Tarnation wins documentary prize at L.A. Film Festival

Ferenc Toth's Unknown Soldier, Joshua Marston's Maria Full of Grace, and Jonathan Caouette's Tarnation were among the winners Saturday night at the closing of the 10th annual Los Angeles Film Festival. Soldier, the story of an ordinary 18-year-old boy fighting for his life on the streets of Harlem, picked up the Target Filmmaker Award for Best Narrative Feature, which includes a $50,000 cash prize. Tarnation, which centers on the troubled life of the director--who grew up gay with a schizophrenic mom--won the Target Documentary Award for Best Documentary Feature. That honor comes with a $25,000 cash prize. Grace, set to be released by Fine Line Features in the summer, won the audience award for Best Narrative Feature, while the documentary trophy in the audience category went to Mike Wranovics's Up for Grabs. Shona Auerbach's Dear Frankie, starring Emily Mortimer, Gerard Butler, and Jack McElhone, also was lauded with an audience award for Best International Feature. For the first time, LAFF handed out an acting award, with the prize going to Jeanette Brox, who stars in the lesbian-themed dramatic thriller Wilderness Survival for Girls, the story of three girls at a remote cabin who must deal with a stranger. A total of 195 films, including 83 features representing 31 countries, screened at this year's festival.