BEST FILM
The Old Young Crow | Japan | 2022 | 12’
Director: Liam LoPinto
Writer: Liam LoPinto
Producer: Liam LoPinto
Cast: Naoto Shibata, Hassan Shahbazi, Keiko Yamashita, Hitoshi Hinomizu
Synopsis: An Iranian boy befriends an old Japanese woman at a graveyard in Tokyo.
BEST DIRECTOR
The Old Young Crow | Japan | 2022 | 12’
Director: Liam LoPinto
Writer: Liam LoPinto
Producer: Liam LoPinto
Cast: Naoto Shibata, Hassan Shahbazi, Keiko Yamashita, Hitoshi Hinomizu
Synopsis: An Iranian boy befriends an old Japanese woman at a graveyard in Tokyo.
BEST SCREENPLAY
The Old Young Crow | Japan | 2022 | 12’
Director: Liam LoPinto
Writer: Liam LoPinto
Producer: Liam LoPinto
Cast: Naoto Shibata, Hassan Shahbazi, Keiko Yamashita, Hitoshi Hinomizu
Synopsis: An Iranian boy befriends an old Japanese woman at a graveyard in Tokyo.
BEST LEADING ACTRESS
TOMOE | France | 2023 | 29’
Actress: YUMI NARITA
Director: MARINE HEBERT
Writer: MARINE HEBERT
Producer: ARTHUR BEAUVOIS
Cast: YUMI NARITA, GEN SHIMAOKA
Synopsis: 1860. Japan. Tomoe strives to become a “onna bugeisha”, a woman warrior. But she begins to suspect that her master, Masaki, is reluctant to carry out the ceremonial duel. Is Masaki testing his young disciple or is he afraid of confrontation?
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Exploitation | Greece | 2021 | 15’
Cinematographer: Thomas Tsiftelis
Director: Marina Symeou
Writer: Yorgos Servetas
Producer: Marina Danezi
Cast: Theodora Tzimou, Anya Lebedenko, Yannis Drakopoulos
Synopsis: Electra, 45, was a teacher a few years ago in the industrial village “X”. A decayed village under the shadow of a huge factory, not on its heyday. The country roads take you there, amidst a rugged landscape spotted with black rust deposits. Lia, 20, until a few years ago a student of Electra, was and remains beautiful. She works in “Heaven”, a local cafe owned by the 50-year-old known as “Cannibal”. Lia has no way out. Entertainment and spectacle is nothing more than souped-up cars drifting on the empty lot. Electra knows that Lia deserves another kind of glory, she knows that as her teacher she has to lead her there. Electra returns. And she will take Lia with her to commit the robbery they both need: Lia to escape, Electra to tie Lia with her.
BEST EDITING
The Old Young Crow | Japan | 2022 | 12’
Editor: Liam LoPinto
Director: Liam LoPinto
Writer: Liam LoPinto
Producer: Liam LoPinto
Cast: Naoto Shibata, Hassan Shahbazi, Keiko Yamashita, Hitoshi Hinomizu
Synopsis: An Iranian boy befriends an old Japanese woman at a graveyard in Tokyo.
BEST NARRATIVE
Rhyme or Die | United Kingdom | 2021 | 11’
Director: Max Lincoln
Writer: Alex Moran
Producer: Rami Sarras Pantoja
Cast: Bethan Cullinane, Victor Alli, Olumide Olorunfemi, Mohammad Amiri, Racheal Ofori, Samuel Blenkin
Synopsis: Five kidnapped strangers are forced to rhyme to their captor’s funky beats – or die.
BEST DRAMA
TOMOE | France | 2023 | 29’
Director: MARINE HEBERT
Writer: MARINE HEBERT
Producer: ARTHUR BEAUVOIS
Cast: YUMI NARITA, GEN SHIMAOKA
Synopsis: 1860. Japan. Tomoe strives to become a “onna bugeisha”, a woman warrior. But she begins to suspect that her master, Masaki, is reluctant to carry out the ceremonial duel. Is Masaki testing his young disciple or is he afraid of confrontation?
BEST COMEDY
The scammers | France | 2023 | 10’
Director: Maxime Chefdeville
Writer: Maxime Chefdeville
Producers: Maxime Chefdeville, Alexandre Guerin
Cast: Valentin Jean, Frédéric Deleersnyder, Frédéric Radepont
Synopsis: With the help of two robbers specialized in insurance scams, a restaurant owner organizes his own robbery to recover the insurance money, but what they didn’t plan is that the GIGN, the French SWAT, would have dinner tonight !
BEST FANTASY/SCI-FI
Frontier | China | 2022 | 10’
Director: Xiaopeng Zhu
Writer: Zhiqin Wu
Producer: Tsuan Chan
Synopsis: The intern Li Wei, as a test subject of artificial intelligence, faces the temptation and persecution of the central system in an experiment where the boundaries of morality and humanity seem to be unfortunately out of control, and still chooses to sacrifice herself to preserve humankind.
BEST THRILLER/MYSTERY
Stage Fright | Sweden | 2023 | 11’
Director: Per Lindberg
Writer: Per Lindberg
Producer: Bizz Sjöblom
Cast: Maya Lindh, Alva Trané, Manell Bane
Synopsis: The director, a grounded mother figure, spends the day supporting and comforting the troubled youngsters in the children’s theater group that she leads. But when she is left alone at the theater in the evening, she is forced to challenge her own fears.
BEST DANCE/MUSICAL
ALOW | Germany | 2022 | 29’
Director: Tanja Bombach
Producers: Tanja Bombach, Mia Alvizuri Sommerfeld
Cast: June, Nina Burkhardt, Yvonne Sembene, Lena Kilchitskaya, Phoenix Chase-Meares, Susanne Engbo Andersen, Peer Liening-Ewert, Camille Jackson, Alistair Wroe, Yi-Wei Tien
Synopsis: A hallucinatory, underground and dream-like night walk where three different escapist scenarios are taking place. Reflections on a state of mind of pervasive anxiety, loss of control and trepidation luring under the surface translated through movement, disguise and surroundings.
BEST STUDENT
A Paw Over Dark | United States | 2023 | 11’
Directors: Dorian Saisse, Marisa Molson
Producer: Judy Lung
Cast: Jake Ohlhausen
Synopsis: A washed up actor performs night after night in a grimy theater to a nearly empty audience. However, everything changes when a clueless dog jumps on stage.
BEST YOUNG DIRECTOR
Jeanne’s Audition | Belgium | 2023 | 17’
Director: Maarten de Bruijne
Writer: Maarten de Bruijne
Producer: Maarten de Bruijne
Cast: Chloé Larrère, Delphine Cheverry
Synopsis: Jeanne dreams of leaving her life as a farmer behind to become an actress, but her path is troubled, because she tirelessly tends to her mother, who’s battling inner demons.
BEST CHILDREN SHORT
FATHEAD | United States | 2023 | 20’
Director: c. Craig
Writer: c. Craig
Producers: Mitchell Graham Colley, Anthony Gaitros, Letia Solomon, Alexa Villarreal
Cast: Kapri Ladd, Tremari Limbrick, Tika Sumpter, University of Southern California
Synopsis: When one of the last free children of Junkyard Paradise has her brother stolen away from her, no Ragamuffin army or vicious beasts will stop her from getting him back.
BEST ANIMATION
The Rat | China | 2022 | 13’
Director: Yuanqing Cai
Producer: Charlotte Zijin Duanmu
Synopsis: On a stormy night, a drunk man stumbles back home. Vomiting accompanied by vertigo in which he sees two huge rats in his house. Disgusted and cranky he desperately attacks the two rats hoping they will go away. After a night like that, the morning wind blows everything away, leaving only the broken family portrait.
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Behind the Dream – Ep01 – “Marc” | 2022 | 09’
Director: Mauro Talamonti
Writer: Mauro Talamonti
Cast: Marc Marquez
Synopsis: Go Behind the Dream and discover the unique human stories behind the most successful team in MotoGP history. The first chapter is entitled ‘Marc‘ and covers the extraordinary visit of Marc Marquez at the Austrian Grand Prix, where the eight-time MotoGP world champion is honest about the difficulties facing the iconic factory. On a personal note, #93 explains his relationship with fear, how he has changed in the two years since his accident at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez de la Frontera. “2 years ago I didn’t feel fear,” and “the way I approach races is changing”.
BEST EXPERIMENTAL
Exploitation | Greece | 2021 | 15’
Director: Marina Symeou
Writer: Yorgos Servetas
Producer: Marina Danezi
Cast: Theodora Tzimou, Anya Lebedenko, Yannis Drakopoulos
Synopsis: Electra, 45, was a teacher a few years ago in the industrial village “X”. A decayed village under the shadow of a huge factory, not on its heyday. The country roads take you there, amidst a rugged landscape spotted with black rust deposits. Lia, 20, until a few years ago a student of Electra, was and remains beautiful. She works in “Heaven”, a local cafe owned by the 50-year-old known as “Cannibal”. Lia has no way out. Entertainment and spectacle is nothing more than souped-up cars drifting on the empty lot. Electra knows that Lia deserves another kind of glory, she knows that as her teacher she has to lead her there. Electra returns. And she will take Lia with her to commit the robbery they both need: Lia to escape, Electra to tie Lia with her.
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Marion Woodseth – Ceiling´s on fire | Norway | 2022 | 04’
Director: Christian Søgaard
Producer: Christian Søgaard
Cast: Christiane Schaldemose, Thomas Buch, Marion Woodseth, Sondre Solheim
Synopsis: A young girl must tackle her thoughts and keep a mask up to get through an evening with friends. Everything seems ok, but it isn’t.
BEST MINI SHORT
The Winning Ticket | France | 2023 | 03’
Cast: Jérôme Gordolon, Benoît Belvans, Agnès Perraud, Arthur Gordolon
Synopsis: Every day, Mr. Baratier delivers the winnings of the national lottery. Every day, he sees joy, tears and thanks. Every day, except one.
BEST NO/LOW BUDGET
“Mother” | China | 2023 | 02’
Director: Boqing Liu
Writer: Boqing Liu
Producer: Boqing Liu
Cast: Alma C, Melina Martin
Synopsis: A story between a mother, a daughter, and a man.
BEST DEBUT
Fox child | Germany | 2021 | 13’
Director: Jan Čapar
Writer: Jan Čapar
Producers: Jan Čapar, Maud Heyne, Jansen Čapar
Synopsis: – “Fox child” tells a story about acceptance and healing facing a congenital illness. – “Fox child” tells the story of a young girl living with tourette’s syndrome, a neurological disorder resulting in “tics” – seemingly involuntary twitches and movements as well as tic-like vocal expressions. Being different than the other kids her age she tries to gain acceptance but faces teasing and rejection on a daily basis. After a bad day, being rejected even by her mother, she meets a mysterious fox who leads her into a magical world inside of herself where she begins a journey to learn how to face and to accept her tics and how to gain back her confidence and self-love.
BEST COMMERCIAL/AD/TVC
Home of Hope | Germany | 2023 | 02’
Director: Franziska Heinemann
Producer: Alexander a Draheim
Synopsis: Cape Town. A place of extremes, marked by colonialism, infrastructure that grew too fast and the attempt to keep up with progress. Popular with tourists, a hard place for millions of people who live in tin shacks right next to villa neighborhoods, and appreciated by DoPs and photographers for its special light. On a mountain side close to the sea is a so-called township, a poor quarter, in the otherwise very well-heeled Hout Bay – Imizamo Yethu. About 35,000 people live on 18 hectares. Like the other townships in the country, this settlement is plagued by crime and disasters, such as a massive fire in 2017. As a tourist, you should not enter the area alone. Especially not after dark. This environment is also home to many children who grow up and become adults here. There are schools, but their facilities, class sizes and overworked teachers are beyond our imagination. For children who have lost parts of their family, are orphans, or come from families that cannot support them, there are a few hundred square meters at the eastern end of Imizamo Yethu where they can be a child. The NPO iKhaya le Themba has built a playground, several classrooms and a library and canteen behind secure gates. For the children in grades 1 to 8, this creates the opportunity for a complete school education with real graduation by allowing them to deepen and catch up on what they have (actually) learned. The groups are smaller, there are enough teachers, crime and bullying remain behind the closed gates of the institution. But above all, a safe place is created where they can be children for a few hours a day. There are enough learning materials, but also books and toys that no one else has at home. By taking care of the children, their families can work and have less to worry about for their future.
BEST STOP-MOTION/TIME-LAPSE
The First Gardener | Germany | 2022 | 20’
Director: Jan Čapar
Writer: Jan Čapar
Producer: Jan Čapar
Synopsis: – The search for food and shelter of a lonely girl in a dystopian and broken world quickly turns into a journey of self-discovery and transformation as she notices that she is part of the unwelcoming world she struggles with. – A lonely girl runs away from her unloving home and begins her search for food and shelter in an unwelcoming and dystopian world. During her search she faces nothing but rejection and indifference from its self-centered inhabitants which live isolated from each other. In her fearful interactions with the world she realizes that she is part of the problem and that in order to connect she has to overcome her own fears to be able to open up her heart and give the world that which she herself seeks.
