Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Award Winners of 2018

News, Press Releases

There’s still more fun and films at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina. They did serve up the lunchtime BBQ and announced the winners of the various awards at a ceremony hosted by Steve James, director of Hoop Dreams and Abacus. The winners are run during the evening so if you’re in the area come on down to get a peep at the films. Here’s the press release from Full Frame:


Durham, N.C. – April 8, 2018 – The 2018 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival award winners were announced this afternoon at the festival’s annual Awards Barbecue.

The Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award
Sponsored by The Reva and David Logan Foundation

The Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award was presented to Hale County This Morning, This Evening, directed by RaMell Ross.

The jury gives Special Jury Award to Of Fathers and Sons, directed by Talal Derki.

The jurors for The Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award were Yance Ford, Lindsay Utz, and Nelson Walker.

Hale County This Morning, This Evening will screen as Encore 4 at 4:40 pm in Fletcher Hall.
Of Fathers and Sons will screen as Encore 5 at 5:00 pm in Cinema 1.

Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short
Provided by Drs. Andrew and Barbra Rothschild

The Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short was given to I Am Bisha, directed by Roopa Gogineni.

Full Frame is a qualifying event for nominations for the Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject and The Producers Guild of America Awards. The jurors for the Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short were Ann Fessler, Carrie Lozano, and Esther Robinson.

I Am Bisha will screen as part of Encore 6 at 8:00 pm in Cinema 1.

Full Frame Audience Award – Feature

The Full Frame Audience Award – Feature was presented to Minding the Gap, directed by Bing Liu.

Minding the Gap will screen as Encore 2 at 2:20 pm in Cinema 3.

Full Frame Audience Award – Short
Sponsored by Thunder Mountain Media

The Full Frame Audience Award – Short was presented to Girl-Hearted, directed by Anne Scheschonk.

Girl-Hearted will screen as part of Encore 6 at 8:00 pm in Cinema 1.

Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award
Provided by the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University

The Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award was presented to Of Fathers and Sons, directed by Talal Derki.

Representatives from the Center for Documentary Studies juried the prize: Randy Benson, Wesley Hogan, Katie Hyde, Lynn McKnight, William Page, Dan Partridge, Elena Rue, Lani Simeona, April Walton.

Of Fathers and Sons will screen as Encore 5 at 5:00 pm in Cinema 1.

Charles E. Guggenheim Emerging Artist Award
Provided by the Charles E. Guggenheim Family

The Charles E. Guggenheim Emerging Artist Award was presented to América, directed by Erick Stoll and Chase Whiteside.

The jury gives an honorable mention to Minding the Gap by Bing Liu.

Provided by the Charles E. Guggenheim family, this prize honors a first-time documentary feature director. Lewis Erskine, Dean Otto, and Lynn True participated on the jury.

América will screen as Encore 1 at 2:00 pm in Cinema 1.

Full Frame President’s Award
Sponsored by Duke University

The Full Frame President’s Award was presented to The Issue of Mr. O’Dell, directed by Rami Katz.

Representatives on behalf of the President’s Office of Duke University juried the prize, awarded to the best student film.

The Issue of Mr. O’Dell will screen as part of Encore 6 at 8:00 pm in Cinema 1.

Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights
Sponsored by the Julian Price Family Foundation in memory of Melanie Taylor

The Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights was presented to The Unafraid, directed by Heather Courtney and Anayansi Prado.

Provided by the Julian Price Family Foundation, this award is presented to a film that addresses a significant human rights issue in the United States. Representatives from the Kathleen Bryan Edwards family juried the prize: Anne Arwood, Laura Edwards, Clay Farland, Margaret Griffin, Pricey Harrison.

The Unafraid will screen as Encore 3 at 4:30 pm in the Durham Arts Council.

Steve James will be presenting the part of America To Me his upcoming documentary series. The recently Oscar nominated director will discuss the project afterward.

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.