SXSW Film Festival announces 2015 Jury and Special Award winners

The Jury and Special Award-winners of the 2015 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival were announced at the Festival's Award Ceremony at the Paramount Theatre on March 17.

The 2015 SXSW Film Festival Awards:

Feature Film Jury Awards

NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION

Grand Jury Winner: KRISHA

Director: Trey Edward Shults

Special Jury Recognition for Visual Excellence: Creative Control

Director: Benjamin Dickinson

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION

Grand Jury Winner: Peace Officer

Directors: Scott Christopherson, Brad Barber

Special Jury Recognition for Directing: A Woman Like Me

Directors: Alex Sichel, Elizabeth Giamatti

Special Jury Recognition for Editing: Twinsters

Editor: Jeff Consiglio

Short Film Jury Awards

NARRATIVE SHORTS

Winner: Pink Grapefruit

Director: Michael Mohan

Special Jury Recognition: Share

Director: Pippa Bianco

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

Winner: Boxeadora

Director: Meg Smaker

MIDNIGHT SHORTS

Winner: Kiss Kiss Fingerbang

Director: Gillian Wallace Horvat

ANIMATED SHORTS

Winner: World of Tomorrow

Director: Don Hertzfeldt

Special Jury Recognition: teeth

Directors: Daniel Gray, Tom Brown

MUSIC VIDEOS

Winner: Paolo Nutini - "Iron Sky"

Director: Daniel Wolfe

Special Jury Recognition: DJ Snake featuring Lil' Jon - "Turn Down for What"

Director: DANIELS

TEXAS SHORTS

Winner: The Samaritans

Director: John Bryant

TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS

Winner: It's A Thing

Directors: Meredith Morran, Sage McCommas

SXSW Film Design Awards

EXCELLENCE IN POSTER DESIGN

Winner: Manson Family Vacation

Designer: Yen Tan

Special Jury Recognition: The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson

Designer: Jonny Halifax

EXCELLENCE IN TITLE DESIGN

Winner: Manhattan

Designer: Dan Gregoras for Imaginary Forces

Special Jury Recognition: The Fitzroy

Designers: Chris Tozer, Marko Anstice

SXSW Special Awards

SXSW Gamechanger Award

Winner: Yvonne Kerékgyártó, Free Entry

Louis Black "Lone Star" Award

Winner: Western

Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross

Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship

Presented to: Anna Gustavi

The 2015 SXSW Film Festival Juries consisted of:

Narrative Feature Competition: Kyle Buchanan, Wesley Morris, Krista Smith

Documentary Feature Competition: Tabitha Jackson, Jason Spingarn-Koff, Alison Willmore

Shorts Program: Jeffrey Bowers, Eric Allen Hatch, Lisa Ogdie

Documentary Shorts: Gina Duncan, Charlie Phillips, Sara Rüster

Animated Shorts: Bernardo Britto, Katie Krentz, Mark Shapiro

Midnight Shorts: Kristen Bell, Roxanne Benjamin, Mette-Marie Katz

Music Videos: John T. Kunz, Maria Reinup, Kelsey Wilson

Texas Shorts: Katy Daiger Dial, Chris Ohlson, Kelly Williams

Texas High School Shorts: Bob Ray, Emily Hagins, Bart Weiss

Louis Black "Lone Star": Victor Diaz, Marcy Garriott, Joe Leydon

Title Sequence Design: Simon Clowes, Karin Fong, Ben Radatz

Poster Design: Sean Carnegie, Tim League, Kevin Tong

Over the course of nine days, the 2015 SXSW Film Festival screened over 150 features, consisting of 102 World Premieres, 14 North American Premieres and 11 U.S. Premieres with 62 first-time directors. 106 shorts screened as part of 10 curated shorts programs. The 257 films were selected from a record number of overall submissions, nearly 7500, comprised of approximately 2426 features and 4935 shorts, with an overall increase of 13% over 2014.