SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — This weekend marked the finale of the SCAD Film Festival, but the week-long event certainly ended on a high note.

The red carpet was filled with honorees as guests waited eagerly at the doors for their chance to see the closing night gala screening. The chosen film was Origin, directed, produced, and written by Ava Duvernay.

Duvernay, the Virtuoso Director Award winner, walked the carpet telling News 3 how special it is for her to have the film’s southeast premiere in Savannah.

“Receiving this award from SCAD is especially meaningful to me because we actually shot 90% of the film here in Savannah. And so we filmed in SCAD buildings, we collaborated with students and faculty of SCAD. It’s really a part of the picture. The fabric of the making of the picture. And so, it’s especially meaningful to bring it back here and present it here at the Savannah Film Festival,” Duvernay said.

The SCAD Savannah Film Festival is the largest university-run film festival in the world.