The 25th GAZE International LGBT Film Festival took place in Dublin last weekend and organisers have announced the winners of the GAZE Film Awards 2017.
The juried awards were chosen by an independent Irish and international film jury and were awarded as follows: BEST IRISH SHORT went to Michael Moody Culpepper’s Three Friends, based on a Colm Tóibín short story, BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT went to French director Céline Devaux’s Sunday Lunch, and BEST DOCUMENTARY went to American investigative reporter and filmmaker David France’s The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson.
The Death and Life of Marsha P JohnsonThe AUDIENCE AWARD was chosen by the GAZE audience, from an exit poll taken after each festival screening. The SPIRIT OF GAZE AWARD was deliberated on by the GAZE festival board, who chose the film they believe best embodies the spirit of this year’s festival. Both of these went to the opening night film, Linda Cullen and Vanessa Gildea’s The 34th.
This year’s festival jury compromised of four fantastic individuals – John Butler (Director), Muffin Hix (Programmer – Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Festival), Gar O’Brien (Programmer – Galway Film Fleadh) and Paul Rowley (Filmmaker / Activist).