The judges wish to recognize the Award of Merit winners for notable
artistic or technical aspects of their project in the categories entered.
Ben Vokes (United Kingdom), Love is the Plan…, Experimental
Bizhan Tong (United Kingdom), The Escort, Actor: Leading (Kevin Leslie as Eric), Film Feature
Chinmaay Purohiit, Goosebumps Studios (India), OXYGEN, Film Feature
Elton Hubner (Canada), The Fit Generation, Documentary Short
Eric Mann, Unreel Films (USA), Without a Mirror, Disability Issues
Ezra Ani and Micah Smith (Israel), Pillow Talk, Web Series
Gabriel Diamond (USA), Street Workers Unite!, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest
Gregg Houston (United Kingdom), Somewhere In Their Heads, Documentary Short
Holden Scott (USA), Just a Song, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Janet Solomon (South Africa), Becoming Visible, Documentary Short, Nature / Environment / Wildlife
Jazeel Gayle (USA), Beyond The Rainbow, LGBT
Joston Theney, Helsinki Institute Pictures & Sinning Works (USA), THE LETTER RED, Actor: Leading (Edward Gusts as John)
Lauren Porteus (New Zealand), Under the Bridge, Film Short
Luther Ng, Head To Tail Films (Hong Kong), Tête-bêche (Head-to-tail), Film Feature, Actor: Leading (Ben Yuen as Suen Sai-hoi), Actor: Leading (Nic Yan as Suen Yau-wai)
Rebecca Holopter and Michael Osborne (USA), Silverlake Afternoon, LGBT
Ryan Cleek (USA), Reach For The Sky, Documentary Feature
Swanky Flicks Productions (USA), Words & Actions, Actor: Leading (Darren Tyler Morgan as Dan Connors), Television – Pilot Program, Direction (Drue Metz)
Taylor Coriell (USA), You’re The Pest (Episodes 2, 3, 5), Web Series
Tim Gray (USA), Survivors of Malmedy: December 1944, Documentary Short
Yazan Al Ghazzawi (Jordan), The Delivery, Film Short
Zoe Doyle, Maverick Films Limited (Ireland), Once Upon A Time In Dublin, Special Purpose Productions
Aaron Levine (USA), Egret & Joliah, Film Short
Aaron Tsindos (Australia), UnImaginary, Webisode
Akiz (Germany), Shakespeare’s Last Order, Film Feature
Alexandra Holden and Aria Pullman Ostrander (USA), Out of Luck, Women Filmmakers
Alfonso Jaramillo Gomez (USA), Johnefe, 17, Film Short (Student)
Anita Kruse, Purple Songs Can Fly (USA), Journey to Hope, Documentary Feature
Ann Huang (USA), Indelible Winter, Experimental
Bizhan Tong (United Kingdom), The Escort, Direction, Script / Writer
Brett Boshco (USA), Buy / Sell / Trade, Film Short
Caroline McQuade (Australia), Sisyphus in the City, Film Short
Chung-Yen Hsu (Taiwan), Farewell, Film Short (Student)
Cressandra Thibodeaux (USA), Jesse Lott: Art and Community, Documentary Short
Danny Thykær (Denmark), Separated, Film Short
Dat Nguyen (USA), Protecting Tony, Actor: Leading (Jonathan Benefiel as Tony)
Dean Russell (USA), Heart Strung, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Denise Ward-Brown (USA), Never Been a Time, Documentary Feature
Eduardo Juarez jr (USA), Kevin Klein Live Animation #3, Animation
Elaine Minionis (USA), Uncanny: The Dolls of Mariana Monteagudo, Documentary Short
Elvis Nolasco (USA), Time 2 Surrender, Film Short
Ema Edosio (Nigeria), KASALA!, Women Filmmakers
Harry Greenberger (USA), Staring at the Sun, Film Feature, Actress: Leading (Taylor Rose as Tasha Segal), Actress: Supporting (Jill Shackner as Edie Glaser), Script / Writer, Original Song (Go Easy composed by Aaron Lee Tasjan)
Imre Szabó-Stein, David Géczy and Concerto Budapest (Hungary), True Musicians, Television – Program / Series
Indy Dang (USA), Growing Pains, Film Short (Student)
Jason Zavaleta (USA), I Wrote This For You, Film Feature
Karin Argoud (USA), Top Row, Documentary Short
Karla Luna Cantu (Mexico), Maggie Smith is Gone, Women Filmmakers (Student)
Kinjal Majumdar (India), Dear Me, Film Short
Lisa At Large Productions (USA), Lisa At Large, Television – Program / Series
Louis Nero (Italy), The Broken Key, Film Feature
Luciana Lagana (USA), Off The Streets For Good, Educational / Instructional / Training
Lucinda Spurling (Bermuda), Maternal Secrets, Film Feature, Women Filmmakers
Luther Ng, Head To Tail Films (Hong Kong), Tête-bêche (Head-to-tail), Script / Writer, Cinematography, Art Direction, Viewer Impact: Content / Message Delivery, Casting
Maha Moussa (United Arab Emirates), SOULALA, Women Filmmakers
Marty McGinley (USA), The Wanting, Film Short
Max Nelson (USA), Left by the Wayside, Film Short (Student)
Max Rogoff (USA), Anti-Smoking PSA, and Glimpse, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Michael Greene (USA), Love Ghost- Scarlet Letter, Music Video
Michael Scarnati (USA), Across the Graveyard, Film Short (Student)
Michel Finazzi (Switzerland), CENTRAL BLOC, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest
Min Ding and Jonah Bleicher (USA), The Collector, Asian
Natasha Choi (USA), Wishes, Asian (Student)
Nicole Ludowese (USA), Switch, Women Filmmakers, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger (Morgan Gullett)
Olga Czyzykiewicz (Poland), Blauka – Figle Zuchwale, Music Video
Olivia Denuit, Nour Oubeid and Dimitri Lazarashivili, Chapman University (USA), Half Vanilla, Television – Pilot Program
Patrick Schaller (USA), The Rotting Tales of Marcus Spencer, Webisode
Paul Darrigo (USA), Reel Stage, Film Short
Peter Daskaloff (USA), Clyde Cooper, Film Feature
Prateek Prajosh (India), Indian Salmon, Film Short
Robert Fritz and Reint Bakema (USA), The Uganda Project, Documentary Feature
Rodrigo Guim (Brazil), In The Name Of My People, Documentary Feature
Ross Wachsman (USA), Ascension, Film Feature
Ruowei Wang (USA), Silent Cello, Film Short
Sam Lichtman (USA), Astray, Film Short (Student)
Santiago Sanchez (USA), Yours Truly, Latin / Hispanic (Student)
Saurav Vishnu (USA), Tailing Pond, Documentary Short
Stacy Poulos (USA), Behind The Light; A Mashup Documentary, Women Filmmakers
Stephan Nielsen (United Kingdom), Stephan’s Big Awakening, Web Series
Stephen Linstead (United Kingdom), Black Snow, Documentary Short, History / Biographical, Viewer Impact: Content / Message Delivery
Stevie Big Gee (Australia), Boom goes Julian, Music Video
Tennyson Shanahan and Jessica Corbett (USA), Hang Tight, Film Short
Timothy Glenn (USA), Auxilium, Film Short (Student)
Timothy Puder, Hannah and Emily Puder (USA), Emergence, Film Short (Student)
Todd Jackson (USA), Romance Is Dead, LGBT (Student)
Tomas Sem Løkke-Sørensen (Norway), The Psychics, Film Feature
Vitaliy Perunov (USA), Little Pictures, Film Short
Wonder Russell (USA), Revelation, Experimental
Yiyuan Yuan (USA), Whale Fall – May we all be blessed with longevity, Animation (Student)
Zoe Moacanin (USA), Legacy, Television – Pilot Program