Hunt directed and wrote the screenplay for '' Frozen River '' , a film starring Melissa Leo , Misty Upham , and Charlie McDermott in 2008 . '' Frozen River '' was originally a short film and it first premiered in 2004 at the New York Film Festival . She then turned '' Frozen River '' into a feature-length film . It was nominated in 2009 at the 81st Academy Awards , and it was also nominated for the 24th Independent Spirit Awards . It won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival
24th Independent Spirit Awards
24th Independent Spirit Awards
Courtney Hunt