Here at The Awards Circuit, we pride ourselves in discussing all things “awards.” I felt it only appropriate that on behalf of the site, I deliver some personal category awards for this year’s Los Angeles Film Festival™. Let me first say that it was a very difficult process coming up with the winners, but do know that there are some very worthy films that unfortunately didn’t receive an award that must be seen pronto. After the jump, you’ll once again see the full list of screenings I attended for memory refreshment purposes, followed by the announcement of the category award winners. Check it out…

List of My LAFF Screenings (with review score):
The Queen of Versailles (Documentary Competition – ***1/2)
Beasts of the Southern Wild (Gala – ****)
Gimme The Loot (Summer Showcase – **1/2)
Juan of the Dead (The Beyond – ***)
An Oversimplification of her Beauty (Summer Showcase – ***)
All is Well (Narrative Competition – ***1/2)
Reportero (Summer Showcase – **1/2)
Gayby (Summer Showcase – ***)
Question Bridge: Black Males (Free Screening – ***)
La Camioneta — The Journey of One American School Bus (Summer Showcase – **)
Drought (Documentary Competition – ***1/2)
Canicula (International Showcase – **1/2)
The Last Elvis (International Showcase – ***)
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (Gala – ***)
Summer Games (International Showcase – ****)
Neil Young Journeys (Summer Showcase – **)
Crazy & Thief (Narrative Competition – ***)
The Strawberry Tree (International Showcase – ***)
Searching for Sugar Man (Summer Showcase – ***)
Middle of Nowhere (Gala – ***1/2)
P-047 (International Showcase – ***)
Robot and Frank (Summer Showcase – ***1/2)
About Face (Summer Showcase – **1/2)
Unforgivable (International Showcase – ***)
Celeste and Jesse (Summer Showcase – **)
Without Gorky (International Competition – ***)
Dead Man’s Burden (Narrative Competition – ***1/2)
Big Easy Express (Summer Showcase – ***)
Bestiaire (International Showcase – **1/2)
It’s a Disaster (Summer Showcase – ***1/2)
Neighboring Sounds (International Showcase – **1/2)
The House I Live In (Documentary Competition – ***)
Brave (Gala – ***)
People Like Us (Summer Showcase – ***)
Call Me Kuchu (Documentary Competition – ****)
A Band Called Death (Documentary Competition – ***1/2)

Category Awards: Summer Showcase

Best Actor: Frank Langella, Robot & Frank

Best Actress: Jenn Harris, Gayby

Best Supporting Actor: David Cross, It’s A Disaster

Best Supporting Actress: Elizabeth Banks, People Like Us

Best Narrative Film: It’s A Disaster

Best Documentary Film: The Queen of Versailles

Best International Film: Searching For Sugar Man

Best Screenplay: Adam Leon, Gimme The Loot

Best Cinematography: Matthew E. Bray & Shawn Peters, An Oversimplification of her Beauty

Best Director: Todd Berger, It’s A Disaster

Best Overall Film: It’s a Disaster

Category Awards: International Showcase

Best Actor: Armando Condolucci, Summer Games

Best Actress: Carole Bouquet, Unforgivable

Best Supporting Actor: Mauro Conte, Unforgivable

Best Supporting Actress: Fiorella Campanella, Summer Games

Best Narrative Film: Summer Games

Best Documentary Film: The Strawberry Tree

Best Screenplay: Rolando Colla & Roberto Scarpetti, Summer Games

Best Cinematography: Lorenz Merz, Summer Games

Best Director: Rolando Colla, Summer Games

Best Overall Film: Summer Games

Category Awards: Gala

Best Actor: David Oyelowo, Middle of Nowhere

Best Actress: Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Supporting Actor: Dwight Henry, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Supporting Actress: Lorraine Toussaint, Middle of Nowhere

Best Screenplay: Benh Zeitlin & Lucy Alibar, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Cinematography: Ben Richardson, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Director: Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Overall Film: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Category Awards: Documentary Competition

Best Cinematography: Everardo González, Drought

Best Internationally-Produced Documentary: Drought

Best American-Produced Documentary: Call Me Kuchu

Best Director: Katherine Fairfax-Wright & Malika Zouhali-Worrall, Call Me Kuchu

Best Overall Film: Call Me Kuchu

Category Awards: Narrative Competition

Best Actor: Barlow Jacobs, Dead Man’s Burden

Best Actress: Clare Bowen, Dead Man’s Burden

Best Supporting Actor: Joseph Lyle Taylor, Dead Man’s Burden

Best Supporting Actress: Cheila Lima, All Is Well

Best Internationally-Produced Narrative Film: All Is Well

Best American-Produced Narrative Film: Dead Man’s Burden

Best Screenplay: Pocas Pascoal, All Is Well

Best Cinematography: Robert Hauer, Dead Man’s Burden

Best Director: Pocas Pascoal, All Is Well

Best Overall Film: All Is Well

And now…

The Overall Festival Awards:

Best Actor: Armando Condolucci, Summer Games

Best Actress: Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild 

Best Supporting Actor: Dwight Henry, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Supporting Actress: Elizabeth Banks, People Like Us

Best Documentary Film: Call Me Kuchu

Best International Film: Summer Games

Best Short Film: Paperman, Disney®

Best Visual Effects: Juan of the Dead

Best Original Score: Dan Romer and Ben Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Original Song: “Touch the Sky,” Brave (Julie Fowlis)

Best Sound: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Costume Design: Dead Man’s Burden

Best Art Direction: Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Film Editing: Crockett Doob & Alfonso Goncalves, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Screenplay: Adam Leon, Gimme The Loot

Best Cinematography: Ben Richardson, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Director: Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best LAFF Film (Honorable Mention): Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best LAFF Film (Runner-Up): Call Me Kuchu

And the winner for BEST LAFF Film is…

*drum roll*

SUMMER GAMES

Congratulations to all the winners, especially Summer Games. Despite not making the Oscar shortlist for “Best Foreign Language Film” last year, this Swiss film fully captivated me and was without question the movie most deserving of my highest accolade. I don’t have an official award to give Summer Games, but what I can do is show off the trailer to get people excited for when it does release stateside. Without further ado, here is the official trailer for The Awards Circuit’s “Best Film from LAFF,” Summer Games:

Hope you all enjoyed, and a HUGE congrats to all of our LAFF award winners!

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