Josephine: Nuisance Bear Wins Sundance Grand Jury Prizes

“Josephine,” a family drama that earned raves for the performances of Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan and newcomer Mason Reeves when it premiered⁤ at Sundance, won the festival’s grand jury prize for U.S. dramatic competition, as well as the audience award for U.S. narrative.

“Josephine” director beth de Araújo, who ⁢drew on her personal‍ history to tell the story of a young girl who witnesses a crime, fought back tears while accepting⁣ the audience⁣ prize at Sundance’s awards ⁣ceremony ⁢in Park City, Utah‍ on Friday. “Thank you to the audience ⁣for keeping me employed,” de Araújo said. “Cinema is my church, and it feels so ⁣good to come and get this from you.”

“Nuisance Bear,” a look at the impact ‍that ⁣tourism ‍and other man-made activities are having on‍ the polar bears that live in Churchill, Manitoba, captured the prize for U.S. documentary competition, while “To Hold a Mountain,” the story of mother and daughter working‍ to prevent their ancestral ⁣mountain from becoming a NATO military training ground, took ⁢the award for world cinema documentary. “Shame and⁤ Money,” a drama about ‍a couple in rural Kosovo who lose their livelihoods, won the grand jury prize for world cinema.⁣ The‍ ceremony was politically charged, as many films in the awards selection tell of immigrants and activists.

“As this goverment is attacking notions of diversity, ⁣I want this film to showcase that diversity isn’t a dirty word and ⁣will never be a dirty word,” said David Alvarado, director of the audience award winner for U.S. Documentary, “American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.”

Many of the award-winning films, such as “Nuisance ⁣Bear” and “Josephine,” have been drawing interest from distributors. Their victories could heat up the ⁣bidding by⁢ studios and streamers.

The NEXT Innovator Award was given to “The ⁣Incomer,” and the NEXT Special Jury Award⁢ presented was given to “TheyDream.”