Winners December 2019
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE
Toren by Nawzad Shekhany
In a desperate attempt to preserve his ancestors’ identity rooted in the Mesopotamian Civilization, Toren, fled with his family to Georgia at the time when his people was subjected to genocides.
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Jamilia by Aminatou Echard
The film sets off in Kyrgyzstan, in search of the main character of Tchinghiz Aitmatov’s novel. “Djamilia”, written in 1958, brings us across the country to meet several generations of women who tell us about Djamilia, a young woman who breaks the rules of Kyrgyz society. Doing so, these women release an intimate word, reveal themselves, and tell us about their dreams, love, desires, and freedom.
BEST SHORT NARRATIVE
Beautiful Loser by Maxime Roy
Michel is an ex-punk who spends half his life in his garage and half in his flat, a converted cellar. With Leo, his teenage son, they get up to all sorts of mischief while simultaneously trying to manage looking after the baby Michel just had with Hélène, his ex-wife. Needless to say, his years of drugs and alcohol haven’t left him unscathed.
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
The Long River Home by Seth Dahl
The Long River Home is a 20 minute documentary film about overcoming the residual impacts of war through kayaking with a team. Aaron Howell and Russell Davies are combat veterans who were injured in war and now come together for another mission as they guide blind Navy veteran, Lonnie Bedwell, on his third trip through the Grand Canyon. Over a 14 day river trip they battle more than 80 powerful rapids, screaming directions to Lonnie the whole way. Always looming downstream roars Lava Falls, the largest rapid of them all. Throughout the journey they remember their past experiences and learn that negotiating the rapids of life is as simple as forming a team, kicking out in the current, and finding a line through the chaos.
BEST ANIMATION
Why Must The Sun Go Down? by Iris Moore
When a little nightingale wonders to herself why the sun must go down at night, she embarks upon a journey where she meets creatures who can make flowers from sky, weave wind into clouds and turn rain into song…
BEST EXPERIMENTAL
Face by Masa Gibson
We all wear masks. Shot in a single take and entirely in close-up, the film follows eight minutes in the life of a face and its efforts to maintain a public mask in the wake of a scandalous and hurtful revelation.
BEST STUDENT FILM
The Law of Averages by Elizabeth Rose
Death waits for no woman.
BEST WEB SERIES
Area 52 by Kenzo Babin
Greg Mongomery, a man who just accepted a strange job as a ranger near a military complex. Latter I will quickly realize that something is wrong and will try to investigate these strange phenomens.
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
IDLES – NEVER FIGHT A MAN WITH A PERM by Al Brown
This is a music video for Brit award winning English Rock band, Idles.