“The Last of the Winthrops” Named Best Documentary Feature at DaVinci International Film Festival

(left) Michael Weinstein, Dr. André MetcalfLiliane Pérez Weinstein, Viviane Winthrop and Shie Rozow

The documentary by Dr. Viviane G. Winthrop The last of the Winthrops, which chronicles his unexpected journey into the meaning of love, belonging and family, won the Best Documentary Film Award at DaVinci International Film Festival (DIFF), presented on February 25, 2024 at an awards gala ceremony held at AMC Theaters at The Grove in Los Angeles.

“I am very honored to be recognized by such a prestigious festival as the DaVinci International Film Festival,” says Winthrop. “I am also very touched to be able to share this incredible honor with my family members and film crew who were also present. Thank you to DIFF founder Chadwick Pelletier for producing such a wonderful event.”

The last of the Winthrops explores the powerful revelations of a woman (Viviane Winthrop) who regains her sense of self after taking an Ancestry DNA test. At 49, Viviane must confront the seismic truth that her father, Reginald Winthrop, who could literally trace her heritage back to the founders of the United States, was not her biological father. When Reginald and his beautiful French-Canadian wife Claire have their “miracle son,” Viviane is raised as an heir to Winthrop's historical exceptionalism.

Winthrop was accompanied at the evening by the film's composer, Shie Rozow, as well as Dr. André Metcalf and Winthrop's sister, Liliane Perez Weinstein, who also appear in the film.

During the ceremony, beloved actor Michael J. Fox was also honored with the festival's inaugural Visionary Award, celebrating human endeavor and the unwavering pursuit of progress. The renowned actor, producer and author accepted the award with an inspiring pre-recorded speech.

Moving fluidly between past and present through archival footage, private letters and recordings, the film follows Viviane on an epic journey across five countries and hundreds of years to embrace her new identity, resolving powerful themes about the relationship between lineages, love, belonging and family. . Adam K. Singer he co-wrote and co-directed the film.

Director, writer and producer Viviane Winthrop was born in Montreal, Canada. Her parents moved to Sedona, Arizona, when she was a teenager. Although her father was a professional actor and her mother a piano teacher, Viviane chose a career in dentistry. After 25 years as a dentist, she began pursuing her dream as a film director. Her directorial debut The last of the Winthrops It is currently streaming on Amazon Prime and Apple iTunes, and many major streaming platforms. The film won Best Documentary at the 2023 Beyond Hollywood International Film Festival and premiered at the Global Entertainment Showcase during the French Riviera Film Festival in Cannes, France. Winthrop has also launched the film production company We Unite As One LLC. www.weuniteasone.com.

The DIFF showcased more than 100 creative projects, including 24 narrative, documentary and animated feature-length and short films in competition, finalist scripts and up to 80 ultra-short films, which will compete for the festival's Audience Award. Leo Award categories include feature film and short fiction, documentary (DIFFdocs), animation, screenwriting (Storyline) and the Junior Leo Award for film students. Additional panel programs will include Digital Hollywood, Film BC, In Sync with Hollywood, plus the Writers' Corner Program and DaVinci Labs/Arts & Sciences Program, to anchor the slate.

For its second installment at AMC Theaters at The Grove, DIFF featured an opening night VIP reception, live and in-person screenings, a closing night Leo Award celebration, panel programs, and exclusive festival events including the DaVinci Labs exhibition, honoring multidisciplinary creatives. with its inaugural showcase in architecture in collaboration with ad-c.org.

About the DaVinci International Film Festival (DIFF) – The DaVinci International Film Festival is produced by the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, DaVinci Film Foundation, as a premier boutique awards platform celebrating independent film from around the world with its prestigious Leo Awards. The festival features four exclusive programs, including its screenwriting competition, Storyline, DIFFdocs, GENiUS, an ultra-short category, and animation. DIFF '24 introduces an all-new Junior Leo program that honors emerging filmmakers and DaVinci Labs with an architecture exhibition. Founded in 2017, DIFF is one of the best-reviewed film festivals and hosts annual events at The Grove in Los Angeles, California. Get more information at davincifilmfestival.com

Photo courtesy of We Unite As One LLC.