2021 Raven Winners

Finding Ying Ying Takes Best Feature, Liberation Heros: The Last Eyewitnesses Garners Best Short at 2021 DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival

November 06, 2021 — St. George, UT — At the conclusion of its 12th season, The DSU DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival today announced the winners of the 2021 Raven Awards. This year’s Festival presented 100 films from13 countries accepted from both 2020 and 2021 submissions. As always, the subject matter ranged from intense to lighthearted, but this year, many brought the magic of music into the theaters along with the musicians featured in the films. All award-winning films will be shown Saturday at the Pineview Megaplex theaters. See Schedule Below

RAVEN AWARD WINNERS

FEATURES

• Best Feature: Finding Yingying, Director: Jiayan (Jenny) Shi
• Human Spirit: Can You Hear My Voice? Director: Bill Brummel
• DOCUTAH Rise Up Award: That’s Wild, Director: Michiel Thomas
• Humanitarian: Finding Courage, Director: Kay Rubacek
• Artistic Merit: Max Steiner: Maestro of Movie Music, Diana Friedberg
• Humor: Alien on Stage, Directors: Danielle Kummer, Lucy Harvey
• Music: Beethoven in Beijing, Directors: Jennifer Lin, Sharon Mullally
• Digital Film Award: Alexandre the Fool, Director: Pedro Pires
• Dean’s Award: Gianni Berengo Gardin’s Tale of Two Cities, Director: Serbe-Davis
• Audience Favorite: Medicating Normal, Director: Lynn P Cunningham

SHORTS
• Best Short: Liberation Heroes: The Last Eyewitnesses, Director: Vanessa Roth
• Best Foreign Short: Master Brewer, Antti Haase
• Emerging Artist: Trial by Fire, Director: Alex Astrella
• Humanitarian: Veteran’s Journey Home: Kalani’s Story, Director: Frederick Marx
• Artistic Merit: Fighting for Survivors, Director: Melonie Kastman
• Humor-Burnt Toast, Director: Timothy Racca Morrish
• Music- In the Same Direction: Jeff Pifher & Socrates’ Trial, Director: Alexander Craven
• Audience Favorite: Shaba, Director: Ami Vitale, David Allen (Edit Director)

“The films in this year’s Festival, which combined 2020 and 2021 accepted films, were by far some of the finest we have ever had the privilege to show. To be a winning film and take home the Festival’s coveted Raven Award, first and foremost, a documentary must be authentic and professional as well as demonstrating competency in the medium. Each and every one of these films not only had  those attributes, but also vital creativity and use of new technology and techniques,” said Phil Tuckett, Executive Director of DOCUTAH. “We felt it was important this year to put on a full live Festival, rather than going virtual; it appears that the filmmakers and our fans agreed. We’re catching the interest of people who can see that DOCUTAH has the credibility of substantive material that is worth seeing.”

“In its 12th season, DOCUTAH continues to grow and exceed expectations in quality and popularity. The energy that it brings to the DSU campus each school year is extraordinary,” said Dr. Jeffery Jarvis, Executive Producer for DOCUTAH and Dean of the College of the Arts. “Besides catching a wave of recent popularity of documentaries, the added excitement of special events, which compliment the immersive experience, and the involvement of DSU students create a diverse and intimate event. The importance of it as an academic component of this institution cannot be underestimated. Not only do our film students have a chance to work with professionals from the industry to create documentaries, but all our students, no matter their major, can become educated or gain skills and insights in their chosen field.”

 About DOCUTAH 
DOCUTAH celebrates the art of documentary filmmaking, connecting Dixie State University and the community to the world. DOCUTAH offers a unique, entertaining International Documentary Film Festival and year-round programs providing creative, cultural, and educational engagement. (read more)