BEST FILM
AMERICAN BOY | France | 2023 | 24’
Director: Maxime Renard
Writer: Maxime Renard
Producer: G.R.E.C
Cast: Bilel Chegrani
Synopsis: Malik spends his days trying to get attention from others with empty, boring chats. One day, he catches the attention of one guy with a lie, saying that he will go to USA for studying cinema. The news quickly goes around the neighborhood and Malik become suddenly everyones’s hope and pride.
BEST DIRECTOR
You Land | United Kingdom | 2023 | 15’
Director: Debora Maité
Writer: Debora Maité
Producers: Carys Evans, Katie Mallinder, Mary-Helena Quigley
Cast: Anna Russell-Martin, Selina Boyack
Synopsis: In the remote Scottish countryside, a downtrodden woman finds herself entangled in a newly-discovered influencer culture, whilst in search of respite from the humdrum of rural living and the impending weight of caregiving duties.
BEST SCREENPLAY
AMERICAN BOY | France | 2023 | 24’
Director: Maxime Renard
Writer: Maxime Renard
Producer: G.R.E.C
Cast: Bilel Chegrani
Synopsis: Malik spends his days trying to get attention from others with empty, boring chats. One day, he catches the attention of one guy with a lie, saying that he will go to USA for studying cinema. The news quickly goes around the neighborhood and Malik become suddenly everyones’s hope and pride.
BEST LEADING ACTRESS
Technical Support | United States | 2023 | 09’
Actress: Courtney Pauroso
Director: Kris Lefcoe
Writer: Darin X. Cape
Producers: Shawn Hainsworth, Anthony Argento
Cast: Courtney Pauroso, Davey Johnson, Aparna Nancherla
Synopsis: Milton, a lonely middle-aged man, is thrilled when his new sex robot is delivered. As he explores all her pre-programmed modes, he begins to become emotionally attached to his new companion. But when he selects dominance mode, she goes too far, leading to the most awkward customer service of his life. Based on the indie comic book series, EroTech, Technical Support is an edgy comedy about sex, relationships, and technology starring Courtney Pauroso, Davey Johnson and Aparna Nancherla.
BEST LEADING ACTOR
AMERICAN BOY | France | 2023 | 24’
Actor: Bilel Chegrani
Director: Maxime Renard
Writer: Maxime Renard
Producer: G.R.E.C
Cast: Bilel Chegrani
Synopsis: Malik spends his days trying to get attention from others with empty, boring chats. One day, he catches the attention of one guy with a lie, saying that he will go to USA for studying cinema. The news quickly goes around the neighborhood and Malik become suddenly everyones’s hope and pride.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
ILSE | Germany | 2023 | 19’
Cinematographer: Joe Berger
Directors: Claudia Engl, Judith Hoersch
Writers: Judith Hoersch, Claudia Engl
Producer: Saralisa Volm
Cast: Judith Hoersch, Bärbel Schwarz, Vinzenz Wagner, Michael Schiller, Lara Feith, Kaya Marie Möller, Maximilian Zaar, Saralisa Volm, Michaela Wiebusch, Felix Maximilian
Synopsis: 1945 in a German war hospital. Only one more day until the nurse Ilse is allowed to start her long-desired home vacation. If only there wasn‘t this one event that, despite the unexpected end of the war, suddenly changed her whole life. Ilse is a film based on a true story which demonstrates how close joy and suffering in life can be. It reminds us how important friendship and family are and how women experienced World War II. It is the heroic journey of a strong woman and a story about the survival instinct of our grandmothers.
BEST EDITING
Remember | Russian Federation | 2023 | 03’
Director: Anton Mirny
Writer: Anton Mirny
Producers: Anton Mirny, Yuriy Kolov
Synopsis: Substitution of memories can shape our reality, including false reality
BEST DRAMA
You Land | United Kingdom | 2023 | 15’
Director: Debora Maité
Writer: Debora Maité
Producers: Carys Evans, Katie Mallinder, Mary-Helena Quigley
Cast: Anna Russell-Martin, Selina Boyack
Synopsis: In the remote Scottish countryside, a downtrodden woman finds herself entangled in a newly-discovered influencer culture, whilst in search of respite from the humdrum of rural living and the impending weight of caregiving duties.
BEST NARRATIVE
LOBO | United Kingdom | 2023 | 30’
Director: Sean Connolly
Writer: Sean Connolly
Producers: Sean Connolly, Carolina Lobo Nunes
Cast: João Nunes Monteiro, Diogo Martins, Teresa Tavares, Paulo Calatré
Synopsis: LOBO is about a timid but enraged teenage boy who escapes into the wild with his fearless older brother, after making the ultimate sacrifice for his family. It encapsulates the lengths one might go to protect one of their own. As they venture deeper into the wild, the pair are forced to face their turbulent past and re-discover what it means to be brothers. Things start to fall apart when reality rips the veil of delusion from their eyes.
BEST FANTASY/SCI-FI
The Hourglass | United Kingdom | 2023 | 10’
Director: Alessio Morreale
Writer: Alessio Morreale
Producer: Alessio Morreale
Cast: Lucia Saavedra, Melissa Acimis, Sofia Morreale
Synopsis: The wordless story of a young girl’s path to the sacred tree.
BEST THRILLER/MYSTERY
The Serena Variations | United States | 2023 | 28’
Director: Warren Andrew Fischer
Writers: Nathan DeZur, Sam Kahn
Producers: Warren Fischer, Tyler Ben-Amotz
Cast: Dylan Brown, Renata Friedman
Synopsis: A young female violinist with undiagnosed autism spirals out of control as she works on a new opus with a domineering composer, embarking on a psychedelic journey that both pushes her to the edge of mental collapse and fuels her creative power.
BEST STUDENT
Halfway House | Germany | 2024 | 23’
Director: Konstantin Münzel
Writer: Luis Martinson
Producers: Bianca Beer, Helena Zeppenfeldt
Cast: Florian Geißelmann, Liel Malka, Samia Chancrin
Synopsis: A facility for juvenile offenders in the middle of the Black Forest. Physical labor, military structures, circuit training and hierarchy. The disciplined inmate Jurek feels his status threatened by the arrival of the novice Sascha and finds himself caught in a delicate tension between fascinating attraction, suppressed aggression and rediscovered tenderness.
BEST YOUNG DIRECTOR
Halfway House | Germany | 2024 | 23’
Director: Konstantin Münzel
Writer: Luis Martinson
Producers: Bianca Beer, Helena Zeppenfeldt
Cast: Florian Geißelmann, Liel Malka, Samia Chancrin
Synopsis: A facility for juvenile offenders in the middle of the Black Forest. Physical labor, military structures, circuit training and hierarchy. The disciplined inmate Jurek feels his status threatened by the arrival of the novice Sascha and finds himself caught in a delicate tension between fascinating attraction, suppressed aggression and rediscovered tenderness.
BEST ANIMATION
Goose Mountain | China | 2023 | 18’
Director: Rui Hu
Writer: Rui Hu
Producers: Su Da, Zao Li, Wei Cui
Synopsis: A peddler helped an injured young man in the mountains, and the man invited him for a drink. A wondrous event happened when the man opened his mouth… The film uses the second person “you” to instill a fantastical sense of personal experience. The story is dapted from the chapter of “Yang Xian Scholar” in “The Story of Jiqi”, a collection of mystery folklore.
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Scarlet | Estonia | 20’
Director: Ralf Tafenau
Synopsis: Becoming a parent is for most people the happiest day in their lives, but for Gerhard and Keity that’s not the case. An otherwise smooth pregnancy takes a turn for the worse once labour starts, leaving both the newborn and mother in critical condition, Gerhard is left to face this situation on his own, unable to be at Keity’s side at the hospital. The film sets up to follow him over the upcoming days, with the first 72 hours being the most critical time for the newborn child.
BEST EXPERIMENTAL
DREAMER | United States | 11’
Director: Balca Elif Sagmanli
Writer: Balca Elif Sagmanli
Producers: Balca Elif Sagmanli, Shen Wei, Jingruo Wang
Cast: Brigitte Leigh Williamson
Synopsis: In an effort to fall asleep, a young woman, Audrey, struggles through the entrapment of a dream-like state where she encounters the various challenges of time past, time present, and time future.
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
As long as we’re together | Slovenia | 2023 | 04’
Director: Miha Šubic
Writer: Mojca Pernat
Producers: Maja Berčič, Timotej Kresnik, Jan Smole, Luka Hernet, Niki Fišer, Nina Jakulin Vavpotič, Zala Cast: Pokeržnik, Luka Pušaver
Synopsis: The end of the world is coming. Music video for “As long as we’re together” by Alo!Stari x Naja
BEST MINI SHORT
Hen Do | United Kingdom | 2023 | 02’
Director: Alia Ghafar
Writer: Alia Ghafar
Producer: Misha McCullagh
Cast: Christie Russell-Brown, Jamie Marie Leary, Cindy ` Awor, Rachael-Rose McLaren
Synopsis: En-route to her hen weekend, bride-to-be Faye kills the vibe with a bombshell confession.
BEST NO/LOW BUDGET
Glimmer | China | 2023 | 12’
Director: Bo Zhang
Writer: Bo Zhang
Producer: Donghui Wang
Cast: Yuting Liu, Xinyuan Zhang
Synopsis: This film is dedicated as a gift to all the children around the world who are about to start school. As you grow, you may encounter dangers, you may come across people or things that harm you, and you may face pivotal decisions on your path in life. To transcend yourself, to overcome yourself. One must move forward with courage, remain calm and composed in the face of difficulties and dangers. Difficulties and dangers are real, but fear is not.
BEST DEBUT
Have You Seen This Man? | United Kingdom | 2023 | 05’
Director: Tiger George
Writer: Daniel Bishop
Producer: Dig and Tig Productions
Cast: Daniel Bishop
Synopsis: ‘Have You Seen This Man?’ is a comedy short film about the digital nomad experience. It is a silly satire on the modern phenomenon of people working remotely abroad and it focuses on a man-child who has abandoned all of his worldly responsibilities on the assumption that by moving far away he will finally be able to find himself.
BEST FASHION SHORT
Tales of Courage | United Kingdom | 2023 | 04’
Director: Drue Bisley
Writer: Kezia Navey
Producers: Fabio Mayor, Sophia Dembitzer
Cast: Harriet Longhurst Synopsis: In “Tales of Courage,” we witness a profound journey of self-discovery and freedom. Initially feeling powerless and disconnected from the world and herself, Harriet, takes a brave step to escape her painful existence. Through the art of pole dancing, she finds a new perspective, drawing closer to her true self and creating a deep connection to her mind and body. “Tales of Courage” celebrates growth, resilience and the healing power of dance, where vulnerability becomes a source of fortitude and strength.
BEST STOP-MOTION/TIME-LAPSE
Deadline | Israel | 2023 | 13’
Director: Idan Gilboa
Writers: Idan Gilboa, Shahar Fux
Producer: Idan Gilboa
Synopsis: Deadline is a black comedy Stop-motion short that explores the power balance between bureaucracy, death and feline devotion of the elderly. At its center is a story of a brave friendship and solidarity between two senior ladies sickened by society’s disregard and disrespect.
BEST COMMERCIAL/AD/TVC
Unique Together | Netherlands | 2023 | 02’
Director: Lena Kadriye Ziyal
Writer: Lena Kadriye Ziyal
Producer: Lena Kadriye Ziyal
Synopsis: Unique Together is an animated branding video about the collective work environment of the creative agency Infotext.
BEST AMATEUR
Closer to heaven, back to the sea | Belgium | 2023 | 20’
Producer: Johan Swinnen
Synopsis: While running along one of the longest rivers in Europe, cancer researcher Johan Swinnen collected hundreds of paper boats each dedicated to someone who passed away, reminding us of the beauty and fragility of life. This film is an ode to those we miss and is a call to embrace life to the fullest.
