WINNERS

MONTH OF JANUARY

Witnessed

Unsure of life and certainly too young to know how to cope in a hostile world, Daniel Ortez is forced to grow up. When his father is killed during an armed robbery, he takes it upon himself to get justice by any means. All while a local detective is only a few steps behind him.

Best Film - Directed By Dominic Goodie

The Puppeteer

Best Producer (Under 40 min) -Devani Dianna, Melanie Ann Davis & Christopher Power

The Way

A truck driver's journey in the early 90's.It is a story of life and self-questioning in his daily journey. The film tells the journey of a truck driver who has spent 30 years on the road and an old farmer who is a former agricultural engineer. Osman devoted his life to the roads in order to educate his two children. While transporting the sawdust he loaded from Tokat to Ankara, he meets the farmer Fikri on the way. On their way to Ankara,
within the dilemmas of emotions and thoughts that pass around the triangle of life, time and people on the way they set off, farmer Fikri's goal of reaching Ankara changes everything that happens on the way.

Best Director(Under 40 min) - Okan Batur

The Perfect Woman

Richard works in a vintage clothing store and has met his 1950s dream girl. Could she be the perfect woman?

Best Emerging Filmmaker (Under 40 min) - Meagan Belflower, Noah Beckham

The Java Plum Tree

In the vibrant labyrinth of the South Asian fashion world, a woman born anew in her transition yearns to paint stories with make-up, while a blossoming model is ensnared in the deceitful webs of a media magnate. Their paths converge amidst a gender rebellion, a quest for dignity and recognition. This poignant collision forms a ballet of dreams and defiance, a saga of authenticity clashing with the unspoken shadows of the industry, promising an exploration of courage, identity, and the relentless pursuit of self-realization.

Best Support(Male) - Adnan Siddiqui

Lunatic

Lunatic tackles urgent earthly issues, as seen by a lonely astronaut, called Antonio, who was left behind on the moon after his coming out.
In addition to the climate crisis, human waste, even in space, determines our fate. The moon-guard, a statue of a skinned warrior, symbolises defence against the space debris danger from above. Ultimately, collisions between space debris and satellites will cause a cascade of collisions that will destroy all communications. It's called Kessler syndrome.
The earth ends up with a Saturn like dust ring of metal and silicon.

Antonio is aware of these problems and as he put's it: “It is one small scrap by man, one giant heap by mankind.” He tries to do some terra forming on the moon and finally he meets the all knowing 'I am AI' who also happens to be the voice over.

Lunatic is an improvisation animation film by Robin Noorda, based on his poem about the human behavior of leaving waste everywhere.

Special Juri Award - Robin Noorda

Off the Beaten Path

In this immersive documentary, Winston Stairs invites the audience on a soul-soothing expedition into the world of hiking. Winston's adventurous spirit guides the viewer through the forests of south eastern Ontario, sharing in the enchanting beauty of nature. Through breathtaking landscapes and personal reflections, the film captures Winston's profound love for hiking as more than a mere pastime-it becomes a transformative experience that welcomes self-discovery and a strong relationship with our environment. Within the bliss of this documentary, Winston gives the audience an insight into some of the gear he considers a necessity for his expeditions. Covering, safety, survival, and self-care, Winston relays the importance of the mental and physical health that he receives through his connection to nature. In contrast to our busy, globalized, and digitized world, join Winston on this inspirational trek, where every step reflects the joys of exploring off-path and discovering the tranquil side of our planet.

Best Documentary(Under 40min) - Directed by William Robotham

Shoes

ust a young boy finding his path… in the best possible shoes.
Shoes is a simple story, with global ambition. A story about Munidi, a young boy from a village somewhere in Africa. Munidi isn’t happy with his image and so he sets about transforming his life. Among other westernised ideals, Munidi looks to his screen idols of the western world for inspiration. But who can help him realise his Big Life Ambitions? Bond? … James Bond, that’s who!
Munidi’s transformation begins as seeks out the finer things and steps into a new life and a new pair of shoes. Meet the fresh and improved Munidi who is 100% ready to fulfil his dreams, when a series of everyday encounters make him realise that the things he idolises, aren’t quite what he thought they would be? This is the story of how one young boy’s real transformation comes with understanding who he is and what is important to him.

Best Film(Under 40min) -
Directed By Denise Rose

Noble savage

Theo, an industrial cleaner who is unhappy in these modern times. He desires a better, more natural world but feels he isn't capable of achieving his ideals. The mudflats in the Netherlands offer him a way out, a place where he feels free and escapes from the modern world.

Best Film on Nature & Wildlife (Under 40 min) - Machiel van den Heuvel

Never

His father perished in a car accident a year ago, and his mother was left in a coma. On the first anniversary of his father's death, a son pushes his wheelchair-bound mother to his father's tombstone, where he runs into Dr. Li Min, a seasoned specialist who treated his parents and eventually sent his father away. Dr. Li Min unties the knot in his heart and reveals to his son the true cause of his father's death.

Best Screenplay (Under 40 min) - Wang Wang

Group

At a group meeting for recovering drug addicts, not everyone is revealing the full truth.

Special Jury Award - William R.A. Rush

Déjà Vu

French environmental scientist Dr Pauline Joubert, about to expose secret warfare technology, was assassinated by her hitman/lover in New York's Central Park in 1985. In present day Manhattan, Cassie Cole, a hillbilly True Crime blogger (from the Deep South), continually re-lives Pauline's murder, discovering that she is Pauline's reincarnated soul, and eventually solving a decades-old crime.

Best Emerging Filmmaker (Over 40min) - Cybela Clare

Fortune For All

Three Caribbean siblings are reunited by the death of their eldest brother, one of the first fatalities from a mystery illness sweeping their island. Marooned on the family’s coastal estate for a period of isolation, they begin talking after years of silence.

A tender ode to the radio plays of the director’s childhood in the Caribbean of the 1970s

Best Film on African Americans, natives & visible minorities - Directed By Yao Ramesar

An elite team of A.I./Augmented marines that are sent through time to rewrite human history in the past and future in order to create a better world for the human race.

Best Emerging Filmmaker ( Above 40 min)- Yared GK

Bullet Mode

In a world where colors weave a narrative and every detail merges flawlessly, our blue protagonist steps onto the race track, eyes set on the daunting challenge ahead. The roar of the crowd, their cheers almost deafening, resonates in the air, rooting passionately for their opponent. The rival, a significantly more powerful and popular racer, has captivated the audience with a flashy, eye-catching car.

Despite being seemingly outmatched, our blue protagonist remains unfazed, taking a deep breath. Memories flood back—of their first introduction to the car, a moment so personal it brings tears to their eyes. These recollections stir something deep within, reigniting a fierce determination. As the race begins, the rival quickly pulls ahead, but our blue racer keeps pace, driven by a force much greater than mere competition.

It's not just about winning; it's about proving something to themselves, about honoring the journey that brought them here. The engine roars, tires screech, and in the final stretch, our protagonist makes a move so unexpected and daring that it is destined to change the outcome of the race and the course of their life altogether.

Best Animated Film - Directed by Marwan Zeid

The Pryce Of Love

The pryce of love is an amazing story of love and triumph, capturing the journey of an autistic child, once bound to a life of silence.

With his parents’ undying determination to beat the odds, this extraordinary young man has grown to exceed all obstacles.

Best Documentary(Over 40min) - Directed by Russell Schaap, Quinn Grovey