MAINE FEATURES TOURMALINE PRIZES

The Festival champions Maine-made films through the inaugural Tourmaline Prizes. The Tourmaline Prizes, named for Maine’s state gem, are juried awards recognizing the best Maine-made films of the festival. At the closing night of MIFF, a $5,000 prize will be awarded to the best feature film, and a $2,500 prize, sponsored by the Sterrs Family will be awarded to the best short film.

The Jury

Ian Cheney: Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker of ten feature documentaries including KING CORN (2007), awarded a George Foster Peabody Award, THE SEARCH FOR GENERAL TSO (2014), and THE LONG COAST (2020) about the lives and livelihoods of Maine’s coastal communities.

Seth Kim: Assistant Professor of Cinema Studies, Colby College

Jonna McKone: Photographer, producer and filmmaker. Her film ALL LIGHT, EVERYWHERE received a Special Jury Award at the 2021 Sundance U.S. Documentary competition.

Dennis Perkins: Freelance film writer, “Indie Film” columnist for the Portland Press Herald

Laura Schenck: Filmmaker and Director of Visual Productions, Executive Producer for TV and Special Projects at Maine Public and Maine Community Films

Monday, July 11 9:30 P.M. | RR1

Saturday, July 16 12:15 P.M. | RR2

USA 2022 - DCP - 59 minutes, in English Director, Screenplay, Producer: Henry Spritz Cast: Wylie Soltes, Matice Maino

Print Courtesy: Henry Spritz

Two young artists attempt to create a memorial for their hometown and their generation’s experience there before there’s no one left who remembers. “SUNNER is the film that I always dreamed about making... [one] that captured the beauty of growing up in Maine while also addressing the opioid epidemic and the difficulties that face our state, which we have to accept as we leave childhood” - Director Henry Spritz. Filmed in Belfast, Sanford, Portland, and Westbrook with a cast of childhood friends and local talent, Spritz began this project with no professional experience, no money, and no idea how to make a feature length film. But together as a cast and crew, the filmmakers learned to be vulnerable and creative together by producing something solely for the love of filmmaking and storytelling.

—Nancy Bixler, Jak Peters, Taylor Peterson, Bria Watson

Shown With

USA 2022 - DCP - 13 minutes, in English

Statelines

Director, Screenplay, Producer: Henry Spritz

Cast: Finn Scott

A young man contemplates a violent act.

—Nancy Bixler, Jak Peters, Taylor Peterson, Bria Watson

Sponsored by Peter and Joan Beckerman