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)