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2011 San Antonio Film Festival: Award Winners

By Mike Everleth ⋅ June 27, 2011

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The 17th annual San Antonio Film Festival, which just wrapped on June 26, has announced their award winners. The big winner of the fest this year is Yoav Potash’s documentary Crime After Crime, which took home the Grand Prize.

Potash’s film profiles Debbie Peagler, a woman who suffered through years of horrific abuse by her boyfriend. After he was killed by a Crips gang member, she was accused of first-degree murder. At the urging of her attorney, Peagler pleaded guilty and spent 27 years behind bars. You can read more about Debbie’s case at this website.

Also this year, in addition to their usual Jury Awards, SAFF has expanded their offerings of Audience Awards to promote the audiences’ voices in the fest and as an extra benefit to select films and filmmakers. The big winner of this change is Jorge A. Jiminez’s Beautiful Silence, which took home audience awards for Best Narrative Feature and Best Performance.

Other audience awards went to Gary Logan’s Operation Hands On for Best Documentary Short, U. Roberto Romano’s The Harvest for Best Documentary Feature and Luis Felipe Hernandez’s Martyris for Best Animated Short.

In addition to the Grand Prize, other jury prizes went to Vanessa Rojas’ After the Shearing for Best College Filmmaker, Amber Cordova’s She Is… for Best High School Filmmaker, Ya’Ke Smith’s Katrina’s Son for Best San Antonio Filmmaker and Lorian James Delman’s Homecoming for Best Narrative Short.

The full list of winners is below:

GRAND PRIZE

Crime After Crime, dir. Yoav Potash

JURY PRIZE WINNERS

Jury Prize for Best College Filmmaker
After the Shearing, dir. Vanessa Rojas

Jury Prize for Best High School Filmmaker
She is…, dir. Amber Cordova

Jury Prize for Best San Antonio Filmmaker
Katrina’s Son, dir. Ya’Ke Smith

Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short
Homecoming, dir. Lorian James Delman

In Recognition of Your Continued Support
San Antonio Film Commission
Drew Mayer-Oakes
Total Media Solutions
Paul Zamarripa

AUDIENCE CHOICE WINNERS

Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
Beautiful Silence, dir. Jorge A. Jiminez

Audience Award for Best Documentary Short
Operation Hands On, dir. Gary Logan

Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature
The Harvest, dir. U. Roberto Romano

Audience Award for Best Animated Short
Martyris, dir. Luis Felipe Hernandez

Audience Award for Best Performance
Beautiful Silence, dir. Jorge A. Jiminez