During the Closing Night ceremony of the Sarasota Film Festival, the festival also announced this year’s jury and audience award winners.

I AM NOT A WITCH directed by Rungano Nyoni took home this year’s Narrative Feature Jury prize. MINDING THE GAP directed by Bing Liu was the Documentary Feature Jury Prize winner.

The festival's Independent Visions Jury Prize, which includes a distribution deal from FACTORY 25, went to MILFORD GRAVES: FULL MANTIS directed by Jake Meginsky and Neil Young. The Terry Porter Visionary Award presented by The Huisking Foundation went to THE RIDER directed by Chloé Zhao for its spirit of independence and experimentation. The jury awarded a special recognition award for Breakthough Performance to Helena Howard in MADELINE’S MADELINE; a special mention for Visionary Storytelling to NOTES ON AN APPEARANCE; and a Special Jury Prize for Social Commentary to THE SENTENCE. This year's Animated Shorts Jury Prize winner is THE BURDEN, directed by Niki Lindroth von Bahr. The jury awarded LUNCH TIME, directed by Alireza Ghasemi, best Narrative Short and the Documentary Short award winner is SAND MEN, directed by Tal Amiran.

This year’s Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature was HEARTS BEAT LOUD directed by Brett Haley. The Audience Award for Best Documentary was presented to RBG, director Betsy West and Julie Cohen. The Best In World Cinema Audience Award went to MAKTUB, directed by Oded Raz. MR. CONNOLLY HAS ALS, directed by Dan Habib won the Audience Award for Best Short Film.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the 20th Anniversary of the Sarasota Film Festival, which brought together groundbreaking films and important conversations for our audiences,” said Sarasota Film Festival President Mark Famiglio. “Congratulations to this year’s winners, the esteemed Festival Jury and our audiences have thoroughly enjoyed your engaging and inspiring films, and we thank you for letting us showcase them here in Sarasota.”

List of 2018 winners of The Sarasota Film Festival Awards follows:

Jury Awards

Narrative Feature Competition Winner: I Am Not A Witch; Director – Rungano Nyoni

Documentary Feature Competition Winner: Minding the Gap; Director – Bing Liu

Independent Vision Competition Winner: Milford Graves: Full Mantis; Director – Jake Meginsky and Neil Young

Animated Shorts Competition Winner: The Burden; Niki Lindroth von Bahr

Narrative Short Competition Winner: Lunch Time; Alireza Ghasemi

Documentary Short Competition Winner: Sand Men; Tal Amiran

Audience Awards

Best Narrative Feature: Hearts Beat Loud; Director – Brett Haley

Best Documentary Feature: RBG; Director – Betsy West and Julie Cohen

Best Short Film: Mr. Connolly Has ALS; Director – Dan Habib

Best In World Cinema: Maktub; Director – Oded Raz