Tribeca 09: Wrap-Up

• by Raphaela Neihausen, May 03, 2009

The top documentary awards at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival went to… (drum roll please…):

Best Documentary Feature: Racing Dreams
Marshall Curry’s documentary is a gripping tale about young go-karters who one day dream of driving in the big leagues of NASCAR. “We reacted with unanimous, unquestioned affection for Racing Dreams,” the jurors state, “and found it a completely compelling, entertaining film of incredible quality.”  Read my previous blog on this film here.

Special Jury Mention: Defamation
Yoav Shamir’s documentary analysis of anti-Semitism existing today has earned him a Special Jury Mention in this year’s Festival. Examining the issue from a wide variety of angles, the accolade for this open-minded film is not surprising. The jurors state that the award is for “lifting the veil on a subject so openly discussed.”  Read my previous blog on this film here.

Best New York Documentary: Partly Private
Documentarian Danae Elon’s look at the practice of circumcision in the modern-day world, especially modern-day New York, is a gripping look at the ancient practice, as well as so much more. “There were moments in this film that brought the whole world back to New York,” the jurors said. “They were uniquely New York moments.”  Read my previous blog on this film here.

Best Documentary Short: home
A touching work that deals with how Hurrican Katrina affected the house he grew up in, Matthew Faust’s home seems a natural pick to win the Best Documentary Short award. “It tells a post-Hurricane Katrina story in a new, inventive and poignant way.”
For a complete list of Tribeca Film Festival winners, click here.

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