The film festival of all film festivals, forget Cannes, Utah is where it's at and don't you forget it.  All the big films this year (like Slumdog Millionaire) had last years Sundance awarded stars plastered over them like bandages so take note...

Most of you wont have had the chance to fly out to the famous fest, we didn't, so we looked up the films that won the best awards and chucked in a brief synopsis. We also included our own Stranger film recommendations... 

THE SUNDANCE AWARDS GO TO!

We Live In Public director and screenwriter, Ondi Timoner
Synopsis: We Live in Public is the story of the Internet's revolutionary impact on human interaction as told through the eyes of maverick web pioneer, Josh Harris and his transgressive art project that shocked New York.  World Premiere
Winner: GRAND JURY PRIZE: U.S. DOCUMENTARY

Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire directed by Lee Daniels and written by Damien Paul
Synopsis: Based on the acclaimed, best-selling novel by Sapphire, Push is the redemptive story of Precious Jones, a young girl in Harlem struggling to overcome tremendous obstacles and discover her own voice. Cast: Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mo'Nique Imes, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey.  World Premiere.
Winner: GRAND JURY PRIZE: U.S. DRAMATIC
AUDIENCE AWARD presented by Honda: U.S. DRAMATIC
A SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR ACTING (Mo'Nique)

Rough Aunties / UK / directed by Kim Longinotto
Synopsis: Fearless, feisty and unwavering, the 'Rough Aunties' protect and care for the abused, neglected and forgotten children of Durban, South Africa. North American Premiere.
Winner: WORLD CINEMA JURY PRIZE: DOCUMENTARY

The Maid (La Nana) / Chile / directed by Sebastián Silva

Synopsis: When her mistress brings on another servant to help with the chores, a bitter and introverted maid wreaks havoc on the household. Cast: Catalina Saavedra, Claudia Celedón, Mariana Loyola, Alejandro Goic, Andrea García-Huidobro. North American Premiere.
Winner: WORLD CINEMA JURY PRIZE: DRAMATIC
A WORLD CINEMA SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR ACTING (Catalina Saavedra)

The Cove directed by Louie Psihoyos
Synopsis: Dolphins are dying, whales are disappearing, and the oceans are growing sick. The horrors of a secret cove nestled off a small, coastal village in Japan are revealed by a group of activists led by Ric O'Barry, the man behind Flipper. World Premiere
Winner: AUDIENCE AWARD presented by Honda: U.S. DOCUMENTARY

 Afghan Star / Afghanistan / directed by Havana Marking
Synopsis: After 30 years of war and Taliban rule, Pop Idol has come to television in Afghanistan: millions are watching and voting for their favorite singer. This film follows the dramatic stories of four contestants as they risk their lives to sing. North American Premiere
Winner: THE WORLD CINEMA AUDIENCE AWARD: DOCUMENTARY
THE WORLD CINEMA DIRECTING AWARD:DOCUMENTARY

An Education directed by Lone Scherfig from a screenplay by Nick Hornby, cinematographer: John De Borman.
Synopsis: In the early 60s, a sharp 16-year-old with sights set on Oxford meets a handsome older man whose sophistication enraptures and sidetracks both her and her parents. Cast: Peter Sarsgaard, Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson.  World Premiere
Winner: THE WORLD CINEMA AUDIENCE AWARD: DRAMATIC

El General director Natalia Almada
Synopsis: As great-granddaughter of Mexican President Plutarco Elias Calles, one of Mexico's most controversial revolutionary figures, filmmaker Natalia Almada paints an intimate portrait of Mexico. World Premiere
Winner: DIRECTING AWARD: U.S. DOCUMENTARY

Sin Nombre written and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, cinematographer: Adriano Goldman.
Synopsis: A teenage Mexican gang member maneuvers to outrun his violent past and elude unforgiving former associates in this thriller set among Central American migrants seeking to cross over to the United States. Cast: Edgar Flores, Paulina Gaitan, Kristyan Ferrer, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Luis Fernando Peña, Diana García. World Premiere
Winner: DIRECTING AWARD: U.S. DRAMATIC EXCELLENCE
CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD: U.S. DRAMATIC EXCELLENCE

Five Minutes of Heaven directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel from a screenplay by Guy Hibbert
Synopsis: Two men from the same town but from different sides of the Irish political divide discover that the past is never dead-in fact it isn't even past. Cast: Liam Neeson, James Nesbitt, Anamaria Marinca.  World Premiere.
Winner: WORLD CINEMA DIRECTING AWARD: DRAMATIC

Paper Heart directed by: Nicholas Jasenovec; Screenwriters: Nicholas Jasenovec and Charlyne Yi

Synopsis: Even though performer Charlyne Yi doesn't believe in love, she bravely embarks on a quest to discover its true nature-a journey that takes on surprising urgency when she meets unlikely fellow traveler, actor Michael Cera. Cast: Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, Jake Johnson.  World Premiere.
Winner: WALDO SALT SCREENWRITING AWARD

Sergio directed by Greg Barker and edited by Karen Schmeer
Synopsis: Sergio examines the role of the United Nations and the international community through the life and experiences of Sergio Vieira de Mello, the U.N.'s High Commissioner for Human Rights, including interviews with those who knew and worked with him over the course of his extraordinary career. World Premiere
Winner: U.S. DOCUMENTARY EDITING AWARD

Burma VJ / Denmark directed by Anders Østergaard and edited by Janus Billeskov Jansen and Thomas Papapetros
Synopsis: In September 2007, Burmese journalists risking life imprisonment to report from inside their sealed-off country are suddenly thrown onto the global stage as their pocket camera images of the Saffron Revolution make headlines everywhere. U.S.  Premiere
Winner: WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY EDITING AWARD

The September Issue (Director: R.J. Cutler) cinematographer: Bob Richman

Synopsis: With unprecedented access, director R.J. Cutler and his crew shot for nine months as they captured Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour and her team preparing the 2007 VogueSeptember issue, widely accepted as the "fashion bible" for the year's trends. World Premiere
Winner: EXCELLENCE IN CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD: U.S. DOCUMENTARY

Big River Man / USA / (Director: John Maringouin) cinematographer: John Maringouin
Synopsis: An overweight, wine-swilling Slovenian world-record-holding endurance swimmer resolves to brave the mighty Amazon-in nothing but a Speedo®. World Premiere cinematographer: John Maringouin
Winner: WORLD CINEMA CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD: DOCUMENTARY

Tibet in Song / USA (Director: Ngawang Choephel)
Synopsis: Through the story of Tibetan music, this film depicts the determined efforts of Tibetan people, both in Tibet and in exile, to preserve their unique cultural identity. Choephel served six years of an 18-year prison sentence for filming in Tibet. World Premiere
Winner: A WORLD CINEMA SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: DOCUMENTARY

Good Hair (Director: Jeff Stilson)
Synopsis: Comedian Chris Rock turns documentary filmmaker when he sets out to examine the culture of African-American hair and hairstyles. World Premiere
Winner: A SPECIAL JURY PRIZE: U.S. DOCUMENTARY

Humpday (Director and Screenwriter: Lynn Shelton)
Synopsis: A farcical comedy about straight male bonding gone a little too far.
Winner: A SPECIAL JURY PRIZE FOR SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE

STRANGER MAGAZINE RECOMMENDS!

Dirt! The Movie (Directors: Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow)—The story of the relationship between humans and dirt, Dirt! The Movie humorously details how humans are rapidly destroying the last natural resource on earth.

Reporter (Director: Eric Daniel Metzgar)—Set in Africa, this documentary chronicles, in verité fashion, the haunting, physically grueling and shocking voyage of Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist, Nicholas D. Kristof. World Premiere

The Yes Men Fix the World / France/ USA (Directors: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno and Kurt Engfehr)—A pair of notorious troublemakers sneak into corporate events disguised as captains of industry, then use their momentary authority to expose the biggest criminals on the planet. Cast: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno. World Premiere