2015 Awards Finalists Announced! Winners to Be Unveiled at Saturday Closing Night Party

Ahead of its closing day festivities, the Twin Cities Film Fest has announced the winners of two of its top prizes, as well as finalists for the five remaining award categories. The full slate of winners will be announced Saturday evening at the organization’s closing night party, to be held shortly after the screening of the TCFF Closing Night Selection “Thank You For Playing” (8 p.m. Saturday).

Minnesota native and Oscar nominee John Hawkes previously appeared in person to receive the 2015 TCFF Northstar Award for Excellence. Also previously announced: Dr. Heather Huseby, Executive Director of YouthLink Minnesota, received the 2015 TCFF Changemaker Award.

21 finalists were announced Thursday evening for the festival’s five top categories:

Best Feature Film: Finalists include Patricia Riggen’s “The 33” (showing 5pm Saturday), Emily Ting’s “It’s Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong,” John Crowley’s “Brooklyn” (showing 8pm Friday), Charles Hood’s “Night Owls” (showing 7:30pm Friday), Stéphanie Joalland’s “The Quiet Hour” (showing 2:45pm Saturday) and Lenny Abrahamson’s “Room.”

Best Documentary: Finalists include Brent Baum’s “Finding Noah” (showing 10:10am Saturday), Tim Kinzy and Andrew Seklir’s “Man vs. Snake: The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler” (showing 12:45pm Saturday), Samuel Miron and Stephen Scott Scarpulla’s “A New High” (showing 12:30pm Friday), J.D. O’Brien’s “Out in the Cold” (showing 7:30pm Saturday) and David Osit and Malika Zouhali-Worrall’s
“Thank You For Playing” (showing 8pm Saturday)

Best Short Film: Finalists include Sarah Smith’s “D. Asian,” Sarah Kuck and Saman Maydani’s “Even the Walls,” Jesse Zwick’s “Jim & Helen Forever,” Ian Samuels’ “Myrna the Monster” and Annie Silverstein’s “Skunk”

Indie Vision, Breakthrough Film: Finalists include Charlie Kaufman’s “Anomalisa,” J.D. O’Brien’s “Out in the Cold,” Greg Bro’s “Thugs: The Musical,” Dennis Hauck’s “Too Late” and Frank Hall Green’s “Wildlike” (showing 12:15pm Saturday)

Indie Vision, Breakthrough Performance: Finalists include Krisha Fairchild, actress in “Krisha” (showing 5:40pm Friday); Shayn Herndon, actor in “The Just”; Saoirse Ronan, actress in “Brooklyn” (showing 8pm Friday); Rosa Salazar, actress in “Night Owls” (showing 7:30pm Friday) and Nathan Tymoshuk, actor in both “Snail Mail” and “The Writer.”

Two audience awards will also be announced Saturday evening – one for an invited feature film and one for a standout short production. Those who attend the festival on Friday and Saturday will be able to cast their ballots for the 2015 audience award competition.

Limited tickets for Friday and Saturday screenings remain available. All ticketholders get access to the evening’s after party at the official TCFF Festival Lounge, located inside the Shops at the West End in St. Louis Park. More info at twincitiesfilmfest.org.