2011 Los Angeles New Wave International Film Festival (Formerly The LA International Film Festival)


This was the website of the Los Angeles New Wave International Film Festival (Formerly The LA International Film Festival) for a number of years.
The content below is from the site's 2011 archived pages as well as from other sources.
To learn all the most up to date information on the LA Film Festival go to: www.filmindependent.org/la-film-festival/festival is at: https://www.filmindependent.org/

According to Wikipedia the LA Film Festival is an annual film festival held in June in Culver City, California. It showcases independent, international, feature, documentary and short films.  Since 2001 it is run by the organization Film Independent, which also has been arranging the annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica since 1985.

The festival began as the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival (LAIFF) in 1995. The LAIFF ran for six years, until it was absorbed into Film Independent in 2001. At its height, the LAIFF attracted 19,000 attendees. Today, the LA Film Festival attracts more than 36,000 visitors.

International Film Festival was founded by and for independent filmmakers who seek to recognize the craft of filmmaking and storytelling. A new wave film festival, founded and supported by established industry professionals, independent filmmakers, and individual financiers, LAI Film Fest seeks to showcase and honor innovative new voices in the American and international film communities. With nine categories and over ten awards in each category, our goal is to recognize a large and diverse selection of films from all genres. Films and scripts are evaluated by a panel of industry professionals, and award winning filmmakers. We are an online festival and do not prevent you from being screened at other festivals. All festival entrants receive an imdb title page. First place winners in each category receive a trophy, an award certificate, a $100 cash prize, and are listed on the winners page of the laifilmfest website. All other awardees are listed on the winners page of the website and receive an award certificate.

The LAIFilmFest is an IMDB Qualifying Festival.  All Eligible films entered are granted an easy setup title page on IMDB.com

PRESS Regarding the 2011 LA Film Festival

Last year the Los Angeles Film Festival served as the local launchpad for a few key indie and indiewood landmarks of the following 12 months, including Cold Weather, Marwencol, Tiny Furniture and Oscar nominees Gasland and The Kids Are All Right — all of which premiered at other film festivals. This year the lineup for the 11-day event (which returns June 16-26, 2011 to L.A. Live and the surrounding downtown neighborhood) does have a handful of Cannes, Sundance, SXSW and Toronto pedigreed titles in the mix, but there's also a wealth of world and U.S. premieres, particularly in the narrative and documentary competitions.

LA Times Blogs

2011 Los Angeles Film Festival lineup unveiled
May 3, 2011

Movie lovers who were unable to make the trek to Utah in January for Sundance may feel better once they see what the Los Angeles Film Festival has planned.
A number of films that proved popular in Park City will screen for local audiences at the Los Angeles Times-sponsored festival -- which offers both specialty cinema and fare that is more commercial. From June 16 to 26, more than 200 films, music videos and shorts from over 30 countries will be shown (including 27 world, North American and U.S. premieres). Organizers successfully moved the festival from its longtime home in Westwood to downtown Los Angeles last year, and this year the majority of screenings will again be held at L.A. Live.
Among the films that played at Sundance are Mike Cahill's upcoming Fox Searchlight release "Another Earth"; actress-turned-director Vera Farmiga's religious drama "Higher Ground"; and "Page One," a documentary about the New York Times. Other Sundance titles are "Terri," "Tyrannosaur" and "The Future." Those are just some of the 18 movies that are part of the festival's Summer Showcase selection. "Senna" and "Project Nim," two popular documentaries at Sundance, will be shown in other sections of the festival.
The festival, produced by the nonprofit group Film Independent, is still keeping the wraps on the movies that will open and close the festival, as well as details on its gala screenings and special programs -- which last year included eventual Oscar best picture nominee "The Kids Are All Right" and the crowd-pleasing "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse."

A number of the films unveiled so far have a distinct L.A. pedigree, including "Crime After Crime," which raises questions about Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley's role in the appeal of a 1982 murder case; "Leave It on the Floor," an African American musical; "L!fe Happens," about some Silver Lake roommates; "Mamitas," a coming-of-age story shot against L.A.’s downtown skyline; and "How to Cheat," a comedic look at an L.A. couple's struggle to get pregnant.
But the movies are hardly all California-centric. The Narrative Competition section features entries from countries including Austria, Iran and Canada. The festival also will offer an International Spotlight program focused on four Cuban films.

Meanwhile, some of the more intriguing titles look to come from the documentary competition. One of those movies, "Once I Was a Champion," centers around the death of Ultimate Fighting Championship star Evan Tanner. Another, "Salaam Dunk," focuses on a group of young female basketball players in Iraq. And "Wish Me Away" documents country singer Chely Wright's decision to come out publicly as a lesbian.

General admission tickets to individual films go on sale May 31. Contact the ticket office for passes, tickets and event information by calling (866) 345-6337, or visit LAFilmFest.com.

 

2011 Los Angeles Film Festival Winners
by Nikki Finke
June 26, 2011

The 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival gave two juried awards: the Narrative Award recognizes the finest narrative film in competition at the festival and went to Stéphane Lafleur for the North American premiere of Familiar Ground, while the Documentary Award recognizes the finest documentary film in competition and went to Beverly Kopf and Bobbie Birleffi for the world premiere of Wish Me Away. Each carries an unrestricted $15,000 cash prize funded by Film Independent for the winning film’s director to pursue their artistic ambitions. The award for Best Performance in the Narrative Competition went to Amber Sealey, Kent Osborne, Amanda Street and Gabriel Diamond for their performances in Amber Sealey’s How to Cheat.
For the first time, the Los Angeles Film Festival awarded an unrestricted $5,000 cash prize to each short film category. The award for Best Narrative Short Film went to Saba Riazi’s The Wind Is Blowing on My Street. The award for Best Documentary Short Film went to Susan Koenen’s I Am a Girl! Mikey Please’s The Eagleman Stag won the award for Best Animated Short Film.
The Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature went to Attack the Block, directed by Joe Cornish, and the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature went to Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, directed by Michael Rapaport. Asif Kapadia’s Senna won the Audience Award for Best International Feature. The Audience Award for Best Short Film went to Blind Date, directed by Joe Rosen. Can’t Shake This Feeling, directed by The General Assembly’s Adam Littke, Ryan McNeill and Adam Willis, won the Audience Award for Best Music Video for Grum.
Here is the complete list of the jury and audience award winners for the 2011 festival, which ran from Thursday, June 16 to Sunday, June 26 in downtown Los Angeles:
Narrative Award (for Best Narrative Feature)
Winner: Familiar Ground written & directed by Stéphane Lafleur
Producers: Luc Déry, Kim McCraw
Cast: Francis La Haye, Fanny Mallette, Sylvain Marcel, Michel Daigle, Suzanne Lemoine
Film Description: (Canada) This droll, deadpan comedy from snowbound Quebec features an unhappy brother and sister whose fates seem to be known by a mysterious Man From the Future. Not too far in the future though. Just next September.
The Narrative Award carries an unrestricted cash prize of $15,000 funded by Film Independent, offering the financial means to help filmmakers transfer their vision to the screen. The award recognizes the finest narrative film in competition, and is given to the director. A special jury selects the winner, and all narrative feature-length films screening in the Narrative Competition section were eligible. In bestowing Stéphane Lafleur with the Narrative Award, the Jury stated: “An entire tree sticking out of a fireplace…a beaten-up snowman…an operatically dancing inflatable blue dude…the anything but familiar images of Familiar Ground won’t soon be forgotten. In a strong narrative competition this year, this was the singular vision that stood out the most.”
****
Documentary Award (for Best Documentary Feature)
Winner: Wish Me Away directed by Beverly Kopf & Bobbie Birleffi
Producer: Beverly Kopf, Paul Mailman
Film Description: This intensely personal documentary chronicles the heart-wrenching decision Nashville singing star Chely Wright to come out of the closet despite the potentially crushing response from the industry and her fans.
The Documentary Award carries an unrestricted cash prize of $15,000 funded by Film Independent, offering the financial means to help filmmakers transfer their vision to the screen. The award recognizes the finest documentary film in competition, and is given to the director. A special jury selects the winner, and all documentary feature-length films screening in the Documentary Competition section were eligible. In bestowing Beverly Kopf & Bobbie Birleffi with the Documentary Award, the Jury stated: “For its honesty, humor and potential to change minds and even save lives, the jury awards the Documentary Award to Wish Me Away.”
****
Best Performance in the Narrative Competition
Winner: Amber Sealey, Kent Osborne, Amanda Street and Gabriel Diamond in Amber Sealey’s How to Cheat
Film Description: An L.A. couple’s struggle to get pregnant sets off the husband’s wandering eye in this comedy that reveals marriage to be as funny as it is heartbreaking.
In bestowing the actors with the Best Performance, the Jury stated: “At a time where actors are often asked to take a larger role in the creation of what is said in a film and how it’s done, the performers of How to Cheat deserve special distinction. Kent Osborne, Amber Sealey, Amanda Street, and Gabriel Diamond dug deeper and messier, heroically past the point of comfort.”
****
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
Winner: Attack the Block directed by Joe Cornish
Producers: Nira Park, James Wilson
Cast: Jodie Whittaker, John Boyega, Alex Email, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones, Simon Howard, Luke Treadaway, Jumayn Hunter, Nick Frost
Film Description: (England) – From the producers of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Attack the Block follows a gang of tough inner-city kids who defend their turf against an invasion of savage alien creatures, turning a South London apartment complex into an extraterrestrial warzone.
This award is given to the narrative feature audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Select narrative feature-length films screening in the following sections were eligible for the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature: Narrative Competition, Gala Screenings, International Showcase, International Spotlight, Summer Showcase, Community Screenings, Ford Amphitheatre Screenings, and The Beyond.
****
Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature
Winner: Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest directed by Michael Rapaport
Producers: Edward Parks, Bob Teitel, Frank Mele, Robert Benavides, Eric Matthies, Michael Rapaport, Debra Koffler
Film Description: The rancorous break-up of a Tribe Called Quest frames Michael Rapaport’s exuberant exploration of the turmoil and joy that drove these pioneers of bohemian hip hop.
This award is given to the documentary feature audiences liked most as voted on by a tabulated rating system. This category is sponsored by Sterling Forever and in addition to the acclaim, the winner is awarded a pair of official sterling silver rings commemorating the festival from their Prestige Collection. We hope to offer sponsorship prizes for other categories as part of the increasing interest in the festival. Select documentary feature-length films screening in the following sections were eligible for the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: Documentary Competition, International Showcase, International Spotlight, Documenting Mexico, Summer Showcase, Community Screenings, and Ford Amphitheatre Screenings.
****
Audience Award for Best International Feature
Winner: Senna directed by Asif Kapadia
Producers: James Gay-Rees, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Film Description: (England) A high-octane look at the most exciting driver to ever race Formula One — Brazil’s Aryton Senna — this edge of your seat documentary explores the politics, rivalries and glamour of a sport that leaves no room for error.
This award is given to the international feature audiences liked most as voted on by a tabulated rating system. Select international feature-length films, both narrative and documentary, in the Narrative Competition, Documentary Competition, International Showcase, International Spotlight, Documenting Mexico, Summer Showcase, Ford Amphitheatre Screenings, and The Beyond were eligible for the Audience Award for Best International Feature.
****
Best Narrative Short Film
Winner: The Wind Is Blowing on My Street by Saba Riazi
Producer: Mohammad Hoseseni
Cast: Rahman Houshyar, Sajjad Salehivand, Forough Bonakder, Ashraf Abolfazlian
Description: (Iran) A young girl in Tehran is accidentally locked out of her home with no scarf on her head.
In bestowing Saba Riazi with Best Narrative Short Film, the Jury stated: “For offering insight into the specifics of life under theocratic rule in Iran in a way that speaks to us all, with a remarkable lead performance by an actress forced by circumstances to remain anonymous, the jury presents the Narrative Short Film Award to Saba Riazi for The Wind is Blowing on My Street.”
****
Best Documentary Short Film
Winner: I Am a Girl! by Susan Koenen
Producer: Albert Klein Haneveld
Description: (Netherlands) Joppe dreams of love, marriage and children. Being born a boy only complicates things slightly.
In bestowing Susan Koenen with Best Documentary Short Film, the Jury stated: “For using gorgeous cinematography and energetic editing to capture a young woman’s journey from biological maleness to forthright femininity, and for giving us a glimpse at an open-minded new generation with a better understanding of gender and sexuality issues than their parents ever dreamed, the jury presents the Documentary Short Film Award to Susan Koenen for I Am a Girl!”
****
Best Animated Short Film
Winner: The Eagleman Stag by Mike Please
Producer: Royal College of Art
Cast: David Cann, Tony Guilfoyle
Description: (England) This unique stop-motion animated film depicts a man’s haunting obsession with the passage of time and his unorthodox relationship with a beetle.
In bestowing Mike Please with Best Animated Short Film, the Jury stated: “For mixing innovative three-dimensional paper-cut animation, a stunning white-on-white visual style, and a wryly original sense of storytelling, the jury presents the Animated Short Film Award to Mikey Please for The Eagleman Stag.”
****
Audience Award for Best Short Film
Winner: Blind Date by Joe Rosen
Producer: Joe Rosen, Abigail Blackmore
Cast: Abigail Blackmore, Cavan Clerkin, Zeben Jameson, Matthew Blackmore
Description: (England) Waiting for her date, Rachel has an unexpected encounter.
Awarded to the short film audiences liked most as voted on by a tabulated rating system. Short films screening in the Shorts Programs or before Narrative Competition, Documentary Competition, or International Showcase feature-length screenings were eligible for the Audience Award for Best Short Film.
****
Audience Award for Best Music Video
Winner: Can’t Shake This Feeling by The General Assembly’s Adam Littke, Ryan McNeill, Adam Willis
Music: Grum
This award is given to the music video audiences liked most as voted on by a tabulated rating system.

Spring 2011 Festival Winners

SCRIPT COMPETITION

First Place
“C.B. DeMille” By Robert Hammond (USA)

Second Place
“Eden” By Jason Rostovsky (USA)

Third Place (Tied)
“Overdue” By Michelle Muldoon (Canada)

Third Place (Tied)
“Brain On Fire” By Jeffrey Stanley (USA)

Honorable Mention
“Anderson Falls” By Giles Daoust (Belgium)
“Chameleon” By Barry Kneller (USA)
“The Vagaries” By Mary Casavant (USA)
“Her Mind Set” By Dan McCarthy (USA)
“Half Time” By Michael Bloecher (USA)
“QUEEN OF VENGEANCE” By Mark Winzer (USA)
“Discord” By Tanner Bean (USA)
“ASMAHAN” By Marc Sandler & Ziad Hamzeh (USA)
“My Son's a Pirate” By Tristan Hudson (Australia)
“10 Minutes From Paradise” By Janyce Lapore (USA)
“No Tomorrow” By Jacob Sloman (USA)
“Intoxicated” By Chris Shimojima (USA)
“GIRLS” By Rebecca Scott (USA)
“Halfway Home” By David Schroeder (USA)
“The Winner Takes It All...” By Jean Christoph Duell (Germany)
“Friends Academy” By Jessie Weinberg (USA)

 

SHORT FILM

First Place
“The Third Letter” Dir. by Grzegorz Jonkajtys (USA)

Second Place (Tied)
“Le Miroir” Dir. By Sébastien Rossignol (France)

Second Place (Tied)
“DISCO” Dir. By Luke Snellin (United Kingdom)

Third Place (Tied)
“Escape” Dir. By James Connelly (USA)

Third Place (Tied)
“Heavy Lifting” Dir. By James Macdonald (USA)

 

Honorable Mention

“Souterrain” Dir. By Erwin Haecker (Germany)
“The Winking Boy” Dir. By Marcus Dineen (Australia)
“The Room at the Top of the Stairs” Dir. By Briony Kidd (Australia)
“The Price” Dir. By Zeke Pinheiro & James St. Vincent  (USA)
“PrÈmices” Dir. By Pao paixao (Switzerland)
“Impostor” Dir. By Marc Masciandaro (USA)
“A Secret Mark of Grace” Dir. By Jonathan So (Hong Kong)
“Possession” Dir. By Kameron Webb (United Kingdom)
“Worm” Dir. By Ryan Vernava (United Kingdom)
“Cookie” Dir. By Enuka Okuma (Canada/USA)
“NEGLECT” Dir. By Lilja Ingolfsdottir (Norway)
“Minnie Loves Junior” Dir. By Andy Mullins(Australia)
“For Jie” Dir. By Hiroshi Hara (USA)
“Kapy” Dir. By Sakari Mäkelä (Finland)
“To Rest in Peace” Dir. By Fawaz Al-Matrouk (Canada/USA)
“Diversion” Dir. By Chris Folkens (USA)
“Eastern Army” Dir. By Philip Th. Pedersen (Denmark)
“Above the Knee” Dir. By Greg Atkins (Canada)
“Let Go” Dir. By Jonathan Hauerstock (Israel)
“5150 HOLD” Dir. By Shirley Monsarrat (France)
“North Atlantic” Dir. By Bernardo Nascimento (Portugal/United Kingdom)
“Choke” Dir. By Michelle Latimer (Canada)
“Beirut...Hide&Seek” Dir. By Darine Hotait (USA)
“On Air” Dir. By Carsten Vauth & Marco J. Riedl (Germany)
“Ashes” Dir. By Sonia Castang (United Kingdom)
“Collector” Dir. By Dempsey Tillman (USA)
“ALLEYMAN” Dir. By Andrew Ellinas (United Kingdom)

Best Directing
“The Third Letter” Dir. by Grzegorz Jonkajtys (USA)

Best Screenplay
“DISCO” Dir. By Luke Snellin (United Kingdom)

Best Cinematography
“Le Miroir” Dir. By Sébastien Rossignol (France)

Best Male Actor
Chuma Gault “Heavy Lifting” Dir. By James Macdonald (USA)

Best Female Actor
Sophie-Charlotte Husson “Le Miroir” Dir. By Sébastien Rossignol (France)

Best Male Supporting Actor
Charlie Rowe “DISCO” Dir. By Luke Snellin (United Kingdom)

Best Female Supporting Actor
Naomi Sniekus “Above the Knee” Dir. By Greg Atkins (Canada)

Best Editing
“Diversion” Dir. By Chris Folkens (USA)

Best Original Score
“Beirut...Hide&Seek” Dir. By Darine Hotait (USA)

Best Sound Design
“Escape” Dir. By James Connelly (USA)

Best Production Design
“Escape” Dir. By James Connelly (USA)

Best Stunts
“Eastern Army” Dir. By Philip Th. Pedersen (Denmark)

Best Special Effects
“The Third Letter” Dir. by Grzegorz Jonkajtys (USA)

Best Makeup
“Escape” Dir. By James Connelly (USA)

Best Costume Design
“5150 HOLD” Dir. By Shirley Monsarrat (France)

                         
FEATURE FILM

First Place
“ENTER NOWHERE” Dir. By Jack Heller (USA)

Second Place
“Without Men” Dir. By Gabriela Tagliavini (USA) 

Third Place (Tied)
“Face to Face” Dir. By Michael Rymer (Australia)

Third Place (Tied)
“L'inattendue” Dir. By Benoit Magne (France)

Honorable Mention

“la bani, la cap, la oase” Dir. By Cristian Comeaga (Romania)
“DeadHeads” Dir. By Brett Pierce & Drew Pierce (USA)
“FLY AWAY” Dir. By Janet Grillo (USA)
“The Wake Wood” Dir. By David Keating (Ireland, United kingdom)
“Turbine” Dir. By Yvette Hasson & Jean-Yves Hasson (USA)
“Exquisite Corpse” Dir. By Scott Russell (USA)
“5th & Alameda” Dir. By Richard Friedman (USA)
“Spilt Milk” Dir. By Blake Calhoun (USA)
“Charge Over You” Dir. By Richard Steenekamp (Australia)
“Peach Plum Pear” Dir. By Alana Morshead (USA)
“The Long, Slow Death of a Twenty-Something” Dir. By Larry Longstreth (USA)
“A Beginner's Guide to Endings” Dir. By Jonathan Sobol (Canada)
“FEBBRE DA FIENO” Dir. By Laura Luchetti (Italy)

Best Directing
“ENTER NOWHERE” Dir. By Jack Heller (USA)

Best Screenplay
“Face to Face” Dir. By Michael Rymer (Australia)

Best Cinematography
“ENTER NOWHERE” Dir. By Jack Heller (USA)

Best Ensemble Cast
“A Beginner’s Guide To Endings” Dir. By Jonathan Sobol (Canada)

Best Male Actor
Scott Eastwood “ENTER NOWHERE” Dir. By Jack Heller (USA)

Best Female Actor
Eva Longoria “Without Men” Dir. By Gabriela Tagliavini (USA)

Best Male Supporting Actor
Harvey Keitel “A Beginner’s Guide To Endings” Dir. By Jonathan Sobol (Canada)

Best Female Supporting Actor
Alanna Masterson “Peach Plum Pear” Dir. By Alana Morshead (USA)

Best Editing
“Exquisite Corpse” Dir. By Scott Russell (USA)

Best Original Score
“Without Men” Dir. By Gabriela Tagliavini (USA)

Best Sound Design
“L'inattendue” Dir. By Benoit Magne (France)

Best Production Design
“Without Men” Dir. By Gabriela Tagliavini (USA)

Best Stunts
“DeadHeads” Dir. By Brett Pierce & Drew Pierce (USA)

Best Special Effects
“DeadHeads” Dir. By Brett Pierce & Drew Pierce (USA)

Best Makeup
“DeadHeads” Dir. By Brett Pierce & Drew Pierce (USA)

Best Costume Design
“Face to Face” Dir. By Michael Rymer (Australia)

 

EXPERIMENTAL FILM

First Place
“Hot Velcro Action” Dir. By Michael Cantor (USA)

Second Place
“X.O. GENESIS” Dir. By Rowan Wernham (New Zealand)

Third Place (Tied)
“T O in 2 4” Dale Hildebrand (Canada)

Third Place (Tied)
“The Impossible Task of Knowing” Dir. By Jay Kantor (USA)

Honorable Mention

“Beautiful War” Scott Lyus (United Kingdom)
“Andritzki. Bekenntnis” Sonja Toepfer (Germany)
“Rideshare” Donovan Cook (USA)
“Pinocchio” lesley butler (United Kingdom)
“...in Trento” Lemuel Torrevillas (USA)
“Sixty in 60” Ronnie Cramer (USA)
“DREAMS AND MIRRORS” Kyoka Tsukamoto (Canada)
“LIFE” Nancy Rodwan (USA)
“The Impossible Task of Knowing” Jay Kantor (USA)
“Ad Infinitum” Benjamin Ridgway (USA)
“Ziyarat” Suresh K Goswami (India)

Best Performance
Narisa susuki “Rideshare” Donovan Cook (USA)

Best Concept
“X.O. GENESIS” Dir. By Rowan Wernham (New Zealand)

Best Cinematography
“T O in 2 4” Dale Hildebrand (Canada)

Best Visual Effects
“Hot Velcro Action” Dir. By Michael Cantor (USA)

Best Editing
“Sixty in 60” Ronnie Cramer (USA)

Best Production Design
“Sixty in 60” Ronnie Cramer (USA)

Best Costume Design
“Andritzki. Bekenntnis” Sonja Toepfer (Germany)

                       
  ANIMATED FILM

First Place
“The Lighthouse” Dir. By Po Chou Chi (Taiwan/USA)

Second Place
“Underlife” Dir. By Jaroslaw Konopka (Poland)

Third Place (Tied)
“Written In Pencil” Dir. By Yaron Bar (Israel)

Third Place (Tied)
“Love.Mel” Dir. By Matt Onheiber (USA)

 

Honorable Mention

“BOB” Dir. By Jacob Frey (Germany)
“Venus” Dir. By Tor Fruergaard (Denmark)
“Squash” Dir. By Eliza Gardner (Australia)
“Surviving Hunger” Dir. By Balgum Song (USA)
“Nullarbor” Dir. By Alistair Lockhart (Australia)
“Mindwash. The Jake Sessions” Dir. By Sundae Sundae (USA)
“Between Bears” Dir. By Eran Hilleli (Israel)
“Pinburgh” Dir. By Doug Cooper (USA)
“Three Ring” Dir. By James Jandak Wood (USA)

 

Best Directing
“Underlife” Dir. By Jaroslaw Konopka (Poland)

Best Story
“The Lighthouse” Dir. By Po Chou Chi (Taiwan/USA)

Best Male Voice Over
Matt Onheiber - “Love.Mel” Dir. By Matt Onheiber (USA)

Best Female Voice Over
Laura Sofia Bach - “Venus” Dir. By Tor Fruergaard (Denmark)

Best Animated Visual
“Underlife” Dir. By Jaroslaw Konopka (Poland)

Best Editing
“Written In Pencil” Dir. By Yaron Bar (Israel)

Best Sound Design
“Love.Mel” Dir. By Matt Onheiber (USA)

Best Original Score
“The Lighthouse” Dir. By Po Chou Chi (Taiwan/USA)

 

               
SHORT DOCUMENTARIES

 

First Place

“The Dancer” Dir. By Seth Stark (USA)
100-degree heat. 2-man crew. 4-day shoot. 1-man cast. Shot on location in a remote village in India, The Dancer shows life through the eyes of an 11-year-old orphan boy, Satish Kumar, a non-actor portraying himself and giving us unrestricted access into his world. This true story is based entirely on an interview with Satish, who speaks only Telugu, and direction was given through a translator. With only 2 days of planning and 4 days of shooting - and despite the communication barrier - a connection was made during production that transcends language and inspired everyone involved in this whirlwind project.

Second Place
“Broken Doors” Dir. By Goro Toshima (USA)
'Broken Doors': A young, homeless couple, struggling to survive on the streets of Hollywood, confront one of the biggest challenges of their lives...an unexpected pregnancy.

Third Place (Tied)
“Uncaged” Dir. By Matthew Rodgers (USA)
Uncaged takes a deep look into the physical demands and reality of becoming a professional MMA fighter.

Third Place (Tied)
“Rockaway Taco” Dir. By Todd Selby (USA)
Set in Rockaway, Queens, an entrepreneur-surfer-chef brings a sense of community to a working class neighborhood at Rockaway Taco. Cooking simple, healthy and fresh foods, Rockaway Taco establishes an uplifting environment and diverse culture composed of various races and nationalities, and blue-collared workers.

Honorable Mention
“Loy Krathong” Dir. By Jeffrey Waldron (Thailand)
Each year the people of Chiang Mai, Thailand get together to let go. The many origins and meanings of the Loy Krathong lantern festival are explored as a tuktuk driver explores its meaning for her.


“Smut Capital of America” Dir. By Michael Stabile (USA)
“Safeguarding Memory: Commemorating Jewish Mass Graves in Poland” Dir. By Ellen Friedland (Poland)
“ECHOES” Dir. By Ivalo Frank (Greenland)
“A Family Portrait” Dir. By Jeffrey Haig & Melissa Leu (USA)
A Family Portrait' follows two men as they discover the meaning of love, social expectations and what it is to be a family in 21st century America. A story about a gay couple raising two young children, the documentary shows their will to overcome societal challenges using the power of timeless family values.


“SINH SAMRAJYA - LION's DOMAIN” Dir. By NIrav Parikh (India)
“The Labyrinth” Dir. By Jason A. Schmidt (USA)
“Mrs. Buck in Her Prime” Dir. By Erick Yates Green (USA)
Mrs. Buck in her Prime, a documentary film about Neva Buck, the spirited 104 y.o. church organist who, despite her many infirmities, insists on playing at several churches each month in the rural Eastern NC region of Washington, NC 


“Departing Rosewood” Dir. By susan hadary & john anglim (USA)
“Last Men Riding” Dir. By Chris H. Stockl & Ute Fussenegger (USA)
“GREEN YELLOW RED” Dir. By Gavro David (Israel)


“Stephanian” Dir. By Kalli Anderson & Zachary Finkelstein (Canada)
Stephanian is a portrait of one of Toronto's last family-owned corner pharmacies. For almost 50 years, Mathilde Stephanian worked seven days a week with her husband Barkev, a pharmacist. Since her husband's death in 2005, Mathilde has transformed the store into a time capsule filled with remnants of its history as a pharmacy alongside an eclectic array of secondhand items from her home. Narrated by two generations of Stephanian women, and shot on 16mm, this film tells the story of a family trying to maintain a connection to a shop, a profession and neighborhood that has defined their lives.


“'MISTURA'. THE POWER OF FOOD” Dir. By Julia Patricia Perez (Peru)
“Vera. An intimate Sketch.” Dir. By Yelena Demikovsky (USA)
“Tom Sachs” Dir. By Todd Selby (USA)

Best Directing
“Broken Doors” Dir. By Goro Toshima (USA)

Best Concept
“The Dancer” Dir. By Seth Stark (USA)

Best Editing
“The Dancer” Dir. By Seth Stark (USA)

Best Cinematography
Loy Krathong Dir. By Jeffrey Waldron (Thailand)

Best Sound Design
“Uncaged” Dir. By Matthew Rodgers (USA)

 

              
FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES

First Place
“Bhopali” Dir. By Max Carlson (USA)

Second Place (Tied)
“The Other F Word” Dir. By Andrea Blaugrund Nevins (USA)

Second Place (Tied)
“Bouncing Cats” Dir. By Nabil Elderkin (USA)

Third Place (Tied)
“Foreign Parts” Dir. By Verena Paravel & J.P. Sniadecki (France/USA)

Third Place (Tied)
“The Rescuers” Dir. By Michael King (USA)

Honorable Mention
“Vidal Sassoon: The Movie” Dir. By Craig Teper (USA)
“Dying to do Letterman” Dir. By Biagio Messina & Joke Fincioen (USA)
“Run to the East” Dir. By Henry Lu (USA)
“Hula” Dir. By Liz Chow (USA)
“Death By Medicine” Dir. By Gary Null (USA)
“Hurry Up and Wait” Dir. By Justin Malone (Austria/Belgium)
“WE STILL LIVE HERE: As Nutayunean” Dir. By Anne Makepeace (USA)
“Get Real! Wise Women Speak” Dir. By joni steele kimberlin (USA)
“South Wind on Hilton Beach” Dir. By karin kainer (Israel)
“Building a Future” Dir. By Shaohua Li (China)
“The World's Tallest Man: Still Growing” Dir. By Stuart Clarke (United Kingdom)
“HAPPY” Dir. By Roko Belic (USA)
“21:21” Dir. By Gisli Snaer Erlingsson  (Japan)
“An Unlikely Obsession: Churchill and the Jews” Dir. By Barry Avrich (Canada)
“WHAT IF CANNABIS CURED CANCER” Dir. By LEN RICHMOND  (USA)
“Finding Kind” Dir. By Lauren Parsekian (USA)
“Dar Radeh payeh Che Guevara” Dir. By Alireza Rofougaran (Iran)
“Searching for Elliott Smith” Dir. By Gil Reyes  (USA)
“Brot kost' Geld” Dir. By Claudia Krämer (Germany)
“Making Your Mark (A Year in the Life of an Entrepreneur)” Dir. By Jason Boritz (USA)
“NA NAI'A LEGEND OF THE DOLPHINS” Dir. By Jonathan Kay (Canada)
“Wheels of Change” Dir. By Jeff Peeler (Canada)
“Who is Alvin Greene?” Dir. By David Garrett & Leslie Beaumont (USA)
“The Test” Dir. By Gary Strieker (USA)
“Gesicht zur Wand” Dir. By Stefan Weinert (Germany/Luxembourg)
“FILM FANATIC” Dir. By Shlomo Hazan (Israel)
“The Day Carl Sandburg Died” Dir. By Paul Bonesteel (USA)
“Late Rounders” Dir. By Evan A. Marshall (USA)
“OPERATION: Emotional Freedom - The Answer” Dir. By Eric Huurre (Canada/USA)
“Genocide Revealed” Dir. By Yurij Luhovy  (Canada)

 

Best Directing
“Bhopali” Dir. By Max Carlson (USA)

Best Concept
“The Other F Word” Dir. By Andrea Blaugrund Nevins (USA)

Best Editing
“Vidal Sassoon: The Movie” Dir. By Craig Teper

Best Cinematography
“The Rescuers” Dir. By Michael King (USA)

Best Sound Design
“Bouncing Cats” Dir. By Nabil Elderkin (USA)

                       
MUSIC VIDEOS

First Place
WhoMadeWho "Keep Me In My Plane" Dir. By WILLIAM STAHL (Denmark)

Second Place
Lowlight - "Wake" Dir. By John Charter (USA)

Third Place (Tied)
Kaizers Orchestra: Hjerteknuser Dir. By Thomas Berg (Norway)

Third Place (Tied)
Sleeping with Frank Dir. By Lily Baldwin (USA)

 

Honorable Mention

“Bon Homme 'Mother'” Dir. By WILLIAM STAHL (Denmark)
“Exile - Population Control Remixes” Dir. By Greg Ponstingl & Alexander Manfredi
“'SHE'” Dir. By Rolando Sanchez (USA)
“In Love with a Nun:  The Music Video” Dir. By Ron Eltanal (USA)
“The Dolly Rocker  Movement - 'Memory Layne'” Dir. By John Charter (USA)
“Who I Am” Dir. By Dawn Young (USA)
“Hallucination” Dir. By Christian Jean (USA)
“How Deep Is The Night” Dir. By Peter Monro (USA)
“Just Five Minutes” Dir. By Kaspar Synnevaag (Norway)
“A Poem I'll Sing Out Loud” Dir. By Erica Hart (Ireland)

 

Best Concept
Sleeping with Frank Dir. By Lily Baldwin (USA)

Best Directing
WhoMadeWho "Keep Me In My Plane" Dir. By WILLIAM STAHL (Denmark)

Best Cinematography
Lowlight - "Wake" Dir. By John Charter (USA)

Best Editing
Lowlight - "Wake" Dir. By John Charter (USA)

Best Costume Design
Sleeping with Frank Dir. By Lily Baldwin (USA)

Best Production Design
Kaizers Orchestra: Hjerteknuser Dir. By Thomas Berg (Norway)

 

   STUDENT FILMS

First Place
“Teamwork”  Dir. By Seo Yun Hong  (South Korea)

Second Place(Tied)
“Eloquent Silence” Dir. By Julia Keller (Germany)

Second Place(Tied)
“Infernum” Dir. By Ted Marcus  (USA)

Third Place (Tied)
“St. Christophorus: Roadkill”  Dir. By Gregor Erler (Germany)

Third Place (Tied)
“Sentaku Basami” Dir. By Vichian Sutipornprachum (Japan)

 

Honorable Mentions
“Music Box” Dir. By Dylan Ladds (USA)
“Shudder House” Dir. By Joey Dello Russo (USA)
“Quirk of Fate” Dir. By Marco J. Riedl (Germany)
“After the Shearing” Dir. By Vanessa Rojas (USA)
“Der Struwwelpeter” Dir. By Sabine Asanger (USA)
“Picking Up America” Dir. By Marie Wicht & Michael Burke (USA)
“American Sweetheart” Dir. By Karin Binanto (USA)
“Jay” Dir. By E.R. Womelsduff (USA)
“Wake Up & Live” Dir. By Hanny Lee (USA)
“27” Dir. By Neil Forbes (USA)
“Umkhumbi Wethu” Dir. By Garon Campbell (South Africa)
“Walk My Elephant” Dir. By Christopher Walters & Duane Lavold (USA)
“Run Edward,Run!” Dir. By Hebron Simckes-Joffe (USA)
“Countdown” Dir. By Stephen Studyvin (USA)
“Rondul de Dimineata” Dir. By Tudor Petremarin (Romania)
“DreamGiver” Dir. By Tyler Carter (USA)

Directing
“Teamwork”  Dir. By Seo Yun Hong  (South Korea)

Screenplay
“Infernum” Dir. By Ted Marcus  (USA)

Cinematography
“Eloquent Silence” Dir. By Julia Keller (Germany)

Male Actor
Michael Finn  “27” Dir. By Neil Forbes (USA)

Female Actor
Monika Wegener “Eloquent Silence” Dir. By Julia Keller (Germany)

Male Supporting Actor
David Dayan Fisher “Infernum” Dir. By Ted Marcus  (USA)

Female Supporting Actor
Alma Leiberg “Eloquent Silence” Dir. By Julia Keller (Germany)

Editing
“27” Dir. By Neil Forbes (USA)

Original Score
“Infernum” Dir. By Ted Marcus  (USA)

Sound Design
“Eloquent Silence” Dir. By Julia Keller (Germany)

Production Design
“Sentaku Basami” Dir. By Vichian Sutipornprachum (Japan)

Stunts
“St. Christophorus: Roadkill”  Dir. By Gregor Erler (Germany)

Special Effects
“St. Christophorus: Roadkill”  Dir. By Gregor Erler (Germany)

Makeup
“St. Christophorus: Roadkill”  Dir. By Gregor Erler (Germany)

Costume Design
“Shudder House” Dir. By Joey Dello Russo (USA)
 

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