“It has been an exciting year for world cinema and emerging international filmmakers,” said Jacqueline Lyanga, Director of AFI FEST presented by Audi.  “We’ve had incredibly enthusiastic audiences for all of the screenings at AFI FEST.  It is wonderful to discover the films that resonate with audiences and put a spotlight on filmmakers as part of awards season critical acclaim.”

“It has been eight fantastic days of screenings here in Los Angeles with over 150 filmmakers from around the world attending to present their works,” said Lane Kneedler, Associate Director of Programming for AFI FEST presented by Audi.  “What a wonderful way to end AFI FEST’s 25th Edition by acknowledging the films our distinguished juries and esteemed audiences have bestowed on these talented filmmakers.”

AUDIENCE AWARDS

Breakthrough Section (award accompanied by a $5,000 cash prize)

WITH EVERY HEARTBEAT by Alexandra-Therese Keining

New Auteurs Section

BULLHEAD by Michaël R. Roskam

World Cinema Section

A tie: JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI by David Gelb and KINYARWANDA by Alrick Brown

Young Americans Section

WUSS by Clay Liford

LIVE ACTION AND ANIMATED SHORT FILM SECTION JURY AWARDS

As in previous years, a jury determines the AFI FEST 2011 Live Action and Animated Short Film Section Awards.  The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences recognizes each winner as a qualifier for the annual Academy Awards®.  The Short Film Jury – comprised of filmmakers Barry Jenkins and Gerardo Naranjo (AFI Conservatory Class of 2001) and festival programmer Kim Yutani – announced the awards with their statements.

Live Action Short Film Section

Grand Jury Prize: FROZEN STORIES from Grzegorz Jaroszuk “for its world of meta-reality suffused with enough context to rend a beautifully nuanced story for the most heightened elements.”

Honorable Mention: BABYLAND by Marc Fratello “for its assured direction, stunning lead performance and the ability to balance humor and pathos all the way up to its shocking conclusion.”

Animated Short Film Section

Grand Jury Prize: THE EAGLEMAN STAG by Michael Please “for its ambitious and elegant storytelling, both narrative and aesthetically, in which the bigness of life and the concept of time are deftly unpacked in a moving nine minutes.”

Honorable Mention: THE VOYAGERS by Penny Lane “for its skillful juxtaposition of archival footage and personal narrative to tell a moving story of exploration, romance and space travel.”

NEW AUTEURS SECTION CRITIC’S PRIZE

This year AFI FEST debuts its New Auteurs Critic’s Prize selected by an esteemed panel of international critics: Justin Chang (Variety), Mike Goodridge (Screen International), Mark Olsen (The Los Angeles Times) and Jean Oppenheimer (American Cinematographer).

Grand Jury Prize: THE LONELIEST PLANET by Julia Loktev “for its bold exploration of societal structures and gender roles, set against a landscape that conveys both profound beauty and profound alienation.”

Special Jury Prize: ATTENBERG by Athina Rachel Tsangari “for its wit, distinct voice and playful sense of storytelling.”

Acting Award Prize: BULLHEAD’s Matthias Schoenaerts “for his nuanced and intensely physical embodiment of bruised masculinity.”