On The Scene

SXSW '07 DAILY DISPATCH: "Billy The Kid" and "Itty Bitty Titty Committee"
Win Top Jury Prizes At SXSW
 by Eugene Hernandez and Brian Brooks (March 13, 2007)

Films by women dominated the awards as the 2007 SXSW Film Festival hit its wet and rainy mid-point here in Austin, TX. Jamie Babbit's narrative feature "Itty Bitty Titty Committee" and Jennifer Venditti's documentary film "Billy The Kid" won the top jury prizes at the festival, while in the audience award voting Monty Miranada's "Skills Like This" won the narrative audience award, and Marlo Poras' "Run Granny Run" won the documentary audience prize.

"I really hope this film finds an audience because its empowering," said "Itty Bitty" star Nicole Vicius who accepted the award for Babbit who had already departed Austin.
"I hope this gets picked up becuase there's something more than the surface of things to inspire."


A special prize was also presented at the festival's Tuesday night awards ceremony
at the Austin Convention Center. Joe Swanberg, indie director of the popular new feature "Hannah Takes The Stairs," won the inaugural Eagle Pennell Award at SXSW.


"Itty Bitty Titty Committee" star Nicole Vicius at SXSW, accepting the film's jury prize.
Photo by Brian Brooks/indieWIRE

"Billy The Kid" marks the directing debut of Jennifer Vendetti, who began her career in casting. it was while working on Carter Smith's "Bugcrush" that she came across Billy Price, the subject for her first feature. Produced by Bob Alexander and Barnet Liberman, the film had its world premiere here at SXSW where it was met with positive buzz from festival attendees.

Accepting her award on Tuesday night in Austin, director Jennifer Vendetti laughed on stage, and pointing to a friend in the audience joked, "you just won $50 worth of margaritas," referencing an apparent bet. On a more serious note, Vendetti said, "This taught me so much about myself and life."

"Itty Bitty Titty Committee," which had its North American premiere in Austin this week, debuted last month in the Panorama section at the Berlinale. Backed by POWER UP, the entertainment industry group for lesbians, the film was produced by Stacy Codikow, Andrea Sperling and Lisa Thrasher and written by Tina Mabry and Abigail Shafran. Babbit's third feature stars Melonie Diaz ("Raising Victor Vargas") in the rock music-driven story of an L.A. Latina who is lured into a radical group of feminists fighting the objectification of women.