2020 Award Winners

And the award goes to… | Every year Denver Film Festival audiences and juries cast their votes for eligible award recipients and picks the best of the best from the festival.

“The curatorial excellence of DFF43 was on full display and in line with the elevated level we have exhibited to our audiences for decades.”

Britta Erickson Festival Director

“We were blown away by the positive response and engagement from cinema lovers throughout the state. We could not be more pleased with the outcome and are so proud of the award-winning films selected from such a strong class of DFF43 titles.”

Matthew Campbell

Artistic Director – Denver Film Festival

2020 Rare Pearl Award Winner

NOMADLAND: 2020 Rare Pearl Award Winner

NOMADLAND

Director: Chloé Zhao

2020 Audience Awards

The following films were recognized as the People’s Choice Award winners for the 43rd Denver Film Festival by a tally of ballots.

MINARI: 2020 People's Choice Award | Best Narrative Feature

Narrative Feature

MINARI

BEYOND ZERO: 2020 People's Choice Award | Best Documentary Feature

Documentary Feature

BEYOND ZERO

D-REP FIGHT FOR LIFE: 2020 People's Choice Award | Best Short Subject

Short Subject Film

D-REP: FIGHT FOR LIFE

HIMNO - NEOMA: 2020 People's Choice Award | Best Music Video

Music Video

HIMNO BY NEOMA

2020 Excellence in Acting Awards

The following actors were recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for their outstanding performances in acting.

Zazie Beetz: 2020 Excellence in Acting

Nine Days

ZAZIE BEETZ

Winston Duke: 2020 Excellence in Acting

Nine Days

WINSTON DUKE

Steven Yuen: 2020 Excellence in Acting

Minari

STEVEN YUEN

2020 Emerging Filmmaker Award

The following director was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for their breakout performance.

Edson Oda: 2020 Emerging Filmmaker

Nine Days

EDSON ODA

2020 Lifetime Achievement Award

The following director was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for their breakout performance.

FREDERICK WISEMAN: 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award

City Hall

FREDERICK WISEMAN

2020 Krzysztof Kieslowski Award

The following film was recognized by a expert panel of three jurors for best feature film of the festival.

ATLANTIS: 2020 Krzysztof Kieslowski Award

Best Narrative Feature Film

ATLANTIS

2020 Liberty Global Domestic Student Filmmaker Award

The following film was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for the best domestic short film.

BITTU: 2020 Liberty Global Domestic Student Filmmaker Award

BITTU

2020 Liberty Global International Student Filmmaker Award

The following film was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for best international short.

DA YIE: 2020 Liberty Global International Student Filmmaker Award

DA YIE

2020 Short Film Grandy Jury Prize

The following short film was recognized by a expert panel of jurors for best short film of the entire film festival.

HUDSON GEESE: 2020 Short Film Grandy Jury Prize

HUDSON GEESE

2020 American Independent Award

The following film was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for the best American Indie feature.

FAREWELL AMOR

2020 Maysles Brothers Best Documentary Award

The following film was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for best documentary feature.

THE REASON I JUMP

2020 Marilyn Marsh Saint-Veltri Award

The following film was recognized by a panel of jurors for best student animated short film of the festival.

2020 Marilyn Marsh Saint-Veltri Award

2020 Award Winners

And the award goes to… | Every year Denver Film Festival audiences and juries cast their votes for eligible award recipients and picks the best of the best from the festival.

“The curatorial excellence of DFF43 was on full display and in line with the elevated level we have exhibited to our audiences for decades.”

Britta Erickson Festival Director

“We were blown away by the positive response and engagement from cinema lovers throughout the state. We could not be more pleased with the outcome and are so proud of the award-winning films selected from such a strong class of DFF43 titles.”

Matthew Campbell

Artistic Director – Denver Film Festival

2020 Rare Pearl Award Winner

NOMADLAND

2020 Audience Awards

The following films were recognized as the People’s Choice Award winners for the 43rd Denver Film Festival by a tally of ballots.

MINARI

BEYOND ZERO

D-REP: FIGHT FOR LIFE

HIMNO BY NEOMA

2020 Excellence in Acting Awards

The following actors were recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for their outstanding performances in acting.

ZAZIE BEETZ

WINSTON DUKE

STEVEN YUEN

2020 Emerging Filmmaker Award

The following director was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for their breakout performance.

EDSON ODA

2020 Lifetime Achievement Award

The following director was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for their breakout performance.

FREDERICK WISEMAN

2020 Krzysztof Kieslowski Award

The following film was recognized by a expert panel of three jurors for best feature film of the festival.

ATLANTIS

2020 Liberty Global Domestic Student Filmmaker Award

The following film was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for the best domestic short film.

BITTU

2020 Liberty Global International Student Filmmaker Award

The following film was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for best international short.

DA YIE

2020 Short Film Grandy Jury Prize

The following short film was recognized by a expert panel of jurors for best short film of the entire film festival.

HUDSON GEESE

2020 American Independent Award

The following film was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for the best American Indie feature.

FAREWELL AMOR

2020 Maysles Brothers Best Documentary Award

The following film was recognized by the 43rd Denver Film Festival for best documentary feature.

THE REASON I JUMP

2020 Marilyn Marsh Saint-Veltri Award

The following film was recognized by a panel of jurors for best student animated short film of the festival.

EADEM CUTIS: THE SAME SKIN