“Captain Fantastic,” “Girl Asleep” win big at Seattle Film Fest

PanARMENIAN.Net - “Captain Fantastic” and “Girl Asleep” won two of the biggest awards at the 42nd annual Seattle Film Festival. The winners were announced during a ceremony and breakfast held at the Space Needle on June 12.

“Captain Fantastic” received the Golden Space Needle Audience Award for Best Film. Directed by Matt Ross, the film was shot on location in the Pacific Northwest with the support of Washington Filmworks Film Incentive. “Gleason,” another film with ties to Washington, won the audience award for Best Documentary. The Clay Tweel directed documentary told the story of New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason, who played for Washington State University.

SIFF Official Competition Grand Jury Prize went to “Girl Asleep” which the jury acknowledged for being “truly original” and “theatrical” and for being “impeccably choreographed.”

Other winners included Javier Ruiz Caldera, who won the audience award for Best Director; Rolf Lassgård, who won the audience award for Best Actor; and Vicky Hernandez, who won the audience award for Best Actress.

The remaining Grand Jury awards went to “You’ll Never Be Alone,” which received the Ibero-American prize; “Sand Storm,” which received the New Directors prize; “Middle Man,” for the New America Cinema prize; and Death by a Thousand Cuts, for the Documentary prize.

The 25-day festival, which began May 19, featured 421 films representing 85 countries, including 54 world premieres, 56 North American premieres, 27 U.S. premieres, and 850 screenings and events.