"American Splendor" takes the Grand Jury Prize
Indie mainstay Patricia Clarkson receives special jury prize

Hope Davis co-stars in "American Splendor."

Opting often for stage work and smaller roles in ensemble dramas, Hope Davis does not appear to be out for stardom, but I've had my critical eye on her ever since Greg Mottola's "The Day Trippers."

The film world should have more Hope Davis, and given the outcome of this year's Sundance Film Festival, it seems that my wish will be granted. She co-stars in "American Splendour," Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini's film which won this year's prestigious Grand Jury Prize for dramatic film. Davis plays the wife of comic book creator Harvey Pekar played by Paul Giamatti. James Urbaniak portrays Pekar's friend, Robert Crumb. The inventive feature intersperses documentary footage, interviews with real people in Pekar's life, and animation sequences.

Hope Davis starred in another film screened at Sundance--Alan Rudolph's "The Secret Lives of Dentists" based on the wonderful novella "Ordinary Grief" by Jane Smiley.

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But Sundance was not the year of Hope Davis. Character actress Patricia Clarkson, currently getting critical aclaim for her supporting role in "Far From Heaven" was the talk of Park City, Utah. Dramatic jurors Steve Buscemi, Emanuel Levy, David O'Russell, and Tilda Swinton singled out Clarkson, giving her a special jury prize for outstanding performance for her work in "The Station Agent," "Pieces of April," and "All the Real Girls."

Andrew Jarecki's "Capturing the Friedmans" captured the Grand Jury Prize for the Documentary. The audience awards went to Jonathan Karsh's documentary "My Flesh and Blood" and Tom McCarthy's feature film "The Station Agent."

Sundance is always a great indicator of what to expect on the big screen in the coming year--Robert Downey Jr.'s eagerly awaited comeback (he was too good for the likes of Ally McBeal) in "The Singing Detective," and child star, Macaulay Culkin, all grown up and commiting violent murder in Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato's "Party Monster." For more rebelous teens doing bad things, we can look forward to Catherine Hardwicke drama "Thirteen" where young girls snort their parents prescription drugs, and the celebrity filled speed-driven drama "Spun," directed by Jonas Åkerlund. David Gordon Green's sohpmore film, the elegiac tale "All The Real Girls," will be released this February.

This year's Sundance Winners Are:

DRAMATIC
Grand Jury Prize: "American Splendor," directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcin
Audience Award: "The Station Agent," directed by Tom McCarthy
Directing Award: Catherine Hardwicke, "Thirteen"
Cinematography Award: Derek Cianfrance, "Quattro Noza"
Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: Tom McCarthy, "The Station Agent"
Special Jury Prizes for Outstanding Performance: Patricia Clarkson for "The Station Agent," Pieces of April, and "All The Real Girls"; Charles Busch for "Die Mommie Die"
Special Jury Prizes for for Emotional Truth: "All the Real Girls," directed by David Gordon Green; "What Alice Found," directed by A. Dean Bell

DOCUMENTARY:
Grand Jury Prize: "Capturing the Friedmans," directed by Andrew Jarecki
Audience Award: "My Flesh and Blood," directed by Jonathan Karsh
Directing Award: Jonathan Karsh, "My Flesh and Blood"
Cinematography Award: Dana Kupper, Gordon Quinn and Peter Gilbert, "Stevie"
Freedom of Expression Award: "What I Want My Words To Do To You," directed by Judith Katz, Madeleine Gavin, and Gary Sunshine.
Special Jury Prizes: "The Murder of Emmett Till," directed by Stanley Nelson and "A Certain Kind of Death," directed by Blue Hadaegh and Grover Babcock.

SHORT
Jury Prize: "Terminal Bar," directed by Stefan Nadelman

ONLINE
Sundance Online Film Festival Viewers Award: "Broken Saints," directed by Brooke Burgess (animation) and "One," directed by Stewart Hendler (short subject)

ALFRED P. SLOAN FEATURE FILM PRIZE
"Dopamine," directed by Mark Decena, written by Mark Decena and Tim Breitbach

SUNDANCE/NHK INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKERS AWARD
Yesim Ustaoglu, "Waiting for the Clouds" (Europe)
Juan Pable Rebella and Pablo Stoll, "Whisky" (Latin America)
Michael King, "The Motel" (United States)
Mai Tominaga, "100% Pure Wool" (Japan)