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THE 2024 NAPLES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES
FILMMAKER AWARD WINNERS
Jeremy Power Regimbal’s Between the Mountain and the Sky
takes both the Jury Prize and the Audience Award
for Best Documentary Feature
Steven Grayhm’s Sheepdog wins the Jury Prize for Best Narrative
Feature, and Anthony Lucero’s The Paper Bag Plan wins
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
Jeremy Power Regimbal (DIR), Maggie Doyne (Subject), Tope Malla (Subject)
and Regimbal/Doyne’s kids with BETWEEN THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SKY’s awards
Naples, FL (October 31, 2024) — The 2024 Naples International Film Festival announced the filmmaker award winners during an emotional Closing Night Awards Ceremony on Sunday, October 27. Jeremy Power Regimbal’s inspirational Between the Mountain and the Sky was a two-time winner, taking both the jury prize (and a cash prize of $2,500) and the Audience Award (and $1,000) for Best Documentary Feature. The jury prize for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $2,500) went to Steven Grayhm’s Sheepdog, and the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature (and $1,000) went to Anthony Lucero’s The Paper Bag Plan. Robert Moniot’s The Ice Cream Man won the Audience Award (and $500) for Best Short Film.
NIFF’s trio of jurors for the 2024 edition of the juried competition included film producer Natalie Metzger (Be Water, Thunder Road), critic and film journalist Sabina Dana Plasse (Film Threat), and Artis—Naples Sharon and Timothy Ubben Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley.
Additional filmmaker awards selected by the festival programmers included Jeff Toye winning NIFF’s signature Focus on the Arts Award and $1,500 for his film, The Opener; Dianne Houston’s Freedom Hair winning the Impact Award; Joe Wein’s 76 Days Adrift, selected as the Programmers’ Choice honoree; and H. Nelson Tracey, director of Breakup Season, taking Best First Feature honors.
Ama Qamata received the Rising Star Award for her performance in Fight Like a Girl, John Klein and Steve Kniss’ Never Not Yours won NIFF’s Indie Spirit Award and Herbert James Winterstern’s Sanibel took the Florida Film Award. Each of these filmmakers also received a $250 cash prize.
NIFF’s trio of jurors for the 2024 edition of the juried competition included film producer Natalie Metzger (Be Water, Thunder Road), critic and film journalist Sabina Dana Plasse (Film Threat), and Artis—Naples Sharon and Timothy Ubben Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley.
Additional filmmaker awards selected by the festival programmers included Jeff Toye winning NIFF’s signature Focus on the Arts Award and $1,500 for his film, The Opener; Dianne Houston’s Freedom Hair winning the Impact Award; Joe Wein’s 76 Days Adrift, selected as the Programmers’ Choice honoree; and H. Nelson Tracey, director of Breakup Season, taking Best First Feature honors.
Ama Qamata received the Rising Star Award for her performance in Fight Like a Girl, John Klein and Steve Kniss’ Never Not Yours won NIFF’s Indie Spirit Award and Herbert James Winterstern’s Sanibel took the Florida Film Award. Each of these filmmakers also received a $250 cash prize.
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Accepting their awards: Joe Wein (76 DAYS ADRIFT), Ke’alohi Lucero, Anthony Lucero
(THE PAPER BAG PLAN), Matt Dallas, Steven Grayhm (SHEEPDOG)
(THE PAPER BAG PLAN), Matt Dallas, Steven Grayhm (SHEEPDOG)
The awards ceremony was an emotional evening with literal tears of joy coming from multiple winners citing their gratitude for their films’ receptions from the Naples audiences and the warmth and care exhibited the NIFF team during their time at the film festival. During his acceptance speech on behalf of his film, Sheepdog, director Steven Grayhm asked the audience to give a standing ovation for veteran Brad Link, who was the real-life inspiration for the film, and they enthusiastically responded. The awards presentations culminated a week which demonstrated why MovieMaker Magazine once again recognized NIFF by naming the festival one of their 50 Film Festivals Worth the Submission Fee in 2024.
NIFF began with its famous Opening Night Film and Party red carpet celebration, which showcased short films with a program entitled Opening Night Shorts: New Perspectives. Nearly 1,000 film fans showed up to see six short films in the majestic Hayes Hall on the Artis—Naples Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus: Sam and David Cutler Kreutz’s Trapped, Nick Russell’s Favourites, TJ O’Grady-Peyton’s Room Taken, Jumai Yusuf’s Nate & John, Adam J. Graves’ Anuja and Ballard C. Boyd’s Night Session. The strong audience response continued in Naples’ newly opened Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, which impressed audiences and filmmakers as it hosted NIFF screenings for the first time. Additional highlights included NIFF’s popular Screenings Under the Stars in Norris Garden on the Artis—Naples cultural campus as well as multiple filmmaker receptions, parties and meet and greets designed to encourage networking and promotion of future collaborations. NIFF concluded by highlighting the multidisciplinary style of the festival with a special closing night presentation of Batman (1989) in Concert presented in Hayes Hall with the film’s score performed live by the Naples Philharmonic, conducted by Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly.
For more information, visit artisnaples.org/niff.
NIFF began with its famous Opening Night Film and Party red carpet celebration, which showcased short films with a program entitled Opening Night Shorts: New Perspectives. Nearly 1,000 film fans showed up to see six short films in the majestic Hayes Hall on the Artis—Naples Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus: Sam and David Cutler Kreutz’s Trapped, Nick Russell’s Favourites, TJ O’Grady-Peyton’s Room Taken, Jumai Yusuf’s Nate & John, Adam J. Graves’ Anuja and Ballard C. Boyd’s Night Session. The strong audience response continued in Naples’ newly opened Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, which impressed audiences and filmmakers as it hosted NIFF screenings for the first time. Additional highlights included NIFF’s popular Screenings Under the Stars in Norris Garden on the Artis—Naples cultural campus as well as multiple filmmaker receptions, parties and meet and greets designed to encourage networking and promotion of future collaborations. NIFF concluded by highlighting the multidisciplinary style of the festival with a special closing night presentation of Batman (1989) in Concert presented in Hayes Hall with the film’s score performed live by the Naples Philharmonic, conducted by Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly.
For more information, visit artisnaples.org/niff.
NIFF 2024 Filmmaker Award winners
(L to R) Back Row: Nick Reid (FREEDOM HAIR), David Quiney (FIGHT LIKE A GIRL), Jeremy Power Regimbal (BETWEEN THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SKY), Adam Ganser (SANIBEL), H. Nelson Tracey (BREAKUP SEASON), Middle Row: Maggie Doyne (BETWEEN THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SKY), Steven Grayhm (SHEEPDOG), Herbert James Winterstern (SANIBEL), Melody Armstrong (FREEDOM HAIR), Ke’alohi Lucero, Anthony Lucero (THE PAPER BAG PLAN), Matt Dallas (SHEEPDOG), Front Row: Joe Wein (76 DAYS ADRIFT), Jeff Toye, Philip Labes, Sunya Mara (THE OPENER)
The 2024 Naples International Film Festival Award Winners:
NIFF JURY AWARDS
Best Narrative Feature - $2,500
Sheepdog
Director: Steven Grayhm
Best Documentary Feature - $2,500
Between the Mountain and the Sky
Director: Jeremy Power Regimbal
NIFF PROGRAMMERS’ AWARDS
Focus on the Arts Award - $1,500
The Opener
Director: Jeff Toye
Impact Award - $250
Freedom Hair
Director: Dianne Houston
Indie Spirit Award - $250
Never Not Yours
Directors: John Klein, Steve Kniss
Programmers’ Choice Award - $250
76 Days Adrift
Director: Joe Wein
Best First Feature - $250
Breakup Season
Director: H. Nelson Tracey
Rising Star Award - $250
Ama Qamata, actress
Fight Like a Girl
Florida Film Award - $250
Sanibel
Director: Herbert James Winterstern
NIFF AUDIENCE AWARDS
Audience Award Winner, Narrative Feature - $1,000
The Paper Bag Plan
Director: Anthony Lucero
Audience Award Winner, Documentary Feature - $1,000
Between the Mountain and the Sky
Director: Jeremy Power Regimbal
Audience Award Winner, Best Short Film - $500
The Ice Cream Man
Director: Robert Moniot
We extend deep gratitude to Festival Presenting Sponsors Dr. Richard Lublin and Christine Lublin. Generous support is also provided by the Collier County Tourist Development Council.
Sincere thanks to Opening Night Film and Party Sponsor The Woodruff Institute; Closing Night Awards Ceremony, Film and Wrap Party Sponsor Scott Meloun; and Theater Sponsors DeVoe Cadillac, Bobbi and David Drobis, Entech, Debra and Vincent Maffeo and Tes and Brian Manley. NIFF is pleased to partner with Gulfshore Life and The Naples Press as exclusive Media Sponsors.
NIFF JURY AWARDS
Best Narrative Feature - $2,500
Sheepdog
Director: Steven Grayhm
Best Documentary Feature - $2,500
Between the Mountain and the Sky
Director: Jeremy Power Regimbal
NIFF PROGRAMMERS’ AWARDS
Focus on the Arts Award - $1,500
The Opener
Director: Jeff Toye
Impact Award - $250
Freedom Hair
Director: Dianne Houston
Indie Spirit Award - $250
Never Not Yours
Directors: John Klein, Steve Kniss
Programmers’ Choice Award - $250
76 Days Adrift
Director: Joe Wein
Best First Feature - $250
Breakup Season
Director: H. Nelson Tracey
Rising Star Award - $250
Ama Qamata, actress
Fight Like a Girl
Florida Film Award - $250
Sanibel
Director: Herbert James Winterstern
NIFF AUDIENCE AWARDS
Audience Award Winner, Narrative Feature - $1,000
The Paper Bag Plan
Director: Anthony Lucero
Audience Award Winner, Documentary Feature - $1,000
Between the Mountain and the Sky
Director: Jeremy Power Regimbal
Audience Award Winner, Best Short Film - $500
The Ice Cream Man
Director: Robert Moniot
We extend deep gratitude to Festival Presenting Sponsors Dr. Richard Lublin and Christine Lublin. Generous support is also provided by the Collier County Tourist Development Council.
Sincere thanks to Opening Night Film and Party Sponsor The Woodruff Institute; Closing Night Awards Ceremony, Film and Wrap Party Sponsor Scott Meloun; and Theater Sponsors DeVoe Cadillac, Bobbi and David Drobis, Entech, Debra and Vincent Maffeo and Tes and Brian Manley. NIFF is pleased to partner with Gulfshore Life and The Naples Press as exclusive Media Sponsors.
