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CINEMA ON THE BAYOU 2017 ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS

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Cinema on the Bayou 2017 is one for the record books.  Thank you to all who helped kick-off the Festival with the U.S. Premiere of Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart, which played to a standing-room only crowd along with Canadian filmmaker Phil Comeau and our own Zachary Richard.  And thanks to all of you who helped close out the Festival with the U.S. Premiere of Tatara Samurai, a full-house Red Carpet event with Japanese director Yoshinari Nishikori and Japanese Superstars Sho Aoyagi and Naoki Kobayashi.

It was a remarkable eight days of over 160 films, including World, U.S. and Lousiana Premieres, from around the world and more than 100 filmmakers in attendance from across the United States and Canada, as well as Japan, Australia, India and Sweden.  We laughed and cried and made new friends and saw old ones again.  We worked hard to foster an environment of warmth and acceptance for our artists friends and, by all accounts from those in attendance, we fully succeeded in our mission.  Already, filmmakers are planning their next submissions to COTB 2018, and our loyal attendees are looking forward to next year's offerings. 

This is a community event, one that requires community support and participation, and we appreciate and thank every sponsor, every Friend of the Festival, every individual donee, all-access pass holders, all attendees, volunteers, everyone.  We are all the big winners in this wonderful, moving event. 

Films and filmmakers are also big winners, with the "goujon caille" awarded as follows:

 

DIRECTOR'S CHOICE AWARD - NARRATIVE FEATURE

Tatara Samurai / Japan / U.S. Premiere

Director:  Tokyo-based Yoshinari Nishikori (in attendance)

 

BEST ACTOR - NARRATIVE FEATURE

Tokyo-based Sho Aoyagi (in attendance), Tatara Samurai / Japan / U.S. Premiere 


DIRECTOR'S CHOICE AWARD - DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Zachary Richard, Cajun Heart / Canada (Quebec) / U.S. Premiere

Director:  Montreal-based Phil Comeau (in attendance)


LE TRAIN BLEU AWARD

L'odeur apres la pluie (The Scent of Rain) / Canada (Quebec) / U.S. Premiere

Director:  Montreal-based Sara Bourdeau (in attendance)

 

INSPIRATION AWARD and AUDIENCE AWARD

Brother David / U.S.A. / World Premiere

Director:  Ronnie Clifton (David Egan's wife, Rhonda, and son, Reuben, in attendance)

 

BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE

Railway Spine / U.S.A./ Louisiana Premiere

Director:  L.A.-based Samuel Gonzalez, Jr. (in attendance with actor Emily Trosclair)

 

NARRATIVE FEATURE SPECIAL JURY MENTION AWARDS

Saturn Returns / U.S.A. / World Premiere

Director:  Toronoto-based Shawn Tolleson (in attendance)

 

Khoj (The Lost) / India / Louisiana Premiere

Director:  India-based Arka Ganguly (in attendance)

 

A Quiet Storm / U.S.A. 

Director:  New Orleans-based Jason Affolder (in attendance along with producers Aaron Rushin and Jon Wood and cinematographer Jake Springfield)

 

Far-West / France / Louisiana Premiere

Director:  Frederic Radepont

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Balkan Roots / Australia / World Premiere

Director:  Australia-based Chris Rabbitt (in attendance)

 

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE SPECIAL JURY MENTION AWARDS

I am the Blues / Canada / Louisiana Premiere

Director:  Montreal-based Daniel Cross (in attendance)

Shepherds in the Cave / Canada (Vancouver) / U.S. Premiere

Director:  Vancouver-based Anthony Grieco (in attendance)

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

Prisonnier 9157 (Prisoner 9157) / Canada (Quebec) / World Premiere

Directors:  Montreal-based Emmanuele Vandycke and Andre Elias (in attendance) 

 

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SPECIAL JURY MENTION AWARDS

Belle-ile-en-mer, ile Bretonne et Acadienne (Bell-ile-en-mer, A Breaton and Acadian Island) / Canada (Quebec) / U.S. Premiere

Director:  Montreal-based Phil Comeau (in attendance)

 

Soy Cubana / U.S.A., Cuba

Directors:  Jeremy Ungar and Ivaylo Getov (producer Robin Miller Ungar in attendance)

 

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT

Break the Will / U.S.A. / Louisiana Premiere

Director:  L.A.-based Jonathan Siebel (in attendance)

 

NARRATIVE SHORT SPECIAL JURY MENTION AWARDS

After October / U.S.A. / Louisiana Premiere

Director:  L.A.-based Pierre Finn (in attendance)


Formol / Canada (Quebec) / Louisiana Premiere

Director:  Montreal-based Mikael Huot (in attendance) 

 

La nouvelle-Franciase (I Want You, Moi Non Plus) / Canada (Quebec) / U.S. Premiere

Director:  Montreal-based Sebastian Messinger (in attendance)

 

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

Agrinoui / Cyprus / Louisiana Premiere

Director:  Alexis Chaviaras

 

ANIMATED SHORT SPECIAL JURY MENTION AWARD

Moon of Sleepless Night / Japan / Louisiana Premiere

Director:  Takeshi Yahsiro

 

BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT

Laura, Or Scenes from A Common World / U.S.A., Norway / North American Premiere

Director:  Charles M. Pepiton (in attendance along with director of cinematography Wes Kline)

 

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION AWARD FOR FILM PRODUCTION EDUCATION

Montreal-based Louise Lamarre (in attendance)

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