Despite a wet, windy start on Friday morning, the 17th annual Port Townsend Film Festival ended up being all about blue skies, warm nights spent watching movies under the stars and the synergy that comes from bringing filmmakers and film lovers together for a magical weekend.

Aside from the scheduled programming, the festival had many "magic moments," from impromptu street improv by cast members of "Bastards y Diablos" as they got out of their vintage Chevrolet Impala during the car parade, to a salmon dinner for 700 on Taylor Street, to sunny afternoons of drinking wine while sitting on hay bales and chatting with celebrities in line for coffee between films.

This year's festival featured live theater, with a single show of Annie Baker's "The Aliens" at Key City Public Theatre late Saturday. Jen Clark, of Port Townsend, who saw the play before seeing the same actors in "Bastards y Diablos," said, "The intensity was amazing. I felt so much more connected to the movie, having first seen them on stage."

PTeRider's free shuttle service made the six-block walk from Taylor Street venues to Monroe Street venues effortless, and there were enough grab-and-go food options on hand that even gotta-see-them-all film diehards stayed fed and hydrated.

Thanks to an innovative partnership, the comfortable stacking chairs in the Legion Hall venue are here to stay. In the past, PTFF has rented chairs. This year, PTFF donated $1,250 – the cost of two years' chair rental – to help the Legion buy chairs, which then become a longterm resource. Andy Okinczyc, Legion post commander, took a leap of faith and bought 250 chairs, totaling $7,800, and has been fundraising to make up the difference. Community members interested in helping the "chair fund" can contact Okinczyc at 360-821-9962.

Everyone seems to have their favorite films, and the broad array of genres and choices left people talking over movies as diverse as "Pickle" (about a couple who rescues hopeless-case animals) to "Embrace" (about body image, women and the media) to "Transpecos" (about the gritty reality of the federal Border Patrol). Somewhere in between were romantic comedies, biotech seeds and the heretofore untold story behind some of Hollywood's best-dressed heroines. And in "Chicken People," show-chicken breeder Brian Caraker explained his passion, saying simply, "The chickens don't judge you."

Janette Force, PTFF executive director, summed up the weekend perfectly when speaking before Saturday night's screening of "Toy Story" and introducing animator David Tart: "Movies are about letting go of the practical in pursuit of magic."

Festival-goers have a week to weigh in on a survey at ptfilmfest.com, helping organizers plan for the 2017 festival, to be held Sept. 15-17. Fans and businesses should note that next year's festival is scheduled a week earlier than usual, on the weekend immediately after the Wooden Boat Festival; the date change recognizes the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana, which is Sept. 21 next year.

The "PTFF Volunteer of the Year" award goes to Kathy Stafford, who, despite injuring herself badly enough to necessitate a trip to the emergency room when she tripped on a Taylor Street hatchway (which claimed several other victims before being blocked by hay bales), still managed to compile all of the ballots for the Audience Choice awards as planned.

(Leader staff Nicholas Johnson, Katie Kowalski and Jen Clark contributed to this story.)

"Movies are about letting go of the practical in pursuit of magic."

Janette Force,

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PORT TOWNSEND FILM FESTIVAL

PT FILM FEST 2016 AWARD WINNERS

'To Keep the Light,' 'James Foley Story' on top, 'Man Called Ove' an audience favorite

Awards presented at the 17th annual Port Townsend Film Festival are as follows:

SHORTS

Best Short Narrative: "Home," directed by Daniel Mulloy

Best Animated Short: "The OceanMaker," directed by Lucas Martell

Best Short Documentary: "Dangerous Curves," directed by Merete Mueller

Special Jury Commendation for Best Short Documentary: "Throw," directed by David Larson, Darren Durlach

Best Adventure Short: "The Important Places," directed by Forest Woodward

New: Best Short Short Documentary: "Property," directed by Allison Otto

NARRATIVE FEATURE

Best Narrative Feature: "To Keep the Light," directed by Erica Fae

Special Jury Mention: "Gala & Godfrey," directed by Kristin Ellingson

Special Jury Mention: "Bastards y Diablos," directed by A.D. Freese, written by film star and special guest Andrew Perez

Best Ensemble: "No Pay, Nudity," directed by Lee Wilkof

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Best Documentary Feature: "Jim: The James Foley Story," directed by Brian Oakes

Special Jury Mention: "Magicians: Life in the Impossible," directed by Christoph Baaden and Marcie Hume

Special Jury Mention for "Washington State Subject": "The IF Project," directed by Kathlyn Horan

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

Best Feature Narrative: "A Man Called Ove," directed by Hannes Holm

Best Feature Documentary: "Jim: The James Foley Story," directed by Brian Oakes

Best Short Documentary: "The Super Salmon," directed by Ryan Peterson

Best Short Narrative Film: "Stutterer," directed by Benjamin Cleary

JIM EWING YOUNG DIRECTOR AWARD

"It Had to Be You," directed by Sasha Gordon

Established in the name of Jim Ewing, one of the founders of PTFF.

THE BIG CHEESE AWARD

"By Us," directed by Ron Colby and Patricia Van Ryker

This award honors a film that builds community.

RENAISSANCE AWARD

This special award was presented to Karen Allen in recognition of her broad range of accomplishments over a long career.

EXCELLENCE IN PROGRAMMING

Jane Julian, director of programming for PTFF, was recognized for her outstanding curation of festival films.

2016 SPIRIT OF THE PTFF AWARD

Pat McFaul, director of technology, and Chris McFaul, program editor.

The award's 2015 recipient, John Considine, who was not present last year, also came on stage to be honored.