WINNERS

MONTH OF JANUARY

Time spent with cats is never wasted

A small town artist must fight his community as they clamber for a share of the fortune his creation promises to deliver.
Best Director -Clive Michael Will

The Families Feud

Mob boss, Angelo D'Angelo (John Fiore) is dodging hitmen around every corner as he and his comical crew of good fellas battle rival mob boss, Sonny Green (Artie Pasquale). To make matters worse, some of Angelo's henchmen are taken hostage by a bungling bunch of Hillbilly Bigfoot hunters. The feud escalates, as does the lunacy and laughter, with Angelo struggling to save himself and his own "family" from both Sonny and the sneaky squad of Squatch hunters.

Best Screenplay (over 40min) - Stew Replogle

Thanthiram

On a hot summer day, 13-year-old Chinna begrudgingly accompanies his Shaman father to work. They travel village-to-village, with the father practicing black magic and the son assisting him.
The duo struggle to get through the day as their relationship strains under the weight of the people they encounter and the differences they see in each other.
Does Chinna learn to overcome his struggles or be doomed to live the life he feared he would inherit?

Best Film (Under 40min)

Penitent in Attempt

A man, who became disabled as a result of an injury that he brought upon himself. Yet, instead of giving up, he has found salvation in his faith, the church, and the hometown. The Church of St. Procopius is located in Prokuplje, a city named after its patron saint, St. Procopius. The church is one of the oldest preserved churches on the territory of Serbia, only second to the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Novi Pazar. The Church of St. Procopius houses the remains of St. Procopius and the relics of St. George.

Best original score - Ivica Trailovic

Safe House 1618

A revenge plot traps 3 sisters and their getaway driver in a safe house until they can escape the country, but they may be running from so much more than just the police

Best Emerging Filmmaker - Calvin T. Shepherd
(Above 40min)

Not To Forget

This is a drama that stars 5 Academy Award winners.
After a life of little scams, a self-centered millennial is sentenced to take care of his grandmother, who is affected by Alzheimer's. As he realizes the extent of her wealth, the protagonist gets closer to the treasure he's been looking for.

Best Actor -Male Lead - Tate Dewey
Best Film (Above 40min) - Directed by Valerio Zanoli
Best Cinematographer - Massimo Zeri
Best Editor - Pietro Malegori

Love: Music, A Festival Short Film

The first in a series of short documentary films discussing unique perspectives from the music industry. Running 15:23, the film explores the hands-on experience of a concert photographer working with two regional music festivals attempting a post-pandemic comeback. Contrasting the colorful action-packed scene up on stage, she learns of the intense struggles, grueling hours and underlying motivations of the dedicated, music-loving teams behind the events. Witnessing and documenting the lengths they'll go to - all in the name of music – brings to light the passion and motivations of those who don’t always share the limelight.

Best Documentary (Under 40 min) Directed by Kaili Rose

GPS Mon Amour

A strong couple argument during a vacation trip turns into an unexpected challenge when their temperamental GPS gets fed up with the fights and decides to rebel and take action to try to fix the situation

Best Emerging Filmmaker - Javier Ideami

Kolkhoz

The concept of mass farming or kolkhoz, highlighted by Russian socialism, was successfully used to attract young people to the revolution. 88/89 was an era in which many young people lost their lives due to various personal needs as well as social pressure. This is their story.

Best Screenplay (Under 40min) - Viraj Karunananda
Best Supporting Actor Female -Raveena Niroshani Senanayake

The art of life

The story is all about two friends who meets each other after a long time . Arindam is an International sand artiste and his friend Sashikant is a Disaster and Climate Change expert. Sashikant always feels that he is carrying a lots of tensions and nobody in the world is having such a stress like him but his friend suggests him to take the life easy, celebrate life and lead a positive life as the life is short.
Though Arindam is having under severe stress, he always try to counsel his friend not to think too much, accept the Life as it is and lead a positive life .
In the later part of the story it is revealed that Arindam has suffered from serious illness but he hardly bothers about his health and try to give a message to the society that Live life before life leaves you.
Effort has been made in the Film to compare Life with Sand Art. Though we all know Sand Art would not be there for a long but we try to make the Sand Art Beautiful.
Being positive is “The Art of Life”

Special jury award

London Gangstah

A beautiful pickpocket girl in London steals from the Irish Gangster and her life becomes in danger and she has a very short time to escape from the pursue of the Gangsters by using the rivalry of Irish and English gangsters in London.

Best Producer - Joseph Karimbeik (Under 40min)

Sun Shine

A man comes home early from work to read a newly released book from his favorite author. When he gets home he is met with a surprise that changes his life completely. He will never be the same.

Best Emerging Filmmaker - Terrill Johnson

Something Ain't Right

This documentary, with Kevin Sorbo looks at physicians who were successfully treating covid since March 2020. Yet the majority of these physicians through out the world were censored. Countless lives could have been saved had this not happened. Had this censorship not happened, would we have needed the economically destructive lockdowns? Would people be living in fear as they are today? How would our lives be different?

Best Director - Susan Ruth Downs, MD & Alex Voss
For Something Ain't Right
(Over 40 min- Documentary)