Outfest Award Winners Announced

Spanning 11 days, the 29th Annual Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival culminated with the announcement of its winners on Sunday.

Stephen Cone's The Wise Kids took home the Grand Jury Awards for outstanding U.S. dramatic feature film and outstanding screenwriting, while Andrew Haigh's Weekend won the Grand Jury Award for outstanding international dramatic feature film.

REVIEW: Weekend

Thank You For Your Call won the jury award for outstanding documentary short film, I Don’t Want to Go Back Alone won the jury award for outstanding dramatic short film, and Habana Muda won the jury award for outstanding documentary feature film.

Nikohl Boosheri was named outstanding actress in a feature for her portrayal of Atafeh in Circumstance, while the entire cast of Private Romeo won the award for outstanding actor in a feature. Circumstance also won $5,000 and the audience award for outstanding first U.S. dramatic feature film.

REVIEW: Circumstance

Other audience awards went to Same Difference for outstanding documentary short film, Tsuyako for outstanding dramatic short film, We Were Here for outstanding documentary feature film, and 3 for outstanding dramatic feature film.

Melissa Johnson’s No Look Pass received a special programming award for freedom; Marie Losier’s The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye received a special award for artistic achievement, and Madeleine Olnek was honored with a special award for Emerging Talent for Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same.

163 films from 25 countries were shown at the LGBT film festival this year. Outfest 2011 closes Sunday night with Anne Renton’s The Perfect Family, starring Kathleen Turner, Jason Ritter, Emily Deschanel and Richard Chamberlain.

REVIEW: The Perfect Family