Alaskan Nets, a documentary executive produced by Chris Pratt that centers on confluence of high school boys basketball and the culture of fishing on a native reserve in remote Southeast Alaska, has won the audience award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.
The 36th annual festival, which ran a hybrid in-person/virtual event that began March 31, wraps today with the unveiling of its juried awards. Alaskan Nets, directed by Jeff Harasimowicz, won the Audience Choice Award among a total of 11 categories that were represented.
“To say we are thrilled to win the audience choice award would be a vast understatement,” Harasimowicz said. “To see this film resonate with audiences is a deeply humbling experience. We are so honored to have had this special opportunity to share Alaskan Nets in Santa Barbara and I know it’s an experience my team, our families and the entire community of Metlakatla will never forget. In the words of Metlakatla’s native language, ‘Wayi Wah! / Let’s Go!’ ”
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Other winners unveiled Saturday include a pair of victories for Trees of Peace, Alana Brown’s drama four woman from different backgrounds who create an indelible bond while in hiding during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. It won the Spirit Award for Independent Cinema and the the ADL Stand Up Award.
Jury members this year included Tony Anselmo, Antwone Fisher, David Freid, Li Cheng, Geoffrey Cowper, Patricia Rosema, Siqi Song, Mark Stafford, Rita Taggart, Paul Walter Hauser, Anthony and Arnette Zerbe. The audience award was culled from votes from attendees both online and at in-person drive-in events.
Here’s the full list of winners:
Audience Choice Award sponsored by The Santa Barbara Independent
Jeff Harasimowicz’s ALASKAN NETS
Documentary Short Film Award
Richard Reens’s PANT HOOT
Bruce Corwin Award – Live-Action Short Film
Christopher Oroza-Nostas’s SAVIOR
Bruce Corwin Award – Animated Short Film
Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, and Joe Wilson’s KAPAEMAHU
Documentary Award sponsored by SEE International
Nina Stefanka’s MIRAGE (MIRAGGIO)
Jeffrey C. Barbakow Award – International Feature Film
Nisan Dağ’s WHEN I’M DONE DYING
Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema
Alanna Brown’s TREES OF PEACE
Nueva Vision Award for Spain/Latin America Cinema
Eduardo Crespo’s WE WILL NEVER DIE
Valhalla Award for Best Nordic Film
Henrik Ruben Genz’s ERNA AT WAR (ERNA I KRIG)
Social Justice Award for Documentary Film
Michael Webber’s THE CONSERVATION GAME
The ADL Stand Up Award sponsored by ADL Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties, the Skinner Social Impact Fund, and Steve and Cindy Lyons
Alanna Brown’s TREES OF PEACE
