BendFilm announced the winners of the 21st annual BendFilm Festival — a four-day celebration of independent cinema — calling its competition portion a wrap Saturday evening with an awards ceremony followed by a wrap party at Bend’s Volcanic Theatre Pub.

All awards comprise an iconic BendFilm awards statuette and cash prizes aimed at sustaining filmmaker careers.

“This year’s honorees have a scope that encompasses some of the boldest voices in the program,” BendFilm Program Director Selin Sevinç said. “Our festival, and the world, is richer for their work, and we’re so grateful to share it with our audiences.”

Without further ado, the winners are as follow:

Narrative Features

The 2024 Narrative Features Jury awarded “Goodbye Julia,” directed by Mohamed Kordofani, the award for Best Narrative Feature. The jury called it, “A morally complex, emotional and compassionate film that illustrates the power of personal connection to transcend deep-seated cultural fears and fraught political tension. We celebrate this incredible debut.”

Presented in Arabic with English subtitles, the film is set in Sudan shortly before the secession of South Sudan. An upper-middle class singer from the north hits a child from South Sudan and runs. Burdened by guilt, she finds Julia, the mother of the child, and offers her a job to work for her as a housemaid. Julia and her son move in, and Mona must make hard decisions to keep everyone around her in the dark.

Director Jay Song picked up the Special Jury Award for a Narrative Feature for “4PM,” which made its West Coast debut at BendFilm.

“We are thrilled to present a special jury prize to a gripping tale that masterfully intertwines the threads of suspense and psychological tension,” the jury said. “The film’s haunting performances, taut direction and suuuuuper awkward silences, creates an atmosphere of mounting dread, making it a standout in this year’s festival.”

Other narrative awards include these:

Best Director for a Narrative Feature: Kelsey Taylor, “To Kill A Wolf”

Best Cinematography for a Narrative Feature: Juan Pablo Ramirez, “La Cocina”

Documentaries

The 2024 Documentary, Environmental and Outdoor Jury awarded, “Mediha,” Best Documentary Feature “For its eloquence, breathtaking storytelling, and profound humanism; a film as heartbreaking, inspiring and miraculous as is its unforgettable protagonist.”

“Mediha” maker Hasan Oswald” also won Best Director of a Documentary Feature.

Best Environmental/Outdoor Feature: “!AITSA,” directed by Dane Dodds

Best Editing for a Documentary Feature: Editor Katrina Taylor, director Alix Blair, and the team behind “Helen and the Bear”

Indigenous films

The shorts in the Bend Film Festival’s Indigenous category are Oscar-eligible. The 2024 Indigenous Jury awarded directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie the Best Indigenous Feature prize for their film, “Sugarcane,” “an emotional, vulnerable, and deeply human story, an important piece of filmmaking that shines a light on the traumas of the Indigenous boarding school experience.”

Best Indigenous Short: “Lea Tupu’anga”/”Mother Tongue,” directed by Vea Mafile’o

Shorts

The Narrative and Animated categories are also Oscar-eligible, and the 2024 Shorts Jury awarded director Fatima Kaci’s “The Voice of Others” Best Narrative Short.

“We found this short to be a beautifully crafted film filled with heartbreaking performances,” the jury said.

Best Animated Short: “On the 8th Day,” directed by Agathe Sénéchal, Alicia Massez, Elise Debruyne, Flavie Carin, Théo Duhautois

Best Documentary Short: “I Am Ready Warden,” directed by Smriti Mundhra

Special Jury Award for Personal Storytelling (Documentary Short): “Bad Hostage,” directed by Mimi Wilcox

Best Northwest Short: “Dream Creep,” directed by Carlos A.F. Lopez

Best Student Short: “Bug Diner,” directed by Phoebe Jane Hart | USA | Central Oregon Premiere, in “Late Night” shorts block

Music video: “Careful,” featuring music by Xiuhtezcatl

“This music video has captured a gorgeous, yet understated moment of storytelling for a renowned environmental activist and musician,” said sole music video juror Andy Hines. “The work transcends pop culture while maintaining a grounded view into a little-known part of the world and traditional Mexican culture.”

BendFilm director aims to make ‘a festival for everyone’

Giancarlo Gatto, the nonprofit’s first-year executive director, recently told The Bulletin he wants BendFilm to be a festival for everyone. One can decide for themselves when they head to the final day of the 2024 BendFilm on Sunday, which features a full day of award-winning screenings and Sean Baker’s drama-comedy “Anora” as the closing night film.

For more information, visit bendfilm.org.