'' The Messenger '' , Moverman 's first film as a director , co-written with Alessandro Camon and starring Ben Foster , Woody Harrelson and Samantha Morton , premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay award and the Peace Film award at the 59th Berlin International Film Festival in 2009 . The film was also awarded the Grand Jury Prize , the Revelation Prize and the International Critics ' Prize from the Deauville Film Festival . Moverman received the Spotlight Award for Directorial Debut from the National Board of Review , and the film also received nominations for Best Screenplay and Best First Feature from the Independent Spirit Awards . The film was nominated for two Academy Awards - Moverman and Camon were nominated for Best Screenplay , and Woody Harrelson was nominated for Best Supporting Actor
2009 Sundance Film Festival
2009 Sundance Film Festival
Oren Moverman