WATERVILLE — The Maine Film Center announces the winners of the Tourmaline Prizes and the Audience Favorite Award at the 26th annual Maine International Film Festival. This year’s MIFF featured nearly 100 films, 23 of which were made in Maine.
The juried Tourmaline Prizes, named for Maine’s state gem, recognize the best Maine-made films of the festival. Prizes were awarded to one feature-length and one short film.
The winner of the Tourmaline Prize for best feature film and a $5,000 prize was “We Are the Warriors” a documentary centering on the controversy in Wells, following accusations of indigenous culture mockery by the local high school team fans. The film was co-directed by David Camlin and Megan Grumbling, both Wells High grads.
The winner of the Tourmaline Prize for best short film and a $2,500 prize was “See You In April,” directed by Alec Helm. The documentary visits North Street Dairy Cone, a beloved mom-and-pop establishment that has been lovingly crafting ice cream for 58 years in Waterville, Maine. Helm explores how the seasonal business manages to flourish year after year and poses the question of what lies ahead once the owners decide to retire.
Throughout the festival, audiences voted for their favorite feature films. The winner of this year’s Audience Favorite Award is “What I Want You to Know,” directed by Catie Foertsch, which tells the story of the costs, consequences, and casualties of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through interviews with service members who were there, including two Mainers.
MIFF is a project of the Maine Film Center and is made possible by presenting sponsors Waterville Creates, Colby College, and the Lawry Family Foundation.
Maine Film Center educates, entertains, and builds community through film. As Maine’s first independent art house cinema and host of the 10-day, 100-film Maine International Film Festival, MFC shows the best of American independent, international, and repertory film–and offers the best popcorn in the known universe. For more information visit MaineFilmCenter.org.
