The 40th Boston Film Festival announced the awards today for the live event program. Sponsored by Boston Harbor Studios, Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, Meet Boston, Sip Bar & Restaurant, Joe’s Waterfront, Locke Bar, DePrisco’s, and Trilogy Yachts Boston, the renowned festival highlighted the best in feature, documentary, short, and animated film, as well as a new College Day by Warner Bros. Television at Emerson College and Boston University.

The Humanitarian Impact of Change Award was presented to Chuck Cooper III for his work through the Chuck Cooper Foundation, honoring his father, former Boston Celtics player Chuck Cooper II. M.I.T. Head Basketball Coach Larry Anderson made the presentation as part of the Sweetwater film premiere.

Special screenings were hosted at theatres throughout Boston, with feature film Sweetwater winning six awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Story, Best Music, and Best Ensemble Cast.

Best Film
Sweetwater – Martin Guigui, Director

Audience Favorite Feature
Any Day Now – Eric Aronson, Director

Best Director
Martin Guigui – Sweetwater

Best Actor
Everett Osborne – Sweetwater

Best Actress
Virginia Madsen – SHEEPDOG

Best Supporting Actor
Vondie Curtis-Hall – SHEEPDOG

Best Supporting Actress
Lindsey Dresbach – Max Dagan

Best Screenplay
SHEEPDOG – Steven Grayhm, Writer

Best Cinematography
Phillip Dutton: Leap of Faith – David Layton, Cinematographer

Best Story
Sweetwater – Martin Guigui, Director

Best Editing
Capturing Kennedy, Peter Deak, Steele Burrow

Best Ensemble Cast
Sweetwater – Everett Osborne, Jeremy Piven, Cary Elwes, Kevin Pollock, Jim Caviezel, Richard Dreyfus

Best Music
Sweetwater, Jeff Cardoni, Martin Guigui

Emerging Filmmaker
Steele Burrow – Capturing Kennedy

Best Documentary
Democracy Noir – Connie Field, Director

Mass Impact Award
Democracy Noir – Connie Field, Director

EcoFilm
The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay – Kim Smith, Director

Best Short Film
Just Sally – Kyle Misak, Director

Best Comedy Short
Jane Austen’s Period Drama – Julia Aks, Steve Pinder, Director

Best Animated Short
Common Fly – Ian Alexander Castracane, Director

Best Short Documentary
Nine Lives – Jessie Davidson, Director

Best Actor in a Short
Josh Brener – Caller 102: A Ballad of Cyberspace

Best Actress in a Short
Jesse LaTourette – “RAPT”

Best Student Short
Stay Here – Marley Rankin, Director

Sponsors for the 2024 Boston Film Festival also include Dream Alley Pictures & Partners, Boston Public Library, and Shalin Liu Performance Hall.

More information about The Boston Film Festival can be found at: https://bostonfilmfestival.org/.

Media Contact: Ashley Sandberg ashley@triple7pr.com