Indie thriller goes home a winner

‘ I Don’t Feel,’ ‘ Crown Heights’ reign at awards

Call it the little indie thriller that could.

Macon Blair’s I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore surprised with the top trophy at Sundance Film Festival, earning the U. S. Grand Jury Prize for drama. The award — announced Saturday night during a ceremony in Park City, Utah — has gone to Oscar hopefuls ( and some eventual winners), including Whiplash, Fruitvale Station, The Birth of a Nation and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.

Home stars Melanie Lynskey as Ruth, a dejected, alcoholic woman who recruits her neighbor ( Elijah Wood) to help track down burglars after her house is broken into. The dark comedy is the directorial debut of Blair, whose credits include Blue Ruin and Green Room. The movie will premiere on Netflix Feb. 24.

Other top winners included Crown Heights, which picked up the Audience Award for U. S. drama and stars Atlanta’s Lakeith Stanfield as a Brooklyn man sent to prison for a murder he didn’t commit.

Newcomer Chanté Adams took home the breakthrough performance prize for Roxanne Roxanne, and Eliza Hittman won the directing award for U. S. drama for coming- of- age tale Beach Rats.

Other winners announced include:

U. S. DRAMATIC

Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: Matt Spicer and David Branson Smith, Ingrid Goes West Special Jury Award — Cinematography: Daniel Landin, The Yellow Birds Special Jury Award — Breakthrough Director: Maggie Betts, Novitiate

U. S. DOCUMENTARY

Grand Jury Prize: Dina Audience Award: Chasing Coral Directing: Peter Nicks, The Force NEXT Audience Award: Gook Special Jury Award —

Storytelling: Strong Island Special Jury Award — Editing: Unrest Special Jury Award —

Inspirational Filmmaking: Step Special Jury Award — The Orwell

Award: Icarus

WORLD CINEMATIC DRAMATIC

Audience Award: Sueño en Otro Idioma ( I Dream in Another Language) Grand Jury Prize: The Nile Hilton Project Directing: Francis Lee, God’s Own Country

WORLD CINEMATIC DOCUMENTARY

Grand Jury Prize: Last Men in Aleppo Audience Award: Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower Directing: Pascale Lamche, Winnie

ALLYSON RIGGS, AP ElijahWood andMelanie Lynskey star in I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore, which won the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

BEN KUTCHINS, COURTESY OF SUNDANCE INSTITUTE STEVE DIETL Mudbound, starring Garrett Hedlund and Jason Mitchell in postWorldWar IIMississippi, is receiving accolades, especially for director Dee Rees.

Lakeith Stanfield stars as aman sent to prison for amurder he didn’t commit in Crown Heights, winner of the Audience Award for U. S. drama.