Tag Archives: Woodstock Film Festival

Victor Nuñez’s “Rachel Hendrix” Named Best Feature Narrative at Woodstock Film Festival

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Victor Nuñez‘s latest project is earning critical acclaim…

The 78-year-old Peruvian American film director and college professor’s film Rachel Hendrix has been awarded the Best Feature Narrative Award at the 24th annual Woodstock Film Festival, the top narrative prize at the festival.

Victor NuñezNuñez wrote and directed the drama film starring Lori Singer about a professor who experiences a relapse of grief one year after the death of her husband, received WFF’s top narrative prize.

Narrative jurors includes director Ramin Bahrani, producer Ted Hope and Blair Breard.

Rachel Hendrix Movie by Victor NuñezIn a joint statement, the jurors said: “Independent film arrived over 50 years ago with th promise of a grand yet humble ambition, to deliver emotionally truthful, highly specific tales on an economy of means. Our prize winner did this and more. For its soulful, sincere and thoughtful examination of character, place and loss, an inspiring confidence in its choices and commitment to authenticity. The film displays an honest and necessary pace and tone, and a truly amazing and unique performance that captures a life lived in both love and challenges, while never falling short in anything it deliver, but most of all, showing love and commitment to family despite the many hardships that come with it, and ignites the rarest of phenomena: true honest emotion.”

The five-day festival, which ran from September 27 to October 1 in New York’s Hudson Valley, about 100 miles north of Manhattan.

Nuñez’s previous credits include Ulee’s Gold, Ruby in Paradise and A Flash of Green.

Here’s the full list of the WFF winners:

Best Feature Narrative Award: Victor Nunez’s “Rachel Hendrix”
Best Feature Documentary: Madeleine Gavin’s “Beyond Utopia”
Best Narrative Editing Award: “Asleep In My Palm,” edited by Max Ethan Miller
Best Documentary Editing Award: “Beyond Utopia,” edited by Madeleine Gavin
Haskell Wexler Award For Best Cinematography: “Asleep In My Palm,” directed by Henry Nelson, cinematography by Tatjana Krstevski
NYWIFT Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking Awards: “No Accident,” directed by Kristi Jacobson, and “Three Birthdays,” directed by Jane Weinstock
World of Ha Change-Maker Award: “Razing Liberty Square” directed by Katija Esson
Best Documentary Short Award: “Deciding Vote.” directed by Jeremy Workman and Robert Lyons
Best Narrative Short Award: “Ricky,” directed by Rashad Frett
Best Animated Short Award: “Sunflower Field,” directed by Polina Buchak
Ultra Indie Award: “No Right Way,” directed by Chelsea Bo
Best Student Short Award: “Swim Captain,” directed by Christa Haley

Verela Receives Special Tribute at This Year’s Woodstock Film Festival

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Carlos Verela receives an all-star welcome to New York…

The 52-year-old Cuban singer-songwriter of nueva trova was honored at the opening of this year’s Woodstock Film Festival.

Carlos Verela & Jackson Browne

The “fiercely independent” festival, featuring a challenging collection of screenings, panels, special events and parties in the New York towns of Woodstock, Rhinebeck, Saugerties, Rosendale and Kingston kicked off this week with the documentary Poet Of Havana held at the Ulster Performing Arts Center in Kingston.

There, following a Q&A with director Ron Chapman and his subject, Verela, special guest Jackson Browne performed a tribute to a heroic artist who speaks for a generation of Cubans, including those affected by the longstanding U.S. embargo that has only recently begun to soften.

To wit: Valero and his band only learned the day before the screening that they would actually be allowed to leave Cuba for the event.

Unknown in America and fighting decades of censorship in Cuba, Verela is greatly admired by the likes of Browne, actor Benicio Del Toro and many international musicians.

Speaking at the Q&A, Browne said, “To see Carlos in Cuba playing for Cubans was a very emotional thing, and to see him play in the United States for Cubans is also very emotional. He expresses something about their common story that is not presented anywhere else.”

Browne accompanied his comrade on Verela’s song “Walls and Doors,” which Browne also released on his 2014 album, Standing In The Breach.