All photos by Steveamack.com                                  Â
By River View Observer Staff
On Sunday evening October 16th at the grand finale of the four day Golden Door International Film Festival held at the Loew’s Theater and other venues within Jersey City from October 13th to October 16th, 2011 the winners were announced at the Loew’s theater for the people and films nominated for this first ever Jersey City  film festival.
In attendance was actor Paul Sorvino, uncle to Bill Sorvino Executive Director of the GDIFF, also in the audience, Jersey City resident and Film Director Leon Gast; Oscar winner for “When We Were Kings,” the 1997 Academy Award- nominated documentary about Muhammad Ali, both Sorvino and Gast were awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards by the GDIFF at Sunday nights finale gala.
Talented actor and painter Federico Castelluccio attended (Acting credits include:The Sopranos, Made, and other films) Castelluccio  won for Best Director and Male Actor of a Short for “Lilly of the Feast”.
Earlier in the day the film “Proud” was shown the true story about the men of the USS Mason which focused on the meritorious service of the USS Mason (DE-529) of World War II, the first US Navy ship with a predominantly African American crew, and how three of the men were finally honored in January 1994 for their meritorious service.                            See more photos and winners
Produced by Ally Hilfiger and Written and Directed by Mary Pat Kelly and starred OSSIE DAVIS in his last role, Denise Nicholas, Albert Jones, Erik LaRay, Harvey Darnell Williams and  Jeffrey Nash with Stephen Rea.
At the showing of the film “Proud” was Lorenzo Dufau 91 year old  (last surviving crew member) of the USS Mason. Mr. Dufau was honored with a citation by Navy personell now stationed on the USS Mason.

The final night gala of the GDIFF drew a large crowd of family, friends and fans supportive of this cultural event that is sure to grow in the coming years.



And the winners are for 2011 (winners names are announced in bold face)
2011 Nominations BEST FEATURE
Nightclub
Victims
Moment of Truth: The Andy Myers Story
Life! Camera Action…
Kerberos
BEST DIRECTOR OF A FEATURE
Sam Borowski
David Bryant
Steven Canfield Crowley
Rohit Gupta
William Kely McClung
BEST SCREENPLAY
Nicky Newark
Victims
Nightclub
Kerberos
Echo
BEST MALE LEAD
Ernest Borgnine-Nightclub
Rick Haymes-Andy Meyers in Moment of Truth:The Andy Meyers Story
Shaheed K. Woods-Life! Camera Action…
Kely McClung-Kerberos
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Natasha Leone-Nightclub
Sarah Coyle-Victims
Whitney Sullins-Kerberos
Dipti Mehta-Life! Camera Action…
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Sally Kellerman -Nightclub
Rob Hesch -Echo
Brian Williams -Night Club
Rob Pralgo- Kerberos
BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Secret Life of…My Small Urban Backyard
Dams the Lethal Water Bombs
In the Footsteps of Willie Sutton
Kevin
Street Corner Harmony
BEST SHORT
Quirk of Fate
The Risen
Bright
Asbury Park
Terms of Employment
Fatakra
Lily of the Feast
BEST DIRECTOR OF A SHORT
Quirk of Fate- Marco Riedl
The Risen -Anthony Maddaloni
Bright- Benjamin Busch
Fatakra-Soham Mehta
Mandala Maker- Sam Borowski
Federico Castelluccio- Lily of the Feast
BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SHORT
Quirk of Fate- Wotan Wilke Möhring
Bright- Eric Nenniger
The Risen- Andrew Gaul
Terms of Employment- James J. Ross
Asbury Park -Chance Harlem Jr.
Federico Castelluccio-Lily of the Feast
BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SHORT
Quirk of Fate- Katharina Wackernagel
Terms of Employment- Frida Farrell
Asbury Park -Robyn Hatcher
Sarina’s Song
Courtney Hogan- Mandala Maker
BEST SHORT SHORT
Another Day Another Life
In Transit
Business Is Dead
The Waking
Decent Men
BEST DIRECTOR OF A SHORT SHORT
Another Day Another Life
The Waking
Business is Dead-Vito Labruno
Decent Men
BEST CONCEPT FOR A SHORT
Another Day Another Life
In Transit
Terms of Employment
Decent Men
Lily of the Feast
BEST JERSEY CITY/LOCAL FILM
My Life
Of God and Gucci
Cerise
Business is Dead
Secret Life…of My Small Urban Backyard
Another Day Another Life
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Secret Life of…My Small Urban Backyard -John Dunsten
Quirk of Fate- Marco Riedl
The Risen -Anthony Maddaloni
Bright -Benjamin Busch
Kerberos-Kely McClung
Sarina’s Song
BEST Costume Design
Decent Men-Salome Buelow
Sarina’s Song- Ainsley Waller
Quirk of Fate- Frank Bohn
BEST EDITING
Kerberos-Kely McClung
Quirk of Fate -Mark Steinicke
Sarina’s Song -Patricia Rounds-Manwaring and Chapin Hall