‘Dollhouse’ Wins Prize At Festival

“Welcome to the Dollhouse,” a sly, hilarious black comedy about a junior high school girl facing the slings and arrows of preadolescence, is the official hit of this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

It stars a wily young actress named Heather Matarazzo and was written and directed by Todd Solondz, who accepted the Grand Jury Prize for best dramatic feature on Saturday night.

The top documentary prize went to “Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern,” a very personal film made by Jeanne Jordan and Steven Ascher about the fate of the farm owned by Jordan’s parents.

In a show of exceptional unanimity, “Troublesome Creek” was also the winner of the Audience Award in the documentary category. Audience Awards are tabulated from exit polls at public screenings, while Sundance’s other prizes are awarded by various juries.

The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award went to “Big Night.” Like “Welcome to the Dollhouse,” it had emerged as a major favorite.

Starring Stanley Tucci, who also wrote it (with his cousin Joseph Tropiano) and directed it (with Campbell Scott), the film revolves around two brothers and the failing fortunes of their Italian restaurant. The characters are enormously likable.

The Audience Award for a dramatic feature went to “Care of the Spitfire Grill,” a small, assertively sensitive drama with a fine starring performance by Alison Elliot.

Among the festival’s many other awards, two went to “Girls Town,” a thoughtful feminist ‘hood movie directed by Jim McKay. “Girls Town” won the Film Makers’ Trophy (voted by film makers attending the festival).