Out On Film, presented by GILEAD, has announced the filmmaker awards for the recently concluded 36th edition of the Atlanta-based LGBTQIA+ film festival. Olivier Peyon’s LIE WITH ME, based on the 2017 novel by Philippe Besson novel, was a two-time winner, taking the audience award for Best Narrative Feature and tying for the jury award for Best Narrative Feature alongside Zeno Graton’s THE LOST BOYS. Graton tied for the jury prize for Best Director along Babatunde Apolowo, whose ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD ARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE took home the award for Best International Film.
Sarah Kambe Holland’s EGGHEAD AND TWINKIE won as Best First Feature while Corey Sherman’s BIG BOYS was awarded a BEST ENSEMBLE award for its cast. Former Atlantan and Emmy-winner Nneka Onuorah’s TRUTH BE TOLD, which takes a look at the intersection of the Black church and the LGBTQ+ community, won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Award. It screened at the House of Hope Atlanta as part of Out On Film, while Rocky Roggio’s 1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE won the Jury Award for Best Documentary. Vicky Knight was awarded a Best Performance Jury Award for her work in SILVER HAZE.
Georgia-born William Means’ BLUE SQUARE HEART won the Jury Award for Best Narrative Short. Because Out On Film is an Oscar® qualifying film festival, BLUE SQUARE HEART will now be eligible for consideration for next year’s Live Action Short Academy Awards ®.
Ryan and Tyson Horne’s THE DANCER won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Short and tied with EVAN EVER AFTER for the Jury Award in the same category.
The 2023 Out on Film Award Winners:
Jury Awards
Best Narrative Feature
LIE WITH ME (Director: Olivier Peyon) and THE LOST BOYS (Director: Zeno Graton)
Best Documentary
1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE (Director: Rocky Roggio)
Runner-up: KENYATTA: DO NOT WAIT YOUR TURN (Director: Tim Harris)
Best International Film
ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD ARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE (Director: Babatunde Apolowo)
Runner-up: SILVER HAZE (Director: Sacha Polak )
Best First Film
EGGHEAD AND TWINKIE (Director: Sarah Kambe Holland)
Runner-up: BIG BOYS (Director Corey Sherman)
Best Performance
Vicky Night (Silver Haze)
Runner-up: Megan Stalter (Cora Bora)
Best Narrative Short Film
BLUE SQUARE HEART (William Means)
Runner-up: STAY (King Louie Palomo))
Best Documentary Short Film
THE DANCER (director Ryan Horne and Tyson Horne ) and EVAN EVER AFTER Ariel Mahler and Radha Mehta,
Audience Awards
Best Narrative Feature
LIE WITH ME (Olivie Peyon)
Runner-up: OUR SON (Director: Bill Oliver)
Best Documentary
TRUTH BE TOLD (Director: Nneka Onuorah)
Runner-up: 1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED CULTURE
Best Documentary Short Film
THE DANCER (Director Ryan Horne and Tyson Horne
Runner-up: EVAN EVER AFTER (Directed by Ariel Mahler and Radha Mehta)
Best Narrative Short
T-MINUS (Directed by Emily Lerer)
Runner-up : ROCKY ROAD ON CHANNEL THREE (Directed by James Rogers III)