PARK CITY – Love story “Like Crazy” and assisted suicide documentary “How to Die in Oregon” won the top awards at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, putting both on the list of must-see independent movies for 2011. “Like Crazy,” directed by Drake Doremus, picked up the jury prize for best drama with its tale of an American woman and British man who fall in love for the first time but move away from each other, testing their relationship.
Doremus, accepting his award, said it is “about love never dying and being with you for the rest of your life.” The movie also earned a special prize for its actress, Felicity Jones. The documentary winner, “How to Die in Oregon,” has been among the most talked about movies at Sundance 2011, with its examination of assisted suicide and its footage of a terminally ill woman taking an opecial juries of industry professionals vote on winners, and those are considered the top prizes, but audiences also vote for their favorites.
The Audience Award for best drama went to “Circumstance,” which tells of two Iranian teenagers who fall in love but are not allowed to be together due to cultural influences. “The cast and the crew have given up a lot to do this (movie) because we believe in the story, and we believe in human rights and artistic expression,” said “Circumstance” director MaryamKeshavarz when accepting her trophy.
The Audience Award for documentary was given to “Buck,” a revealing tale of animal trainer Buck Brannaman, who was the inspiration for the film “The Horse Whisperer.” Other top prizes went to John Foy, director of documentary “Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles,” and to Sean Durkin for directing drama “Martha Marcy May Marlene.”verdose of drugs and literally dying on camera.
‘Like Crazy’ wins top drama film award at Sundance
