Diego Luna’s biopic “Cesar Chavez” (pictured), Shawn Christensen’s gripping drama “
” and the abortion doc “
” were among SXSW’s big audience award winners on Saturday.
“Vessel,” Diana Whitten’s film about a pro-choice activist, received a special jury recognition for political courage in the documentary competition earlier this week in addition to today’s documentary feature prize.
“Before I Disappear,” which Christensen starred in, wrote and directed based on his Oscar-winning 2012 short film “Curfew,” won in the narrative feature competition, while “Cesar Chavez,” a drama about the titular labor organizer, took the award in the narrative spotlight category.
Prizes were also given in the documentary spotlight (“DamNation”), visions, midnighters, episodic, SXGlobal, festival favorites and design categories. The 24 Beats Per Second category will be announced on Monday following Saturday screenings.
Additional showings have been scheduled on Saturday — the final day of SXSW Film – for all audience award winners.
On Tuesday, the millennial comedy “Fort Tilden” won the narrative feature
and the BP oil spill expose “The Great Invisible” nabbed best documentary feature.
This year’s SXSW Film Festival audience award winners:
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
Audience Award Winner: Before I Disappear
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Director: Shawn Christensen
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
Audience Award Winner: Vessel
Director: Diana Whitten
DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT
Audience Award Winner: DamNation
Director: Ben Knight & Travis Rummel
NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT
Audience Award Winner: CESAR CHAVEZ
Directors: Diego Luna
VISIONS
Audience Award Winner: Yakona
Director: Anlo Sepulveda & Paul Collins
MIDNIGHTERS
Audience Award Winner: Exists
Director: Eduardo S ¡nchez
EPISODIC
Audience Award Winner: Silicon Valley
Director: Mike Judge
SXGLOBAL
Audience Award Winner: The Special Need
Directors: Carlo Zoratti
FESTIVAL FAVORITES
Audience Award Winner: The Case Against 8
Director: Ben Cotner & Ryan White
SXSW Film Design Awards
EXCELLENCE IN POSTER DESIGN
Audience Award Winner: Big Significant Things
Designer: Corey Holmes
EXCELLENCE IN TITLE DESIGN
Audience Award Winner: True Detective
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Designer: Patrick Clair for Elastic
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