponsors Firefly Grip & Electric, LensRentals, Music + Arts Studio, and VIA. Three winners will each receive grant packages worth $13K.
The Festival Awards, decided by Indie Memphis Festival staff, include the Ron Tibbett Excellence in Filmmaking Award for ME LITTLE ME (Dir. Elizabeth Ayiku) and the Craig Brewer Emerging Filmmaker Award for VERY RARE (Dir. Eric Younger - World Premiere), among others.
Audience Awards will be announced following the festival.
2022 Indie Memphis Film Festival Jury & Festival Award-Winners
Winners by Category
Jury Awards
Narrative Features
Awarded by Jury Members Marlowe Granados, Doreen St. Félix
Best Narrative Feature, OUR FATHER, THE DEVIL (Dir. Ellie Foumbi) - $1K Cash Prize
Duncan Williams Best Screenplay Award, ACTUAL PEOPLE (Dir. Kit Zauhar) - $1K Cash Prize, sponsored by Duncan Williams, Inc.
Documentary Features
Awarded by Jury Members Brooke Marine, Tara Violet Niami, Tchaiko Omawale; Sponsored by Classic American Hardwoods
Best Documentary Feature, SAM NOW (Dir. Reed Harkness) - $1K Cash Prize
Special Jury Mention for Revolutionary Cinema, SILENT BEAUTY (Dir. Jasmin Mara López)
Special Jury Mention for Transcendent Cinema, OUTTA THE MUCK (Dir. Ira McKinley, Bhawin Suchak)
Hometowner
Awarded by Jury Members Jessica Chriesman, Brandon Harris, Larry Karaszewski; Sponsored by Tennessee Entertainment Commission
Best Hometowner Feature, THE ‘VOUS (Dir. Jack Lofton) - $1K Cash Prize
Best Hometowner Narrative Short, “Nordo” (Dir. Kyle Taubken) - $500 Cash Prize
Best Hometowner Documentary Short, “What We’ll Never Know” (Dir. Lauren Ready) - $500 Cash Prize
Departures
Awarded by Jury Members Blair McClendon, Ashley Clark, Yasmina Price
Best Departures Feature, THIS HOUSE (CETTE MAISON) (Dir. Miryam Charles) - $500 Cash Prize
Best Departures Mid-Length Film, “Civic” (Dir. Dwayne LeBlanc)
Best Departures Short, “Maya at 24” (Dir. Lynn Sachs)
Sounds
Awarded by Maya Cade, Rōgan Graham, Sydney Urbanek
Best Sounds Feature, KUMINA QUEEN (Dir. Nyasha Laing) - $500 Cash Prize
Best National Music Video, “Vacant Spaces” (Dir. Joe Baughman)
Best Hometowner Music Video, “Don’t Come Home” (Dirs. Emily Rooker & Mitchell Carter)
Shorts
Awarded by Jury Members Laure Bender, Faridah Gbadamosi, Kate Gondwe
Best Narrative Short, “Sugar Glass Bottle” (Dir. Neo Sora) - $500 Cash Prize
Best Documentary Short, “The Body is a House of Familiar Rooms” by Eloise Sherrid + Lauryn Welch - $500 Cash Prize
IndieGrants
Awarded by Jury Members Mandy Marcus, Soraya McDonald, Maria Santos; Sponsored by Mark Jones with rentals and donations provided by Firefly Grip & Electric, LensRentals, Music + Arts Studio, and VIA.
“Bluff City Chinese” (Dir. Anna Cai)- $15K Grant ($7.5K cash, $7.5K In-Kind Filmmaking Services)
“R.E.G.G.I.N." (Dir. A.D. Smith) - $15K Grant ($7.5K cash, $7.5K In-Kind Filmmaking Services)
Poster Design
Awarded by Jury Members Brittney Boyd Bullock, Coe Lapossy, Mia Saine
THIS HOUSE (CETTE MAISON) (Dir. Miryam Charles)
Festival Awards
Ron Tibbett Excellence in Filmmaking
ME LITTLE ME (Dir. Elizabeth Ayiku)
Craig Brewer Emerging Filmmaker
VERY RARE (Dir. Eric Younger)
Soul of Southern Film Award
OUTTA THE MUCK by (Dir. Ira McKinley, Bhawin Suchak)
Vision Award
Ryan Watt
Indie Award
Sallie Sabbatini
Best After Dark Film
“Gussy” (Dir. Chris Osborn)