For only the second time, the Stockholm Film Festival's Best Film award was presented to a female director, Laurie Collyer, whose feature-film debut, Sherrybaby, took the festival's top prize and brought star Maggie Gyllenhaal a Best Actress award. Earlier this year, Sherrybaby won those two honors at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
The U.S.-made Sherrybaby tells the story of a former heroin addict who, after serving a three-year jail sentence, tries to prove to herself and to those around her that she can take care of her little daughter.
The Best Actor award went to Canadian-born Ryan Gosling for his superb portrayal of an idealistic drug-addicted New York City high-school teacher in the Ryan Fleck's Half Nelson, which has been nominated in three categories — including Best Film — for the Gotham (independent American film) Awards. Gosling has already won a Best Actor award the Seattle Film Festival.
The Best Directorial Debut award went to Daniel Sánchez Arévalo for Azuloscurocasinegro / Darkbluealmostblack, a Spanish drama about a young man's search for his own identity.
Beatrix Christian won the Best Screenplay award for Jindabyne, a psychological drama revolving around family relations, racism, and murder in a small Australian town. Jindabyne has been nominated for 9 Australian Film Institute awards, including Best Film. Directed by Ray Lawrence, it stars Laura Linney and Gabriel Byrne.
The Audience Award went to Little Miss Sunshine, the crowd-pleasing (I'm clearly not part of the crowd) American comedy about a dysfunctional — but oh-so-loving — New Mexico family who discovers the profound lesson that life shouldn't be one beauty pageant after another. Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, Little Miss Sunshine stars Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Abigail Breslin, and Steve Carell.
Full list of winners at the 17th Stockholm Film Festival.
Asia-Pacific Film Festival 2006 Winners
Thessaloniki Film Festival 2006 Winners
Maggie Gyllenhaal is a REALLY underated actres. I can't believe that her bro has been nominated for an Oscar and she hasn't.