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Congratulations to our April 2019 Award Winners

BEST FILM

The Tree and the Pirogue | France | 2018 | 25’  

Director: Sébastien MARQUES    

Writer: Sébastien MARQUES        

Producers: Sébastien MARQUES, Mélissa Malinbaum         

Cast: Iabe Lapacas, Jean-Pierre Swan, Maurice Haeweng 

Synopsis: The life of a Melanesian tribe is disrupted by the progressive arrival of modernity. Iabe, a young Melanesian, finds this change very hard to cope with and gets lost between his traditions and this modernity.


BEST DIRECTOR

Hedieh | Islamic Republic of Iran| 2018 | 16’      

Director: Sahar Sotoodeh             

Writer: Sahar Sotoodeh 

Producer: Ashkan Ashkani            

Cast: Yasna Sirati             

Synopsis: Hedieh, a 14 year old girl escaped from the school service and her friend was forced to explain the reason behind it…


BEST SCREENPLAY

The Tree and the Pirogue | France | 2018 | 25’  

Director: Sébastien MARQUES    

Writer: Sébastien MARQUES        

Producers: Sébastien MARQUES, Mélissa Malinbaum         

Cast: Iabe Lapacas, Jean-Pierre Swan, Maurice Haeweng 

Synopsis: The life of a Melanesian tribe is disrupted by the progressive arrival of modernity. Iabe, a young Melanesian, finds this change very hard to cope with and gets lost between his traditions and this modernity.  


BEST LEADING ACTRESS

DANGER BLASTING KEEP AWAY! | Russian Federation | 2019 | 19’          

Actress: Irina Rakhmanova

Director: Sasha Potapova             

Writer: Sasha Potapova 

Producer: Katerina Vyblova          

Cast: Irina Rakhmanova , Kamilla Ratunda, Oleg Bilik, Anton Pakhomov, Egor Baranovskiy, Maria Golitsyna Synopsis: Catherine is constantly trying to manage Anna’s life, telling her what to do and what to wear, in an attempt to extend her control, Catherine even seizes Anna’s passport. Anna decides to run away with an older guy, Vitalya, meanwhile accidentally saying to Catherine’s new boyfriend that her mom’s still seeing her ex.


BEST LEADING ACTOR

The Tree and the Pirogue | France | 2018 | 25’  

Actor: Iabe Lapacas

Director: Sébastien MARQUES    

Writer: Sébastien MARQUES        

Producers: Sébastien MARQUES, Mélissa Malinbaum         

Cast: Iabe Lapacas, Jean-Pierre Swan, Maurice Haeweng 

Synopsis: The life of a Melanesian tribe is disrupted by the progressive arrival of modernity. Iabe, a young Melanesian, finds this change very hard to cope with and gets lost between his traditions and this modernity.


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Smachnogo/Bon Appétit | Ukraine | 2018 | 20’

Cinematographer: Kirill Shliamin

Director: Dzen Yevstygneykin                     

Producer: Dana Sebesevych         

Cast: Dmitro Savyanenko, Volodimir Ostapchuk, Alexander Vasin, Ivan Gubanov      Synopsis: The film depicts the way of two friends to victory in the culinary contest “CookNOW”. It all starts with main character, Mykola Pshenytsia, he starts the introduction to his life to the audience. More specifically: his father is a Ukrainian who came to France and became a successful chef there. He met his future wife and they raised a family in France. So when Mykola is born, there is no choice for him except becoming a chef as his father did. Now Mykola is 25. Like father, he is engaged in culinary. But unlike him, Mykola combines culinary with travellings. Together with his best friend Patrick, they are – foodbackpackers. Young men travel through different corners of the world with a huge backpack slinging behind full of culinary secrets. During the trip, friends learn about different traditions and local culinary tricks, gain and exchange experience. Mykola and Pat came to Ukraine in search of a victory in the “CookNow” contest. Upon arrival our heroes were extremely impressed with local cuisine, so they immediately decide to put together ukrainian and their distinctive french traditions. During the film, friends face numerous challenges. The major one is their main opponent –  chef Alik, local gastronomic star well-known throughout Ukraine. The second problem is products that our heroes are so accustomed to and which are somewhat hard to find at markets, especially if you are not local. Third is the development of new recipes. Ukrainian cuisine seems to be terra incognita and decision – to tame it right before the competition, – is extremely risky. Nevertheless, due to skill and fortune, they get their cherished victory. The film ends with a happy ending, the guys win the competition and open their own restaurant. The story ends with a scene in which competitive opponent Alik gives a visit to a new establishment of Mykola and Pat. It is clear to the audience that all the fights between Alik, Mykola and Patrick are over and they became good friends.


BEST EDITING

Our Next Caller | United States | 11’

Editor: Tommy Bernard

Director: Troy Whitaker 

Writer: Troy Whitaker    

Producers: Christian Ackerman, Troy Whitaker     

Cast: Eric Roberts, Bert Emmett, AJ Fleuridas, J. Christopher Sloan

Synopsis: A failing legal advice radio program gets a sudden boost in popularity when a mysterious caller offers a violent proposal.


BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Ideal Homeland | China | 2019 | 16’      

Production Designer: Bowie

Director: Bowie

Writer: Christopher Bryan            

Producer: Dai Hongong  

Cast: Yang Jin     Synopsis: The story takes place in the near future, when AI (Artificial Intelligence) controls human, and we start to work for AI. The hero of the story, Joe, as the carrier of AI’s sexual experience, does the most mechanical task every day to obtain the credits on which we depends for survival in AI society. In such oppression of slavery, Joe yearns for the freedom of independence.


BEST COMEDY

Quest For Fire | United Kingdom | 2018 | 07’     

Director: Patrik Bergh     

Writer: Patrik Bergh        

Producer: Russell Curtis

Cast: Adam Shaw, Roger Thomson, Adriano Almedia         

Synopsis: When Doug’s family finally has had enough of his obsession he turns for help from a self-help group with a difference.


BEST DRAMA

Sunday 11.00-12.00 | United Kingdom | 2018 | 11’         

Director: Stelios Koukouvitakis    

Writer: Stelios Koukouvitakis       

Producer: Stelios Koukouvitakis  

Cast: Danai Epithymiadi, Lefteris Vasilakis               Synopsis: A young couple comes back from a night out.  Suddenly they are attacked on the street. Their reaction will mark their lives. A short film about dilemmas, choices and the price to pay for them.


BEST FANTASY/SCI-FI

Your last day on earth | Spain | 2018 | 12’          

Director: Marc Martínez Jordán  

Writer: Marc Martínez Jordán     

Producer: Alex Maruny   

Cast: Sònia Masuda, Enric Auquer              Synopsis: A Fox-dressed man breaks the spacetime limits with only one goal: to spend some time with his wife. But bellow this recreational act there’s a far more complex and ambitious plan


BEST HORROR

Reprisal | Lebanon | 09’              

Director: Mike Malajalian

Writer: Mike Malajalian 

Producer: Mike Malajalian

Cast: Lisa Debs, Anatole Saadeh  Synopsis: A young woman becomes anxious at the news of the return of her husband who disappeared 30 years ago during the civil war.


BEST NARRATIVE

Bloodburn | Netherlands | 2018 | 07’    

Director: Jasper Bronkhorst         

Writer: Jasper Bronkhorst

Producer: Monne Tuinhout          

Cast: Shane Redondo, Reinout Bussemaker           

Synopsis: What if someone commits a horrible crime and afterwards gets promoted to a powerful position within de Department of Defense where he is legally untouchable? In a desperate attempt, a young soldier forces a high ranking officer into a confrontation by hijacking a bar. The young soldier gives him a choice between two options: confessing or paying the ultimate price.


BEST STUDENT

No Heroes | Sweden |   2019 |   19’        

Director: Kamil Loutfi     

Writer: Kamil Loutfi        

Producers: Josef Carlborg, Love Örterström          

Cast: Hannes Fohlin, Simon Eggers, Börje Lundberg, Ludwig Hertzman Linde, Sara Holmström, Emma Melkersson, Stefan Lundaahl       

Synopsis: Taxi driver Daniel picks up his last fare for the night, a boy and his father in a hurry to get to the airport. When the boy starts acting strangely, Daniel begins to suspect that the father isn’t who he claims to be.   No Heroes is a film about finding the courage to act, knowing who to trust in a world of conflicting truths and our responsibility towards strangers.


BEST YOUNG DIRECTOR

No Heroes | Sweden |   2019 |   19’        

Director: Kamil Loutfi     

Writer: Kamil Loutfi        

Producers: Josef Carlborg, Love Örterström          

Cast: Hannes Fohlin, Simon Eggers, Börje Lundberg, Ludwig Hertzman Linde, Sara Holmström, Emma Melkersson, Stefan Lundaahl       

Synopsis: Taxi driver Daniel picks up his last fare for the night, a boy and his father in a hurry to get to the airport. When the boy starts acting strangely, Daniel begins to suspect that the father isn’t who he claims to be.   No Heroes is a film about finding the courage to act, knowing who to trust in a world of conflicting truths and our responsibility towards strangers.


BEST CHILDREN SHORT FILM

A Home for Curiosities | United States | 2019 |  17’         

Director: Ben Tobin         

Writer: Ben Tobin            

Producer: Shannon Ryan, Ben Tobin         

Cast: Nathaniel Ruth, Vanessa Libbey, Ripley Dresser, Richard Ballon, Emily Rose Pequin, Delta Carney, JC Ortega, Jay Allen        

Synopsis: A young boy discovers a house full of forgotten imaginary friends. Along with his friend Alice, Wallace helps bring these curiosities back to the real world to meet new human companions.


BEST ANIMATION

Yuukai-ANNA | Japan | 2018 |   28’        

Director: Kaichi Sato

Writer: Kaichi Sato          

Producer: Kaichi Sato     

Cast: Hana Takeda, Toshiyuki Morikawa 

Synopsis: 196X. Anna, an enigmatic and attractive professional kidnapper, abducts The Professor during his wedding ceremony on request from one of the latter’s former girlfriend. This woman, whose face Anna has never seen, wishes to die with The Professor before he marries. Leaving the church with The Professor on the back seat of her motor-bike, Anna starts on the journey to the fictional city of “Alpha Paris”. “Anna” is a tribute and homage to old movies of the 60’s, a ideally highly effective sophisticated cartoon with trendy visual effects.


BEST DOCUMENTARY

Rear View Mirror | Australia |    2019 | 12’          

Director: Jonathan Terence may                

Producer: Liza Boston    

Cast: Ingo Hansen           

Synopsis: “When the impermanence of life and land collide, what remains inside the heart and soul of a man”  Ingo Hansen returns to the desert opal mining town where he grew up, struggling with his health and searching for answers.   At a crossroads in his life, he seeks comfort in reminiscing the impact of the harsh landscapes and crazy adventures he had in Andamooka – one of the most remote places in South Australia.  
 Ingo soon realises that the thriving outback town he once loved is now bleak and it mercilessly parallels his own impermanence; the harsh winds of life blow not just on the desert but also inside his heart.  In its glory days Andamooka had over 3000 residents, but now the opal has dried up and it is a former shadow of itself – with a total population of 316. 
 
 It takes a certain type of person to love a place like this, with the isolation and the desolation.  Walking through the cemetery Ingo reflects on the grim truths of his reality, and how strange it is to know every body that lies beneath him in the dust.  As in life, both the once beautiful landscape and the once promising future he faced are slowly fading way and the story is unforgiving.


BEST EXPERIMENTAL

Fallin | Japan | 2018 | 30’           

Director: Tomohiko Tsuji              

Writer: Tomohiko Tsuji  

Producer: Tomohiko Tsuji             

Cast: Marino Okazaki, Yuichi Nishida        

Synopsis: There are two artists of Outsider Art. They have a mental disability. Their drawings which they drew with an urge are, in a measure, transcendental. In order to experience something which is hidden in the deep mind of human beings, high-resolution 4K camera and high-definition lens will fall into their drawings.


BEST MUSIC VIDEO

Suicide Salmon – Leaving For Good | Switzerland | 2019 | 04’     

Director: Lasse Linder     

Writer: Lasse Linder, Nicolas Büttiker       

Producer: Luzius Fischer 

Cast: Antoinette Ullrich, Mindaugas Matulis, Werner Biermeier, Susanne Katrin Vogel          

Synopsis: A wealthy family lives in perfect harmony. Their daily life consists of smiling happily, housekeeping and praying together. An accident shatters this illusion and reveals a deeply kept secret.


BEST MINI SHORT

Daddy Issues? | Ireland | 2019 | 01’       

Director: Tony Kelly        

Writer: Tony Kelly            

Producer: Mark Coffey, Tony Kelly            

Cast: Tony Kelly, Juliette Crosbie, Michael Power, Joan Fleetwood

Synopsis: A young woman brings her new boyfriend home to meet her parents for the first time as he tries to win the approval of her over protective father.


BEST AMATEUR

U really hurt me | Canada | 01’

Director: Callahan Bracken          

Writer: Callahan Bracken              

Producer:Callahan Bracken

Synopsis: Passivity is a burden. Recently, I had found myself apathetic within relationships that were deeply important to me. I had learned to distance myself from people that I loved, and remain ignorant of any possible consequences. As I learned to make space for my own growth and healing, it often bordered on self-isolation. Following a boy as he fails to communicate with the world around him, “u really hurt me” is an exploration of this misguided healing in a surreal, animated self portrait.


BEST SERIES

Stories of Bike: FASTER | Australia | 2018 | 10’  

Director: Cam Elkins                      

Producer: Marina Mann 

Cast: Alicia Elfving            Synopsis: For Alicia, riding her custom Ducati Monster fast is so much more than simple fun.

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