Sundance 2013: 'Fruitvale' wins Grand Jury Prize

Sundance 2013: ‘Fruitvale’ wins Grand Jury Prize

"Fruitvale" director Ryan Coogler, right, with producer Forest Whitaker, at the Sundance Film Festival.

By Julie Makinen, Steven Zeitchik and Mark Olsen

Jan. 26, 2013 12 AM PT

PARK CITY, Utah--”Fruitvale,” a drama based on the real-life story of a young man shot to death at an Oakland BART station, took home the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday night. The movie also won the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film.

The Grand Jury Prize for U.S. documentary went to “Blood Brother,” Steve Hoover’s look at his best friend, who moves to India to help children with HIV. The film also won the Audience Award for U.S. documentary.

“Fruitvale” is the first feature-length film from USC School of Cinematic Arts graduate Ryan Coogler, 26. Actor Forest Whitaker served as a producer on the movie, which stars Michael B. Jordan.

The directing award in the U.S. dramatic category went to Jill Soloway for the Silverlake-set marriage drama “Afternoon Delight.” A special jury award for acting in the U.S. dramatic category was given to Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller for “The Spectacular Now.”

The cinematography award in the U.S. dramatic category went to Bradford Young for his work on two films -- “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” and “Mother of George.” The Waldo Salt screenwriting award went to Lake Bell for “In a World...” A special jury award for sound design was given to Shane Carruth and Johnny Marshall for “Upstream Color.”

Two special jury awards were given for U.S. documentaries. One went to Jacob Kornbluth for “Inequality for All,” a look at the wealth gap in America featuring former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich. The other went to “American Promise,” directed by Joe Brewster and Michele Stephenson, which follows two African American boys over 12 years as they attend very different schools.

The cinematography award for a U.S. documentary went to Richard Rowley for “Dirty Wars,” a look at covert American counterterrorism operations. The editing award went to Matthew Hamachek for “Gideon’s Army.” The directing award went to Zachary Heinzerling for “Cutie and the Boxer,” a look at a couple of aging Japanese artists living in New York.

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The World Cinema Jury Prize (dramatic) went to “Jiseul,” directed by Muel O, about the Jeju Island massacre in Korea in 1948. The audience award went to “Metro Manila,” directed by Sean Ellis, a futuristic drama about a man who finds dubious work in the Philippine city.

A special jury award was given to Srdan Golubovic’s Balkan war drama “Circles.”
The cinematography award went to Michal Englert for “Lasting,” a Polish film centering on a romance in Spain. The screenwriting award went to Barmak Akram for “Wajma (An Afghan Love Story).” The directing award went to Sebastian Silva for “Crystal Fairy,” a Chilean road movie starring Michael Cera.

“A River Changes Course” won the World Cinema Jury Prize in the documentary category. “The Square,” Jehane Noujaim’s film about the aftermath of the Egyptian uprising for democracy, won the audience award.

A Special Jury Award in the World Cinema Documentary category went to “Pussy Riot -- A Punk Prayer,” directed by Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin. The cinematography award in the World Cinema Documentary category went to Marc Silver and Pau Esteve Birba for “Who Is Dayani Cristal?” The editing award went to Ben Stark for “The Summit,” about a disastrous day on K2, the second highest mountain in the world.

FULL COVERAGE: Sundance Film Festival 2013

The audience award for the NEXT section went to “This Is Martin Bonner,” about a man who works in a community reintegration program for prisoners in Nevada, directed by Chad Hartigan.

The $20,000 Alfred P. Sloan feature film prize, for a movie focusing on science and technology, went to “Computer Chess,” directed by Andrew Bujalski.

The awards program was hosted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who directed a film at this year’s festival, “Don Jon’s Addiction.”

The five members of the jury for the U.S. dramatic competition were writer-director-actor Ed Burns; Boston Globe film critic Wesley Morris; cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto; former Fox Filmed Entertainment Chairman Tom Rothman; and Clare Stewart, head of exhibition at the British Film Institute.

The five members of the jury for the U.S. documentary competition were Liz Garbus, director of “Love, Marilyn”; Oscar winner Davis Guggenheim; documentary producer Gary Hustwit; writer-director Brett Morgen; and Participant Media’s Diane Weyermann.

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