2009 Los Angeles Film Festival WInners

Congratulations to the winners of Film Independent's 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival, which wraps up with tonight's Closing Screening of Ponyo, by Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki.

Winner of the Narrative Competition - and The Target Filmmaker Award, which carries a $50,000 unrestricted grant funded by Target - goes to Sam Fleischner and Ben Chace for Wa Do Dem (What They Do).

Documentary Competition winner - and recipient of The Target Documentary Award, which carries a $50,000 unrestricted grant funded by Target, goes to Those Who Remain (Los Que se Quedan), Juan Carlos Rulfo and Carlos Hagerman (Mexico).

The Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature went to The Stoning of Soraya M., directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh (and written by Nowrasteh and Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh), while Soul Power, directed by Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, took home the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature. Born Without (Nacido Sin), written and directed by Eva Norvind, won the Audience Award for Best International Feature.

The Festival's other winners:

- Outstanding Performance in the Narrative Competition: Shayne Topp, Dear Lemon Lima, directed by Suzi Yoonessi

- Best Narrative Short Film: Antonio Mendez Esparza's Time and Again

- Best Documentary Short Film: Anna Gaskell's Replayground

- Best Animated Short Film: Jeremy Clapin's Skhizein

- Audience Award for Best Short: Instead of Abracadabra, directed by Patrick Eklund

- Audience Award for Best Music Video: Grapevine Fires, directed by Walter Robot, music by Death Cab for Cutie

The Target Dream in Color Award - new this year - recognizes a short film in the Festival's Future Filmmaker Showcase for high school students. The prize includes a Target Gift card for the winning director and a desktop editing system for the winner's school media arts program. This year's award was given to Sam Rubin for Lipstick.

The 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival screened over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries. This year, the Festival received more than 4,600 submissions from filmmakers around the world, with the final selections representing several World, International, North American, and U.S. premieres. For the first time this year, international films were included in the narrative and documentary competition categories.

Film Independent produces the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Spirit Awards. For more information on the 2009 LA Film Festival and Film Independent, go to www.filmindependent.org.