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SHORT to the Point – September 2022 Award Winners


BEST FILM

EXCHANGE| Viet Nam | 2022 | 25’         

Director: Khoa Nguyễn 

Writer: Khoa Nguyễn    

Producer: Khoa Nguyễn

Cast: Oanh Kiều, Thư Nguyễn, Lý Hồng Ân, Nhung Gumiho           

Synopsis: From the offer to change seats on the bus was accepted, helped the girl escape death in a tragic traffic accident. But even so, there are things scarier than death that awaits her after that!


BEST DIRECTOR

ZOY’S RETURN  | Kazakhstan | 2021 | 25’

Director: Adilkhan Yerzhanov    

Writer: Adilkhan Yerzhanov        

Producer: Natalia Gneusheva    

Cast: Yagych, SVETLANA STEPANKOVSKAYA, Daniyar Alshinov, Olivia Valter           

Synopsis: GALYA (40) an drink ,pugnacious pimp in an Omsk village bordering Kazakhstan.She is deprived of her rights to her daughter ZOY (8) and documents are collected in order to send the child to an orphanage.Galya steals her daughter, and together with her autistic boyfriend STASI-KOM (40), they are sent on smuggling routes to Kazakhstan. Zoe’s biological father lives there, a shepherd with fat flocks of sheep. Galya promises her daughter that she will be better with him than in the orphanage.Galya promises that she will visit, but Zoya realizes that this is their last trip. On the way to Zoe’s father’s house, adventure and events await them that will bring the three closer together and help them better understand the nature of human relationships.


BEST SCREENPLAY

EXCHANGE| Viet Nam | 2022 | 25’         

Writer: Khoa Nguyễn    

Director: Khoa Nguyễn 

Producer: Khoa Nguyễn

Cast: Oanh Kiều, Thư Nguyễn, Lý Hồng Ân, Nhung Gumiho           

Synopsis: From the offer to change seats on the bus was accepted, helped the girl escape death in a tragic traffic accident. But even so, there are things scarier than death that awaits her after that!


BEST LEADING ACTRESS

EXCHANGE| Viet Nam | 2022 | 25’         

Actress: Oanh Kiều

Director: Khoa Nguyễn 

Writer: Khoa Nguyễn    

Producer: Khoa Nguyễn

Cast: Oanh Kiều, Thư Nguyễn, Lý Hồng Ân, Nhung Gumiho           

Synopsis: From the offer to change seats on the bus was accepted, helped the girl escape death in a tragic traffic accident. But even so, there are things scarier than death that awaits her after that!


BEST LEADING ACTOR

Process | United Kingdom | 2022 | 21’

Actor: Sam Hazeldine

Director: Patrick Gather

Writer: Patrick Gather  

Producers: Jamie Harvey, Markus Daniel Meedt

Cast: Sam Hazeldine, Anjli Mohindra, Steven Blake, Abhin Galeya, Amanda Hadingue       

Synopsis: A conflicted process server is finding himself torn between helping two very different victims of domestic violence. The choice he makes, ultimately threatens to derail his ethical foundation and his career alike.


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Amissa Anima | Australia | 2021 | 15’  

Cinematographer: Ellery Ryan ACS

Director: Tatiana Doroshenko   

Writer: David Markin     

Producers: Katrina Mathers, Bernie Clifford         

Cast: Jim Daly, Justin Hosking, David Kara             

Synopsis: Four boys survive on the seedy night streets of St Kilda’s red-light district in Australia in the 1980’s. Based on true events.


BEST EDITING

Amissa Anima | Australia | 2021 | 15’  

Editor: Sean Lewis

Director: Tatiana Doroshenko   

Writer: David Markin     

Producers: Katrina Mathers, Bernie Clifford         

Cast: Jim Daly, Justin Hosking, David Kara             

Synopsis: Four boys survive on the seedy night streets of St Kilda’s red-light district in Australia in the 1980’s. Based on true events.


BEST NARRATIVE

Happy Retirement Mr Pickering | United Kingdom | 2022 | 21’

Director: Keshav Shree 

Writer: Keshav Shree    

Producers: Keshav Shree, Jean Ciuntu    

Cast: Kevin West, Linda-Jean Barry, Luis Donegan-Brown, Sergio Barba, Anita Sharma      

Synopsis: After 30 years at a white-collared job an introverted man is thrown into the isolation of retirement. This resurfaces obsessive desires of homosexuality and he must either come out to his iron-willed wife or continue an unfulfilled marriage of 35 years.


BEST DRAMA

Du bout des doigts | France | 2022 | 17’              

Director: Léo Poignard  

Writer: Léo Poignard     

Producer: Stéphane Pierrat        

Cast: Jalys Ainseba, Walid Ben Mabrouk

Synopsis: In the middle of spring, a 7 years old boy spends his weekend in the French countryside with his father. They will go together to the forest to give themselves over to an activity that will shock his innocence, with nature as the sole observer.


BEST COMEDY

Community Watch  | Ireland | 2022 |  14’           

Director: Paudie Baggott              

Writers: Gemma Kane, David Fennelly   

Producer: Maggie Ryan 

Cast: David Fennelly, Gemma Kane, Ali Fox, David Fleming, Clare Monnelly, Noelle Brown, Anto Seery, Sharon Coade               

Synopsis: A young Neighbourhood Watch officer must keep her community together amidst a series of grizzly local murders while flirting with the police officer assigned to the case.


BEST HORROR

Opt | Romania | 2022 | 19’        

Director: Paul Radu        

Writer: Paul Radu            

Producer: Paul Radu      

Cast: Costel Cascaval, Ana Maria Turcu, Florin Craciun, Alexandru Iordache, Lavinia Pele, Elias Ferkin

Synopsis: A man who lives in the rural parts of Romania finds out about a large sum of money being hidden in a house and decides to steal it.


BEST FANTASY/SCI-FI

Wolf + Lamb | Italy | 2022 | 15’               

Director: Giuseppe Schettino     

Writers: Alberto Nucci Angeli, Giuseppe Schettino           

Producers: Marielisa Serone, Anna Paolini, Lino Guanciale, Stefano Francioni       

Cast: Lino Guanciale, Giacomo Ferrara, Virginia Diop, Ladislao Liverani    

Synopsis: Wolf + Lamb (Lupo + Agnello) is above all a “coming-of-age novel”, based on the immortal and homonymous fable of Aesop. It is the story of the relationship Luca (Ladislao Liverani), Thomas (James Ferrara) and Elisa (Virginia Diop) entertain one another and behaviors such as bullying and the search for identity. Unbeknownst to them, are guided by a mysterious professor (Lino Guanciale) anthropology, and his blonde assistant, in this “Bildungsjourney” between ancient masks, religious festivals and archaic rituals that will inevitably lead our protagonists to confront each other and understand that wearing a mask is not enough to be what you want to be, but above all, every choice has consequences and responsibilities. With an unexpected ending and absolutely open to any further development.


BEST THRILLER/MYSTERY

Hand |  New Zealand | 2020 | 15’           

Director: Stephen Kang

Writer: Stephen Kang    

Producers: Miryam Jacobi, Jack Barry     

Cast: Krishma Grebneff, Awa Puna          

Synopsis: They call her the Hand. She is the best at pickpocketing amongst the group. While everyone is trying to figure out her secret skill of stealing and disappearing, she plots to run away with her lover for good. However, when jealousy and frustration mounts, the group they once called family crumbles. When the Hand finds herself wedged between the dissolving group and her lover – she is forced to make a choice.


BEST STUDENT

Death at the bus stop | Norway | 2022 | 07’      

Director: Maja Kjellstad Aanonsen          

Writer: Maja Kjellstad Aanonsen              

Producers: Mathilde Eline Torvik Strøm, Trygve Løkka Wølner, Sofie Gulla Rebbestad                      

Synopsis: Four strangers are waiting on the bus on a cold morning in Norway. Then someone dies.


BEST YOUNG DIRECTOR

I only appear dead | Germany | 2022 | 13’         

Director: Mira-Belle Rose Bryld 

Writer: Hanna Heimann

Producers: Viviana Koch, Mareike Mössner         

Cast: Michael von Au     

Synopsis: Struggling actor Franz is delighted with the prospect of landing a job at the theatre again. However during the presumed audition at a forest stage, Franz is suddenly to take on the leading role of Hans Christian Andersen that very evening! Andersen’s greatest fear: to be buried alive. Franz decides to play along, but his hope increasingly shifts to unease as the Scandinavian performance begins. 


BEST ANIMATION

The Egret River | Taiwan | 2022 | 20’    

Director: Wan-Ling Liu   

Writers: Wan-Ling Liu, Jett Chang             

Producer: Care Chiu                       

Cast: Among the tall buildings of the city, the lonely guard Dawei hides a beautiful field that no one knows, and meets an egret there; but the expansion of the city never stops, one day the field is destroyed, the egret escapes without a trace, Dawei begin to see mysterious illusions…


BEST DOCUMENTARY

Becoming Howard | United States | 2022 | 22’ 

Director: Matt F Fuller                   

Producer: Ira Heilvail                      

Synopsis: A 58 year-old person with autism leaves his job as a crossing guard for his 40th high school reunion in the Midwest.


BEST EXPERIMENTAL

IN LIMBO | Germany | 2022 | 08’           

Director: Harun Güler                                                    

Synopsis: IN LIMBO features a series of intimate vignettes of taboo-breaking personalities from Istanbul free from clichés and expectations.  Treading the line between narrative and reality IN LIMBO plays with subversion. In one scene a masculine group is gathered on the shore talking about hooking up with girls, before one person jumps in the water to reveal top surgery scars. In another, a belly dancer twists in the desert, kicking up dust and sand before lifting their veil to reveal a moustache.


BEST MUSIC VIDEO

THE WIRE |Australia | 2022 | 06’            

Director: Roy Sherfan    

Writer: Nico LaVette      

Producers: NICO LAVETTE, CANTBESTOPPEDPRO, VILLA MARINA, Nico Terrinoni, STUDIO B            

Cast: Kevin Furner, Nico LaVette, Amanda Hedges, Shalane Connors    

Synopsis: THE WIRE.   A journey into the inevitable experiment on humanity with bio tech.  Preprogramming is over, time for mind kontrol   The lyrics describe our relationship with the gateway portal that the smart phone opens to augmented reality. Increasing  communications and access to information yet degrading all authenticity.   The Malthusian dream predicates the social media bubble glass window, the vehicle for the subjects mind control. Drug induced Regressive Hypnotherapy the flame and  subversive pre-predictive programming merge in sacrifice of all moral individuality to become part of a whole, the Hive mind into augmented reality.   The Drones subjugate their victim with fabianistic authority. The holographic dreams of life are Majestic in shinning glamour, though ultimately empty with no substance.  He envisions childhood fantasy with all the promises of glory aided by technology as the hologram attempts transcendence  inevitably shattering into a million pixels the reality of vehicles speeding into tunnel walls. Consciousness is


BEST MINI SHORT

Hearing the Moon | Germany | 2022 |  02’         

Director: Vincent Eckert               

Producer: Paul Hartmann            

Cast: Illona Schulz           

Synopsis: A heavy-hearing older lady watches the transmission of the first moon landing. When the most historic phone call in human history to the moon is announced, her telephone rings unexpectedly.


BEST MOBILE PHONE

Princes Do Not Wait | Mexico | 2021 | 05’          

Director: Sergio Solis      

Writers: Ernest Vail, Sergio Solis

Producers: Sergio Solís, Stephanie Félix, Ana Alvarado    

Cast: Tristán Hernández, Daniel Pinte     

Synopsis: Tristán is 13 years old boy who is define by two things: a disability and the music of “The Prince”. The day in wich his idol dies, Tristán set out on a journey, along with his brother Pepe, to Mexico City. The last goodbye to “The Prince”, it will be also a way to fullfil his destiny.


BEST NO/LOW BUDGET

No-Handed | Islamic Republic of Iran |  2022 | 24’          

Directors: Danial Afshar, Kian Darjazi      

Writers: Danial Afshar, Kian Darjazi          

Producers: Danial Afshar, Kian Darjazi    

Cast: Kian Darjazi, Atena Aabi    

Synopsis: After his wife left, Amir is struggling with some problems.


BEST AMATEUR

Under Film | China | 2022 | 03’

Director: Jingyi Huang                   

Writer: Ke Chen

Producers: Haonan Li, Dali Wu   

Synopsis: The story revolves around the little boy’s diary. He takes the audience on a novel trip inspired by photos that grandfather had taken. In this journey, the boy and his grandfather watch Peking Opera, drink bitter tea and simply enjoy themselves. With the precious experience, the boy start to understand the meaning of photography.


BEST FASHION

Ruins- Episode One; Golden Immortal | Turkey | 2022 | 11’       

Director: Emir Mavitan 

Writer: Emir Mavitan     

Producer: Emir Mavitan, Nurçe Erben    

Cast: Gülcan Arslan, Birand Tunca, Müjde Uzman, Aslı Mavitan   

Synopsis: Famous thieves, with their code names; Pierre and Perla find the treasure chest of a very wealthy woman named Mari in a Southern town, where they don’t know where it is buried, and they go after dozens of gold bars. Leaking information to the two from inside the mansion, Mari’s most trusted woman is the head of security. When the two arrive at the mansion, they enter the mansion under the pretext of a party where people who can be described as “crazy” and “different” gather and spend time. In the evening, a table is prepared in honor of the guests in a large hall with high ceilings, and the guests are ecstatic to the accompaniment of the music. Of course, this “ecstasy” is linked to the perfect progress of the duo’s plans with the head of security. Pierre secures his job by firing ten shots at Mari where she is unconscious. Even if Perla is not happy with this situation, she has to let it go. A betrayal comes from Pierre to the security chief who betrayed his boss. Everyone plays their game, Pierre and Perla are the survivors. According to the information they get from the clues around, the treasure is hidden on an island. All that remains is to go and get it out. Gold bars will be theirs. The couple crosses the island with a motorboat and climbs to the top. They take out the shovels and dig, and indeed find a chest. But when they opened the chest, they found Mari’s oil paintings painted in different periods for centuries, and it is full of black and white photographs taken. Mari opens her eyes in panic, where she is lying in blood, and tries to catch herself by breathing. Yes, Everyone has played their game, but once again the winner is the “immortal” Mari. With its mystery, adventure, fantasy and fashion themes, this cinematography will draw the attention of the audience in the first second with its acting, different outfit combinations, make-up ideas, and innovative visual language expression. The atmosphere that post-modern combinations will create by combining the characters with a simpler visual language will definitely attract attention. This movie, which adds a different dimension by combining the treasure hunt with the theme of immortality, will fascinate with its atmosphere.

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