The 40th Boston Film Festival announced the awards today for the live event program. Sponsored by Boston Harbor Studios, Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, Meet Boston, Sip Bar & Restaurant, Joe’s Waterfront, Locke Bar, DePriscos and Trilogy Yachts Boston, the renowned festival highlighted the best in feature, documentary, short and animated film, as well as a new college day by Warner Bros. Television at Emerson College and Boston University.

The Humanitarian Impact of Change Award was presented to Chuck Cooper III for his work through the Chuck Cooper Foundation honoring his father former Boston Celtics player Chuck Cooper II. M.I.T. Head Basketball Coach Larry Anderson made the presentation as part of the ‘Sweetwater’ film premiere.

Special screenings were hosted at theatres throughout Boston, with feature film ‘Sweetwater’ winning six awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Story, Best Music and Best Ensemble Cast.

The winners of the 40th Boston Film Festival include:

Best Film – ‘Sweetwater’ – Martin Guigui, Director

Audience Favorite Feature – ‘Any Day Now’ – Eric Aronson, Director

Best Director – Martin Guigui – ‘Sweetwater’

Best Actor – Everett Osborne – ‘Sweetwater’

Best Actress – Virginia Madsen – ‘SHEEPDOG’

Best Supporting Actor – Vondie Curtis-Hall – ‘SHEEPDOG’

Best Supporting Actress – Lindsay Dresbach – ‘Max Dagan’

Best Screenplay – ‘SHEEPDOG’ – Steven Grayhm, Writer

Best Cinematography – ‘Phillip Dutton: Leap of Faith’ – David Layton, Cinematographer

Best Story – ‘Sweetwater’ – Martin Guigui, Director

Best Editing – ‘Capturing Kennedy,’ Peter Deak and Steele Burrow

Best Ensemble Cast – ‘Sweetwater’ – Everett Osborne, Jeremy Piven, Cary Elwes, Kevin Pollock, Jim Caviezel and Richard Dreyfus

Best Music – ‘Sweetwater’ – Jeff Cardoni and Martin Guigui

Emerging Filmmaker – Steele Burrow – ‘Capturing Kennedy’

Best Documentary – ‘Democracy Noir’ – Connie Field, Director

Mass Impact Award – ‘Democracy Noir’ – Connie Field, Director

EcoFilm – ‘The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay’ – Kim Smith, Director

Best Short Film – ‘Just Sally’ – Kyle Misak, Director

Best Comedy Short – ‘Jane Austen’s Period Drama’ – Julia Aks, Steve Pinder, Director

Best Animated Short – ‘Common Fly’ – Ian Alexander Castracane, Director

Best Short Documentary – ‘Nine Lives’ – Jessie Davidson, Director

Best Actor in a Short – Josh Brener – ‘Caller 102: A Ballad of Cyberspace’

Best Actress in a Short – Jesse LaTourette – ‘RAPT’

Best Student Short – ‘Stay Here’ – Marley Rankin, Director

Sponsors for the 2024 Boston Film Festival also included Dream Alley Pictures & Partners, Boston Public Library, and Shalin Liu Performance Hall.

For more information about The Boston Film Festival, visit its official website.