This year’s Festival included 121 features and 79 short films from 41 countries.  The world competition winners were chosen from 12 narrative and 12 documentary features from 18 countries. Two awards were also given to honor New York films, which were chosen from seven narrative and nine documentary features. Awards were also given for the best narrative, best documentary and student visionary films in the Shorts competition. 

Following are the awards and their winners:

• The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – “Let the Right One In” (Lat den rätte komma in) directed by Tomas Alfredson (Sweden).  Winner receives $25,000 cash and the art award "Maternal Nocture: Clearing Storm” created by Stephen Hannock. 
  
  Jury Comments: “For its mesmerizing exploration of loneliness and alienation through masterful reexamination of the vampire myth.”
• Best New Narrative Filmmaker – “My Marlon and Brando” (Gitmek) directed by Hüseyin Karabey (Turkey, Netherlands, UK).  Winner receives $25,000 cash, sponsored by American Express, and the art award “Bonfire,” created by Ross Bleckner.
  
  Jury Comments: “For its skillful blending of documentary style with a classic love story and ultimate creation of a truly modern and unlikely international heroine.”
• Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Thomas Turgoose and Piotr Jagiello in “Somers Town” directed by Shane Meadows (UK).  Sponsored by Delta Air Lines.  Each winner receives a business elite ticket voucher for anywhere Delta travels.
  
  Jury Comments: “For an extraordinary and exhilarating rendering of a friendship found, the Narrative Feature Jury is awarding the Best Actor prize to this magical team.”
• Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film – Eileen Walsh in “Eden” directed by Declan Recks (Ireland).  Sponsored by Delta Air Lines.  Winner receives two business elite ticket vouchers for anywhere Delta travels.
  
  Jury Comments: “For her exquisite rendering of a lonely wife aching to be seen and heard.”
• Best Documentary Feature – “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” directed by Gini Reticker (USA).  Winner receives $25,000 cash and the art award “Liza Minnelli,” created by Timothy White. 
  
  Jury Comments: “In a relentless pursuit of peace, the women of Liberia show us how community, motherly love and perseverance can change the fate of a society. Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a reminder that we have the power to say “Enough!” to the atrocities of our world.”
• Best New Documentary Filmmaker – “Old Man Bebo” directed by Carlos Carcas (Spain). Winner receives $25,000 cash, sponsored by American Express, and the art award “Maquette for Primary Compass,” created by Don Gummer.
  
  Jury Comments: “We the jury feel that Carlos Carcas showed us that if you truly have art in your body and soul it will find its way out into the world. We applaud the filmmaker for bringing Old Man Bebo into our consciousness.”
• “New York LOVES Film” – “Zoned In” directed by Daniela Zanzotto (USA,UK). Winner receives $5,000 cash, sponsored by New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture and Television Development, and the art award “Table Odeon,” created by Donna Ferrato.
  Special Mention: “Hotel Gramercy Park” directed by Douglas Keeve (USA).
  
  Jury Comments: “This was a challenging and spirited discussion with two clear favorites: both films are very different and the jury felt that both should get equal mention even though only one gets the prize. We thought Hotel Gramercy Park was a highly entertaining and moving story about a New York family and a New York institution coming to terms with a changing city, but in the end we felt Zoned In deserved the prize for having the bravery to tell a seemingly typical story that ends up revealing bold and difficult truths.”
• “Made In NY” – Narrative – “The Caller” directed by Richard Ledes (USA).  Winner receives $5,000 cash, sponsored by The City of New York Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, and the art award “Nude on Guitar” created by Ralph Gibson.
  
  Jury Comments: “The Caller superbly uses its New York locations – from the sleek mid-town high-rises to the desolate Brooklyn Bridge piers – to create a chilling and finally stirring suspense movie; an unusual thriller whose mysterious plot finally exposes the mysteries of the heart.”
• Best Narrative Short – “New Boy” directed by Steph Green. Sponsored by Edelman Studios. Winner receives $5,000 cash and the art award “Air” created by Francesco Clemente.
  
  Jury Comments: “New Boy took us on a complete emotional journey. It was moving, funny and powerful.”
• Best Documentary Short – “Mandatory Service” directed by Jessica Habie.  Sponsored by Edelman Studios. Winner receives $5,000 cash and the art award “The Screamer,” created by John Alexander.
  
  Jury Comments: “Mandatory Service, a perspective of war and conflict from participants themselves.  The Israeli’s empathy for the Palestinians is not a perspective we glimpse too often in Western Media.”
• Student Visionary Award – “Elephant Garden” directed by Sasie Sealy.  Sponsored by Apple.  Winner receives an Apple Mac Pro Desktop with a 15" Display and Final Cut Studio 2 and the art award "Harmonium" created by Clifford Ross.
  
  Jury Comments: “Elephant Garden captured the “inner-life” of a beautiful young girl; her confusion as she becomes a young adult. Wonderful visual story telling and the performance of Kelley Mack is stellar.”

2008 Tribeca Film Festival Jurors

A distinguished and diverse panel of jurists selected the winning films in this year’s Festival.  Jurors included:

• World Competition Categories:
  
  The jurors for the 2008 World Narrative Competition were Peter Hedges, Gregory Hoblit, Callie Khouri, Oliver Platt and Christine Vachon. 
  
  The jurors for the 2008 World Documentary Competition were Jared Cohen, Whoopi Goldberg, Ross Kauffman, Padma Lakshmi and Jose Padilha.
  
  New York Competition Categories:
  
  The 2008 “Made in NY” Narrative Feature Award jurors were Peter Dinklage, Fred Durst, Greg Mottola, Stephen Schiff and Annabella Sciorra.
  
  The 2008 “NY Loves Film” Documentary Feature Award jurors were Liya Kebede, Doug Liman, Esther Robinson, Josh Schwartz, Jay McInerney and Andre Leon Talley.
  
  Short Film Competition Categories:
  
  The 2008 Narrative Short jurors were Mario Batali, Christine Lahti, Molly Shannon, Lili Taylor and Zac Posen.
  
  The 2008 Documentary and Student Short jurors were David Bowie, Red Burns, Matthew Modine, Lee Schrager and David de Rothschild.