On Monday, February 9th, reporters BRYCE & HARPER worked the red carpet for the Hammond Cinema Vanguard Award, named after Pete Hammond, long-time supporter of and moderator for SBIFF's award.
Here they introduce the evening, and witness the honorees, LEONARDO DiCAPRIO, SEAN PENN, & BENICIO DEL TORO, walk on by during the red carpet. Alas.
The Hammond Cinema Vanguard Award honors artists who have made a unique and significant contribution to film, often through bold creative choices, distinctive storytelling, or a body of work that pushes the medium forward.
Here they spoke with documentary filmmaker ANGIE RUIZ about some of the challenges of making "WONDERS OF THE WOLF", she replied that getting "...permits and go through public affairs...[and]...the weather is volatile. We would be out in minus 10 degrees."
Here they spoke with documentary filmmakers LAUREN DAVID & BANY VARGAS about the inspiration for making "THE GIFT OF DARKNESS". Lauren responded "I feel like hearing stories can help people persevere in life...our film's about an artisan in Oaxaca who becomes blind...and realizing that he can sculpt blind [and] he can see through his hands."
Here they spoke with documentary filmmakers AYANA O’SHUN, STÉPHANE PERRON, and BIANCA BELLANGE about the most challenging aspect of making "FATHER'S DAY". Ayana responded "[It] was actually telling the story, because it stems from a personal story. It's the story of myself growing up without a father."
Here they spoke with animation filmmakers DESIRAE MOORE, SHIVANI DEVI GOBALAKICHENIN, and SUNDAY CROSS about the inspiration for "RUSTY". Desirae responded "...it was a little bit jarring being in the city all of a sudden...there seems to be this war between, like, technology and nature. And I just wanted to make something about those things coexisting, and how we can have both."
Here they spoke with documentary filmmakers MADELINE DOWN and BRAD M. JOHNSON about the inspiration for "SENSE OF EMERGENCY". Madeline responded "...it stems from the paramedic that saved my mom's life when she had a cardiac arrest, so it was kind of following him."
Here they spoke with Norwegian filmmakers GURO EKORNHOLMEN and ANNIKEN FJESME about the inspiration for "PICK-ME-UP (NATTMAT)". Anniken responded "I drove my mother-in-law to a high school reunion. And I knew she would be picked up by her mother, so they're in their 60s and 80s. And they've been bickering all day. So I thought there's a nice film there."