Indigenous coming-of-age drama Frybread Face and Me was named best narrative feature over the weekend at the 2023 Urbanworld Film Festival in New York City.
The film from writer-director Billy Luther tells the story of adolescent Navajo cousins from different worlds, who bond while herding sheep on their grandmother’s ranch in Arizona and learn more about their family’s past and themselves.
Last week the drama was acquired by Array Releasing. It’s scheduled to arrive in select theaters on Nov. 24, for Native American Heritage Day, and will stream on Netflix.
Frybread Face and Me was one of 73 official selections to screen at UrbanWorld.
RZA, a member of the Wu-Tang Clan and director of A Wu-Tang Experience: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, served as this year’s festival ambassador.
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Among other highlights, the festival included a conversation with The Marvels director Nia DaCosta, along with screenings of the documentary Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story and the satirical drama American Fiction.
Below is the full list of winners at the 27th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival.
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE (U.S.) – Frybread Face and Me – Directed by Billy Luther
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE (WORLD) – Sira – Directed by Apolline Traoré
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE – Brief Tender Light – Directed by Arthur Musah
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT – Slice – Directed by Zaire Love
BEST YOUNG CREATOR – The Old Young Crow – Directed by Liam LoPinto
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT (U.S.) – Spaceship – Directed by Jorge G. Camarena
BEST NARRATIVE SHORT (WORLD) – Yellow – Directed by Elham Ehsas
BEST ANIMATION SHORT – Tomato Kitchen – Directory by Junyi Xiao
BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM – Quiet As It’s Kept – Directed by Ja’Tovia M. Gary
BEST SCREENPLAY – Long Live AJ – Written by Marvin Van Buren
URBANWORLD AUDIENCE AWARD BEST SHORT – Homing – Directed by Ricardo Varona
URBANWORLD AUDIENCE AWARD BEST FEATURE – Brief Tender Light – Directed by Arthur Musah
NYWIFT AWARD for BEST FEMALE DIRECTOR, US NARRATIVE FEATURE – Sira – Directed by Apolline Traoré
Presented by New York Women In Film & Television
NYWIFT AWARD for BEST FEMALE DIRECTOR, US NARRATIVE SHORT
Lunch Box – Directed by Anne Hu
Reunion – Directed by Zainab Jah
Presented by New York Women In Film & Television
