Winners of the 24 th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival
presented by Island Federal
Chuskit
2019 Stony Brook Film Festival Grand Prize
New York Premiere - India - 90 min
Written and Directed by Priya Ramasubban.
With Jigmet Dewa Lhamo and Morup Namgyal.
Chuskit's dream of going to school is cut short when she is rendered
a paraplegic after an accident. Confined to life indoors, she continues
to harbor hopes of going to school, but her tradition-bound grandfather
feels that the school in their remote Himalayan village can't handle
her special needs. Caught in the middle of this struggle are her
parents and brother, who respect grandfather’s old world views, but
also want to keep Chuskit's spirit alive. A th
oroughly charming, family-friendly
treat from a part of the world seldom seen on screen.
In Ladakhi with subtitles
Produced by Priya Ramasubban. Edited by Jabeen Merchant. Director
of Photography: Arvind Kannabiran. A Kaavya Films production.
In God I Trust
2019 Jury Award Best Feature
East Coast Premiere - Canada - 97 min
Directed by Maja Zdanowski. Written by Paul St. Amand and Maja Zdanowski.
With Marc Senior, John Cassini (Se7en) , Steven Roberts, Bilal Oliver, and Melissa
Roxburgh (Star Trek Beyond).
A suspenseful, sharp-eyed study on the unpredictable realities of race
and religion in America. Inspired by true events, this film follows three
separate story lines that converge during a random encounter at a
diner in a small Northern Idaho town. The audience may find their own
assumptions questioned as these complicated, true-to-life portrayals
keep one guessing until the final credits. Featuring nuanced
performances, Gr
ammy nominated singer-songwriter Bilal Oliver, and
an amazing landscape, this is the unique vision of a talented and truly
independent filmmaker.
Produced by Paul St. Amand, Maja Zdanowski and Jesse Norsworthy.
Edited by Maja Zdanowski. Director of Photography: Corey MacGregor.
An IGIT Film production.
The Silent Revolution
2019 Audience Choice Best Feature
East Coast Premiere – Germany – 111 min
Written and Directed by Lars Kraume. From the book by Dietrich Garstka.
With Leonard Scheicher, Tom Gramenz, Ronald Zehrfeld (Sweethearts), and Florian Lukas
(The Invisibles)
When a class of Seniors in the Communist-controlled GDR discovers
what is really happening during the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, they
decide to remain silent for one minute to show solidarity with the
victims. After this draws more attention than expected, the students
find themselves accused of a counterrevolutionary act. A true story of
courage in the face of an unforgiving, authoritarian regime.
In German and Russian with subtitles
Produced by Miriam Düssel, Susanne Freyer, Kalle Friz, Isabel Hund
and Thomas Kufus. Edited by Barbara Gies. Director of Photography:
Jens Harant. An Akzente Film- und Fernsehproduktion, Studiocanal
Film, Zero One Film and Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)
production. From DistribFilms US.
Toke is Cheap
2019 Jury Award Best Short
Canada - 23 minutes
A film by Kerry van der Griend
A teenage boy who sells marijuana is met with an unusual request from his Father.
Portraitist
2019 Audience Award Best Short
New York Premiere - Luxembourg - 15 min
In French with subtitles
A film by Cyrus Neshvad
An old man's suicide attempt is interrupted when he learns that his granddaughter
is ill.