‘The Moogai’ and ‘Skategoat’ take home the SFF Audience Award

Jon Bell’s horror feature film debut The Moogai won the Sydney Film Festival Audience Award for Best Australian Narrative Feature Film with Van Alpert’s Skate buck winning the award for best Australian documentary.

Other winners include Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof The Seed of the Sacred Figwhich was named Best International Feature Film, and The home gameby the Icelandic duo Smari Gunn and Logi Sigursveinsson, winner of the award for best international documentary.

The announcement of the Audience Awards follows from more than 20,000 votes and follows the conclusion of this year’s festival on Sunday evening.

Sydney Film Festival director Nashen Moodley paid tribute to each of the filmmakers behind the four winners.

‘From Jon Bell The Moogai is a remarkable feature debut, delivering a gripping story that masterfully interweaves the chilling elements of psychological horror with a disturbing history,” he said.

“Skate buckdirected by Van Alpert, offers a gripping and kinetic portrayal of one young man’s journey from a turbulent youth to professional skateboarding.

“Mohammad Rasoulof The Seed of the Sacred Fig is a testament to the power of cinema to challenge and provoke. Finally, The home game brings a touch of warmth and humor to the festival with the heartwarming story of a community united by a dream.”

The full list of winners and runners-up is as follows:

Australian feature:
• Winner: The Moogai
• Second place: In vitro
Australian documentary:
• Winner: Skate buck
• Second place: Every little thing
International position:
• Winner: The Seed of the Sacred Fig
• Second place: Kneecap
International documentary:
• Winner: The home game
• Second place: Porcelain war