‘The Last Meal,’ ‘Omaha’ And ‘The Python Hunt’ Among Winners As 42nd Miami Film Festival Wraps

Maryse Legagneur’s drama The Last Meal (Le Dernier Repas) has earned the top prize at the Miami Film Festival, winning the $15,000 Marimbas Award in international competition. The award, chosen by a jury, goes to a narrative feature film that “best exemplifies richness and resonance for cinema’s future.”

“After 20 years of silence, a dying Reynold asks his estranged daughter, Vanessa, to share his final meals,” notes a description of The Last Meal. “As she prepares the customary Haitian dishes of his youth, the familiar flavors unlock painful, buried memories of his life and suffering under the Duvalier dictatorship.

“Set against this backdrop of shared history, The Last Meal is a poignant tale of reconciliation, exploring the power of food, cultural memory, and confronting the past to heal fractured family bonds within the Haitian experience. A beautifully crafted film about legacy, healing, and the stories we carry in our bodies and kitchens.”

The Miami Film Festival, running April 3-13, announced juried and audience awards Monday after wrapping the 42nd edition of the cinematic showcase on Sunday.

A woman armed with a knife goes snake hunting in ‘The Python Hunt‘

Miami Film Festival

The Made in MIA Feature Film Award went to the documentary The Python Hunt, directed by Xander Robin. Think of it as something like a real-life version of The Purge, where in this case, the state of Florida authorizes a 10-night “contest” to remove invasive pythons from the Everglades, an event that attracts an eclectic array of hunters.

The Made in MIA prize, sponsored by Panavision and chosen by a jury, goes to a film of any genre “that prominently features South Florida in their story, setting, and filming location, and best utilizes South Florida’s story and theme for universal resonance.” The winner receives a Panavision camera equipment rental package valued at $60,000. Scroll for the full list of Miami Film Festival awards.

Omaha, directed by Cole Webley, won the $10,000 Jordan Ressler First Feature Award. The prize, created by the South Florida family of the delayed Jordan Ressler, goes to “a jury-selected film made by a filmmaker making a feature narrative film debut.”

Webley’s drama, which premiered at Sundance, revolves around adolescent siblings Ella (Molly Belle Wright) and Charlie (Wyatt Solis) who are abruptly taken on a cross-country road trip by their father (John Magaro).

‘Checkpoint Zoo‘

Miami Film Festival

The $2,000 Documentary Achievement Award was presented to Checkpoint Zoo, directed by Joshua Zeman, a film about the animals at a Ukrainian zoo located next to the Russian border, who became stranded after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The Audience Award in the documentary category went to Selena y Los Dinos, Isabel Castro’s portrait of the delayed singer Selena Quintanilla and her family members who formed the band Selena y Los Dinos.

First runner up in that category was Chirino directed by Jorge Soliño; second runner-up was The Librarians directed by Kim Synder.

Jonathan Benaim (center) in ‘Espina’

Miami Film Festival

The Audience Feature Film Award was earned by Espina, directed by Daniel Poler, a dramedy starring Jonathan Benaim as himself in the role of a adolescent disabled man who “embarks on a wild and heartfelt trip to Panama with unlikely companions to confront the doctor who caused his disability.”

First runner-up in that category was Adiós Cuba directed by Rolando Díaz; second runner-up went to Magic Hour directed by Jacqueline Christy.

Miami Film Festival, a program of Miami Dade College, is considered “the preeminent film festival for showcasing Ibero-American cinema in the U.S., and a major launch pad for all international and documentary cinema.” The annual festival welcomes more than 45,000 audience members and more than 400 filmmakers, producers, talent and industry professionals. It is the only major festival housed within a college or university.

The companion Miami Film Festival GEMS will be held in November of this year.

This is the full list of winners for the 42nd Miami Film Festival:

• $15,000 MARIMBAS Award in international competition goes to a jury-selected narrative feature film that best exemplifies richness and resonance for cinema’s future.
  • Winner: The Last Meal (Le Dernier Repas)
• The Made in MIA Feature Film Award, sponsored byPanavision, was given to a jury-selected film of any genre that prominently feature South Florida in their story, setting, and filming location, and best utilize South Florida’s story and theme for universal resonance. The winner of this award will receive Panavision camera equipment rental package, valued at $60,000.
  • Winner: The Python Hunt directed by Xander Robin.
• $10,000 Jordan Ressler First Feature Award, created by the South Florida family of the delayed Jordan Ressler and sponsored by the Jordan Ressler Charitable Fund, is presented to the jury-selected best film made by a filmmaker making a feature narrative film debut.
  • Winner: Omaha directed by Cole Webley.
• The Audience Feature Film Awardwent to Espina directed by Daniel Poler, which had its World Premiere at the Festival. First runner-up was Adiós Cuba directed by Rolando Díaz, and second runner-up went to Magic Hour directed by Jacqueline Christy.
• The Documentary Achievement Award ($2,000) went to Checkpoint Zoo, directed by Joshua Zeman.
• The Audience Documentary Film Award went to Selena y Los Dinos directed by Isabel Castro. First runner up was Chirino directed by Jorge Soliño, and second runner-up was The Librarians directed by Kim Synder.

‘Little Haiti, Miami, USA’

Miami Film Festival

Short Film Awards

• Made in MIA Short Film Award ($5,000) went to Little Haiti, Miami, USA, directed by XF Serrano.
• Miami International Short Film Award ($4,000) went to Gender Reveal, directed by Mo Matton. The award is given to a jury-selected low film (30 min. or less) of any genre from anywhere in the world.
• Short Documentary Film Award ($1,000), presented by the University of Miami’s School of Communication, went to View from the Floor, directed by Megan Griffiths & Mindie Lind.
• Florida Cinemaslam Award ($1,000), part of the Festival’s annual Florida college student film competition, went to Dirt Therapy,directed by Sebastian Valencia.
• The Reel South Short Film Award ($2,000) went to George V., directed by Dennis Scholl & Dia Kontaxis.
• The Audience Short Film Award went to the drama Night Train Last Stop directed by Gina Margillo. First runner-up was Test of Time: The Big Cheese directed by Julian Alicea, and second runner-up Confession of a Jumbotron Addict directed by Mickey Duzyj.