38th Boston Film Festival Presents Awards for Wide Ranging Film Program

The Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport sponsored the 2022 film festival including the closing night party at the Lifted Pool Bar.

(left to right) Jason Scott Lee, Lindsay Watson, Kahiau N Perreira, The Wind & the Reckoning

The 38th Boston Film Festival announced the awards for the live event program. An array of topics highlighted this year’s program including comedy, suspense, drama, historical, environmental, nature and connection.

Several theatres throughout Boston hosted the screenings that included three World Premiere Films and three U.S. Premiere films. Feature film The Wind & The Reckoning dominated, winning 8 awards including Best Screenplay to John Fusco (The Highwaymen, Hidalgo), Best Film and Best Director to David Cunningham (The Seeker: The Dark is Rising) and Best ensemble cast. The sweeping drama was shot in Hawaii and tells the true story of a Native Hawaiian ranching family that defies an oppressive new colonial government and faces down American mercenaries led by Civil War Commander (Henry Ian Cusick) rather than have their freedoms ripped away. The film is based on the memoirs of Pi’ilani (depicted by Lindsay Anuhea Watson) who won Best Actress.

(left to right) Jason Scott Lee, David L. Cunningham, John Fusco, Dale Johnson

(left to right) Chris Kemper, Jessica Lowe, Court Crandall - Bromates

(left to right) Chris Kemper and Court Crandall - Bromates

Best Actor was awarded to Tom Pelphrey for his portrayal of a charismatic con man who lands on the FBI’s Most Wanted List in American Murderer, based on the true story of Jason Derek Brown. Best Comedy Bromates is from Director Co-writer Court Crandall (Old School) and Executive Producer Snoop Dogg and stars Lil Rel Howery, Josh Brener, Jessica Lowe, Flula Borg, Taryn Manning, Marla Gibbs, Rob Riggles and Snoop Dogg. It is co-written by Chris Kemper.

Taking Best Documentary Film award is Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West from Director Ashley Avis (Black Beauty). While the documentary The Temptation of Trees won both the EcoFilm the Mass Impact Awards, the doc premiered as part of an environmental program at the Boston Public Library.

Three awards were given to Short films including: Best Short Before We Die (Director, Kate diRienzi); Best Foreign Short Mate (Director,Geroge-Alex Nagle); and Best Comedic Short What Wilderness Permits (Director, Joel Marsh).

More information about The Boston Film Festival can be found at: https://bostonfilmfestival.org/.

John Fusco - The Wind & The Reckoning

(left to right) Edward Winters and Ashley Avis - Wild Beauty

FULL LIST OF AWARD WINNERS:

*Best Film The Wind & The Reckoning - David Cunningham, Director

*Best Actor Tom Pelphrey (Ozark) - American Murderer

*Best Actress Lindsay Watson (Finding O’Hana) - The Wind & The Reckoning

*Best Screenplay John Fusco - The Wind & The Reckoning

*Best Director David Cunningham - The Wind & The Reckoning

*Best Cinematography Scott Lee Mason - The Wind & The Reckoning

*Best Story The Wind & The Reckoning - John Fusco Writer (based on the writings of Pi'ilani)

*Best Editing Kyle Gilbertson - The Wind & The Reckoning

*Best Ensemble Cast The Wind & The Reckoning - Jason Scott Lee, Lindsay Watson, Henry Ian Cusick, Johnathon Schaech, Lance Kerwin, Ron Yuan, Matt Corboy

*Audience Favorite Bromates - Court Crandall, Director, Co-writer

*Best Music American Murderer - Scott Gentile, Composer

*Best Documentary Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West - Ashley Avis, Director, Writer

*Mass Impact Award The Temptation of Trees - Andrea Sparrow, Director, Writer

*EcoFilm The Temptation of Trees - Andrea Sparrow, Director, Writer

*Best Film The Wind & The Reckoning, David Cunningham, Director

*Best Short Film Before We Die, Kate diRienzi, Director

*Best Foreign Short Mate, Geroge-Alex Nagle, Director

*Best Comedic Short What Wilderness Permits - Joel Marsh, Director

Sponsors for the 2022 Boston Film Festival are

A & E, Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, Hawaiian Airlines, Dream Alley Pictures, Boston Light & Sound, The Flie, Don’t Tread on Me Entertainment, Boston Public Library, Shalin Liu Performance Center, The Wilbur.