WINNERS

MONTH OF OCTOBER

The Wedding Bandit

Raya is a young woman engaged to be married to her wealthy fiancée Vikram, who she met through an online matrimonial website. That is until she finds out some harrowing details about his past and how Vikram is really a con man who has scammed and violated dozens of other women over the years. Raya comes up with a plan to get even and make sure the world knows who the real Vikram is, while empowering the other female victims to overcome their trauma and hold Vikram accountable for the damage he has done.

Best Cinematography (Under 40min ) - Mithun Daa

where's Toby?

A functioning alcoholic finds herself embroiled in a struggle to keep her child.

Best Film (under40min) - Directed by Naveen Sagar

Wa Isjod Wa Iqtareb

The animation is based on Nabila Abuljadayel's artwork which talks about the precautionary measures taken by the Saudi government in the face of the pandemic, as a few cleaners at the time were able to pray (alone) in the Holy Mosque of Makkah among more than one billion and eight hundred million Muslims.

Best Animated Short Film- directed by Suraya AlShehry, Nabila Abuljadayel

The Visitor

A mysterious woman targets a middle-aged man to convince him to save the planet.

Best Producer (Under 40 min) - Bahram Pourghadiri

Rising Wings

"Rising Wings" is more than just a documentary about hunting; it's a journey through America's rich history, focusing on our evolving relationship with waterfowl. Beginning in the 1860s, when families relied on these birds for sustenance, to the rise of sport hunting clubs and the poignant decline of waterfowl populations due to overhunting, we unveil the intricate dance between man and nature. Through the tales of a nostalgic retired General, the insights of a prominent decoy collector, and the stunning visuals of both intricate decoys and the mesmerizing waterfowl they mimic, we spotlight a unique American Folk Art and delve into the pressing environmental challenges of today. This film serves as a powerful reminder that by preserving the habitats of these majestic birds, we not only uphold our cultural legacy but also ensure the health of our planet for future generations.

Best Documentary (Over40 min) Directed by Harun Kazaz

NUMB.

A look into three personalities of Jada, a young woman with dissociative identity disorder. Her chaotic journey to "normalcy" is constantly obstructed by her unsupportive mother. In an attempt to rebalance her life, she seeks the aid of a therapist, Rachelle, who guides her into self-acceptance with love, support and kindness.

Best Screenplay(Under 40min) - Genesis Thompson

Shadowland

The diverse communication options offered by a cell phone influence our social and consumer behavior. Excessive use changes the design of life and lifestyle habits.

Honorable mention - Bellopropello

Own Goal

Two preteen rivals vie for a place on the school football team.

Best Emerging Filmmaker - Ava Spence

Dreamer.

Jess has always been a dreamer. Her friends are used to awkward, lengthy 8am text messages from her saying, “I just had this dream about you”. She sees them as little hellos, little reminders. Little warnings.

But recently, her dreams have had a consistent message: “Something’s wrong”.

After a year of songwriting celibacy, she was compelled to drop everything and spend seven days banging on a piano in the woods. This particular songwriting process felt dream-like. Like she was downloading from something outside of herself.

Jess initially set out to just document dreams and songs as they came to her, freely puzzling them together with non-linear dream logic. But when she began to see that the 10 songs and 7 dreams she gathered spoke together in concert, she found that “dreamer.” ended up discovering a turning point in her life.

Honorable mention - Jess Godwin

Mystique No. 4

A woman must decide what to do after inheriting a painting of her great grandmother
by a famous artist.

Best Editing(under 40min) - Alexandra Savu

Qínggǎn yǔ sīkǎo

Qínggǎn yǔ sīkǎo is a stop-motion animation short that revolves around a recorded conversation between me and my mother about my late father and how that impacted our lives. I wanted to use this film as an opportunity to unpack her experiences as a single parent, as well as explore her mindset towards life and death. This short is the last part of my recent film trilogy, where in each animation I visualized different aspects of familial loss and its many impacts.

Special Jury Award -Karen Kwok (Joint with Qínggǎn yǔ sīkǎo )

WordLotto

In a world where words are limited, Tom Brennan grudgingly handles appeals from citizens who claim that their WordMeters are malfunctioning. After he’s assigned a string of bizarre clients, the Word Representative’s life spins out of control.

Best Emerging Filmmaker (Over40min) - Johnny Baca

Huíwèi

Huíwèi (Aftertaste) s a stop-motion animation short that visualizes my only memory of my great-grandmother before she passed away.

Special Jury Award -Karen Kwok (Joint with Huíwèi)

Two Fridges

A small-town sheriff tries to hold his beach community together as they are torn in half following the theft of a community fridge for the homeless.

Best Lead-Male(Under40 min) - Guy Ventoliere

Best Producer - Rob Banish & Alex DeMarco

Rescuers

The thirst for money drives a broke man to kidnap a rich young girl in order to get the reward offered by her parents to the rescuers.

Best Sound Designing(Under 40min) - Joey Cascone