Zero Motivation a winner at Tribeca

Israeli comedy takes home two awards and Point And Shoot named best doc.

by Amber Wilkinson

Zero Motivation took home two prizes at Tribeca Film Festival
Zero Motivation took home two prizes at Tribeca Film Festival

Talya Lavie's Zero Motivation, a comedic portrait of a group of young Israeli female soldiers took home two awards at the Tribeca Film Festival - best narrative feature and the Nora Ephron prize, both of which carry a $25,000 prize.

Speaking about the film, the narrative jury said: “The winner of this year’s Founder’s Award follows young women who must find their place and establish their identity in a world normally dominated by men and machismo. They do so with humour, strength and intellect. The filmmaker mirrors these same qualities. We believe a new, powerful, voice has emerged.”

The award for best feature documentary went to Marshall Curry's Point And Shoot, which shows an American who joined the Libyan revolution.

The jury said: “The award goes to a film that makes its own rules. Working with hundreds of hours of first-person — selfie — footage by Matthew Van Dyke, director Marshall Curry creates an unsettlingly ambivalent and often darkly amusing portrait of a generation hellbent on documenting itself. Do we celebrate the so-called “manliness” of its protagonist — or wonder what the hell he’s doing inserting himself into the middle of a violent revolution, like a Zelig with his own camera? It’s a question viewers will brood on — much as this jury did.”

The acting awards went to Paul Schneider for his role as a divorcee in Angus MacLachlan's Goodbye To All That, and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi for her performance in Paolo Virzì's Human Capital.

Guilliame Nicloux won the narrative screenplay award for his faux documentary The Kidnapping Of Michel Houellebecq, which also picked up a narrative special jury mention.

Manos Sucias director Josef Wladyka was named best new narrative director, while Alan Hicks picked up the documentary equivalent for Keep On Keepin' On.

The short film narrative prize went to UK film The Phone Call, directed by Mat Kirkby.

The full list of winners is below:

WORLD NARRATIVE COMPETITION:

The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – Zero Motivation - Directed/written: Talya Lavie (Israel).

Special Jury Mention – The Kidnapping Of Michel Houellebecq Directed/written: Guillaume Nicloux (France).

Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Paul Schneider - Goodbye to All That (US)

Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film – Valeria Bruni Tedeschi - Human Capital (Italy/France).

Best Cinematography – Damian Garcia - Güeros (Mexico).

Best Screenplay – Guillaume Nicloux - The Kidnapping Of Michel Houellebecq (France).

Best Narrative Editing – Keith Miller - Five Star (US).

WORLD DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION:

Best Documentary Feature – Point And Shoot - Directed: Marshall Curry (US).

Special Jury Mention – Regarding Susan Sontag - Directed: Nancy Kates (US).

Best Documentary Editing – Sabine Lubbe - Ne Me Quitte Pas (Netherlands, Belgium).

BEST NEW NARRATIVE DIRECTOR COMPETITION:

Best New Narrative Director – Josef Wladyka - Manos Sucias (Colombia, US)

Special Jury Mention – Alonso Ruizpalacios - Güeros (Mexico).

BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR COMPETITION:

Best New Documentary Director – Alan Hicks, “Keep On Keepin’ On.”

SHORT FILM COMPETITION:

Best Narrative Short – The Phone Call - Directed: Mat Kirkby (UK).

Best Documentary Short – One Year Lease - Directed: Brian Bolster (US).

Special Jury Mention – The Next Part - Directed by Erin Sanger (US).

Student Visionary Award – Nesma’s Bird - Directed: Najwan Ali and Medoo Ali (Iraq).

Special Jury Mention – Cycloid - Directed by Tomoki Kurogi (Japan).

Bombay Sapphire Award for Transmedia: Clouds - Created: Jonathan Minard and James George (US).

The Nora Ephron Prize – Zero Motivation - Directed/written: Talya Lavie (Israel).

Special Jury Mention – I Won’t Come Back - Directed: Ilmar Raag (Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Kazhakstan, Russia).

TRIBECA ONLINE FESTIVAL:

Tribeca Online Festival Best Feature Film – Vara: A Blessing - Directed: Khyentse Norbu (Bhutan).

Tribeca Online Festival Best Short Film - Love In The Time Of March Madness - Directed: Melissa Johnson and Robertino Zambramo (US).

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