SpIFF 2020: The final word on this year’s event

It’s seem like ages ago, but the 2020 edition of the Spokane International Film Festival screened its final movie a little over a month ago.

So much has happened since then it’s almost as if we’ve entered a whole new world.

And maybe because the world has changed so much it’s worth taking one last look back at SpIFF 2020 and all the awards that were handed out, both by the committee of jurors and by the audience members.

The Jury Awards were as follows:

SpIFF Lilac Award: “Quiet Explosions: Healing the Brain”

Best Narrative Feature: "Saint Frances" (streaming on Friday through the Magic Lantern)

Best of the Northwest Feature: “Burgers, Fries & Family Ties”

Best of the Northwest Feature: “The Deepest Hole”

Best Documentary Feature: “Bias”

Best Doc, Honorable Mention: “Eagle Boy”

Best Short: “Bora Bora”

Best Short, Honorable Mention: “Momster”

Best Short, Honorable Mention: “Misdirection” (streaming free)

Best Animated Short: “Grab My Hand: A Letter to My Dad”

Most Promising Filmmaker: Chase Johnson, “Waters of March”

And the Audience Awards, determined by the ballots that were returned:

Best Narrative Feature: “Song Lang”

Best of the Northwest Feature: “Burgers, Fries & Family Ties”

Best of the Northwest Short: “Influenced”

Best Documentary Feature: “Climbing Blind”

Best US Short: “Sin Cielo”

Best World Short: “2nd Class”

Best LGBTQIA+ Short: “Misdirection” (see above)

Best Animated Short: “Mind My Mind”

And that’s it for 2020. If all goes well, SpIFF will return in 2021.