Austin Film Festival Announces Audience, Jury Awards

The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, which took both audience and jury prizes for best narrative feature at this year's Austin Film Festival

The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, the true story of the 2011 death of the 68-year-old Marine veteran in his White Plains home by cops, and the complete failure of the justice system to hold anyone accountable, has been announced as one of the big winners at this year's Austin Film Festival.

The true story of a man butchered for no reason picked up not only the jury award for best narrative feature, but also the audience award. Writer/director David Midell said he was honored to receive the prizes, adding, "From the day we started working on the project, our primary goals have been to honor the story of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr., and ask important questions about the way our criminal justice system treats individuals with mental health challenges, people of color, and people in low-income areas."

That's just two of the many awards and fellowships given out by the festival, including the audience documentary prize which went to the Austin-made feature Cowboys, directed by John Langmore and Bud Force.

Here's the full list of honorees: Congrats to all who made the list.

Audience Awards

Marquee Feature: Last Week at Ed’s, directed by Meg and Lawrence Kasdan (read our review here).

Narrative Feature: The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, written and directed by David Midell

Documentary Feature: Cowboys, directed by John Langmore and Bud Force (read our interview with the filmmakers here).

Dark Matters Feature: Noise, written and directed by Jérémy Laval

Comedy Vanguard Feature: The Planters, written and directed by Alexandra Kotcheff and Hannah Leder

Texas Independent Feature: When We Last Spoke, written by Joanne Hock and Rick Eldridge, directed by Joanne Hock

Narrative Short: "The President and the Crossing Keeper," written by Jean-Marc Peyrefitte and Marc Syrigas, directed by Jean-Marc Peyrefitte

Documentary Short: "Dead Woman’s Pass," directed by Alexander Houghton

Animated Short: "The Fox and the Bird," written by Christophe Pagnon and Vincent Gessler, directed by Sam and Fred Guillaume

Narrative Student Short: "Holy Jail," written and directed by Maria Lavelle

Produced Digital Series Presented by Stage 13: Brothers from the Suburbs, created by Patrick Wimp

Jury Winners

Narrative Feature: The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, written and directed by David Midell

Documentary Feature: Flannery, written and directed by Elizabeth Coffman and Mark Bosco

Comedy Vanguard Feature: The Planters, written and directed by Alexandra Kotcheff and Hannah Leder

Dark Matters Feature: Macabre, written by Lucas Paraizo and Rita Gloria Curvo, directed by Marcos Prado

Narrative Short: "Call Connect." written by Indianna Bell, directed by Indianna Bell and Josiah Allen

Narrative Student Short: "Black Goat" written and directed by Yi Tang

Documentary Short: "The Mortician of Manila" directed by Leah Borromeo

Animated Short: "The Kite" written and directed by Martin Smatana

Produced Digital Series Presented by Stage 13: Brothers from the Suburbs, created by Patrick Wimp

Script Competition

Drama Screenplay Award presented by the Writers Guild of America, East: Scandalous! by Matthew Fantaci

Comedy Screenplay Award presented by Sony Pictures Animation: Rearranged by Zarna Garg and Greg Fortier

Sci-Fi Screenplay Award: Service Animals by Christopher Corte

Enderby Entertainment Award (scripts that can be produced under $10 million): Service Animals by Christopher Corte

Horror Screenplay Award: Delirium by Alex D Reid

AMC Drama Teleplay Pilot Award: Ghostrunner by Jonathan Flicker

Comedy Pilot Award: Good Lord by Tillery Johnson

Short Screenplay Award: "You are My Fish and I Will Keep You Alive" by Em Frederick

Scripted Digital Series Award presented by Stage 13: Incoming by David Singer

Drama Teleplay Spec Award: The Crown: "Heir Apparent" by Lygia Gordon

Comedy Teleplay Spec Award: Atlanta: "Ghetto Submarine" by Kyra Rogers

Playwriting Award: "After the Fall" by Miki Kim

Fiction Podcast Award: Old Forks Inn by Rose Judson

Josephson Entertainment Screenwriting Fellowship

Feature Screenplay: Service Animals by Christopher Corte

Teleplay Pilot: Faith Breaker by Sam Alper

Humanitas Originals

When a Flower Falls by Zoe Cheng

Rooster Teeth Fellowship

The Daily Dowager by Jon Comulada

Development Deals

• All the President’s Women by Naomi Brodkin
• Fitter Families by Caitlin Scherer
• Rearranged by Zarna Garg and Greg Fortier