Sundance Film Festival 2013 Winners Announced, Fruitvale Takes Grand Jury Prize

Prizes handed out at the annual indie gathering in Park City, Utah

By Sierra Marquina Jan 27, 2013 2:39 AMTags
FruitvaleCourtesy of Rachel Morrison

The Sundance Film Festival has come to a close with Joseph Gordon Levitt, who made his directorial debut with Don Jon's Addiction, opening the awards ceremony by stating: "This isn't basketball. This is the movies. There are no winners and losers. This is art."

That being said, the big win of the festival went to Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale, which took home the grand jury prize. The flick which stars Octavia SpencerChad Michael Murray and Kevin Durand tells the true story of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family members and strangers on the last day of 2008.

Coogler accepted the win, telling the crowd: "At the end of the day, when I first made this project, it was about humanity, and how we treat the people we love most and the people we don't know. To get this means that this film made a powerful impact. This goes back to my home, the Bay Area, where Oscar Grant lived for 22 years. I can't wait to see you all when this is said and done and I'm more articulate and not so emotional."

Another big win went to Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin's documentary Pussy Riot–A Punk Prayer which scored the world cinema documentary special jury award.

Sundance 2013 winners:

World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary:  A River Changes Course, directed by Kalyanee Mam

World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award:  Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer, directed by Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin

World Cinema Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic: Jisuel, directed by Muel O (South Korea)

Directing Award, World Cinema Dramatic: Crystal Fairy, directed by Sebastian Silva

Screenwriting Award, World Cinema Dramatic: Wajma (An Afghan Love Story), written by Barmak Akram

Cinematography Award, World Cinema Dramatic: Lasting, cinematography by Michal Englert

World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award: Circles, directed by Srdan Golubovic

Audience Award, World Cinema Dramatic: Metro Manila, directed by Sean Ellis

World Cinema Documentary: The Square, directed by Jehane Noujaim

Audience Award, Best of NEXT: This is Martin Bonner, directed by Chad Hartigan (U.S.)

Audience Award, U.S. Documentary: Blood Brother, directed by Steve Hoover

Audience Award, U.S. DramaFruitvale, directed by Ryan Coogler

Short Film Special Jury Award: Until the Quiet Comes directed by Kahlil Joseph.

Short Film Special Jury Award for Acting: Joel Nagle for his work in the film Palimpsest.

Short Film Jury Award: Animation: Irish Folk Furniture directed by Tony Donoghue.

Short Film Jury Award: Non-Fiction: Skinningrove directed by Michael Almereyda.

Short Film Jury Award, International Fiction: The Date directed by Jenni Toiyoniemi.

Short Film Jury Award, US Fiction: Whiplash directed by Damien Chazelle

Short Film Grand Jury Prize: The Whistle directed by Grzegorz Zariczny.

Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film: Computer Chess, directed by    Andrew Bujalski

Cinematography Award, World Cinema Documentary: Who Is Dayani Cristal?, cinematography by Marc Silver and Pau Esteve Birba

Editing Award, World Cinema Documentary: The Summit, edited by Ben Stark

Directing Award, World Cinema Documentary: The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear, directed by Tinatin Gurchiani