******************** BEST OF SHOW ********************
Hanzhang Shen, Why Am I Still Alive, short documentary, is a heartbreaking, yet beautiful and poetic work of art, about an elderly woman in rural China who endured neglect and abuse by her son and daughter-in-law. The director, Hanzhang Shen, grew up in Hang Zhou, China, graduated from School of Visual Arts, New York, with a MFA in Social Documentary Film, spent six years making the film. The film was honored with a nomination in the 39th Annual Student Academy Awards. LINK
Denise Plumb, Past Due, short film, is a dark comedy in which the protagonist’s mundane life is turned upside down by the relentless pursuits of a collection agent. With nothing to lose, the debtor resorts to a collection payment plan she can comfortably afford. The film was written and developed as part of American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women. Writer/Director Denise Plumb’s film features an original score by Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls) and cinematography by award winner Nancy Schreiber, ASC. LINK
********** AWARD OF EXCELLENCE **********
94 PROOF, The Hi-Life, webisode/internet programming
Berserkers United Productions, LLC, The Long Walk Back, short documentary
Cogswell College/ Bonnie Phelps, Worlds Apart, animation
Dolma Gunther (Australia), Finding Manjushri, women filmmakers
Double Truth Films, Mísdírectíon, short film
Enfuego Entertainment, Run, African American
FSU Film School/ Briana Frapart, The Girl in the Photo, sound: overall impact
Giannina LaSalvia, Hot & Bothered, public service programming/psa
Jessica Kavana Dornbusch, Escape, women filmmakers
JFC Produzioni (Switzerland), Sul Mare, disability issues
Maud Ferrari, The Chauffeur, short film
Metamorfic Productions LLC, Only Child, experimental
Michelle Hirsch, Match.bom, women filmmakers
Pamela Davis, Rusti Escapes, women filmmakers
PCCW Now TV (China), Construction Slavery, documentary series
RomeArca Productions, Ghosts and Flowers: The Handel-Halvorsen Passacaglia, music video
Sean Tyler, The Devil Girl of Devonshire, short film
Se-ma-for Film Production (Poland), Danny Boy, animation
Shinehouse Productions, Any Thoughts?, filmmaker 17 and younger
Tian Guan, Servant, experimental
Weston Woods Studios, Bink & Gollie, animation
********** AWARD OF MERIT **********
Adventist Media Network (Australia), Beyond the Search, Christian, cinematography, direction and editing
Allan Groves, Hellespont, short film
Andrea Hall, Last Stop, short film
Andrew Wilson, Breaking Shy, short film
Arthur Taylor, Hide and Seek the Child, short film
ASPD Films, Teens Like Phil, gay/lesbian/transsexual
B+B Pictures, Chapter XIV: The Duel, short film
Barbie DeSantis, Hot Flash and Company, reality programming
BFG International (Bahrain), The Water Genie, women filmmakers
Bill Carr, Mele’s Kapu, short film
Bipolar Pictures, Bu Qtair, short documentary
Bob Pondillo, The Miracles on Honey Bee Hill, gay/lesbian/transsexual
Bravado Pictures, In Mexico, short film
Brian Gonzalez, It Can’t Be True, experimental
Brian Graves, Save As…, tube length videos
Busted Buggy Entertainment, Dating, webisode/internet programming
Cara Picton (United Kingdom), Beginnings, women filmmakers
CDSN Productions, Tio Squiggle, editing
Chandradeep Das (India), Disarray, short film
Chia-Chi Lee, 25, women filmmakers
Chinstrap Films LLC, Life with Subtitles, pilot program/series
Christopher Rowe, Two Men & a Woman, experimental
Craig Nogosek, A Cure to War, short documentary
Cullen Films, Cherchez La Femme, short film
David Joyce, Waiting on a Train, short film
David Reiter Productions, American Bill, pilot program/series
David Towner, Posers, pilot program/series
Enspire Studio (Indonesia), The Escape, animation
Eriol Pictures (Canada), The Art of Being One, short film
Ethan Downing, Adjudication, gay/lesbian/transsexual
Gold Films (United Kingdom), Taken, short film
Gotta/Enk, Anniversary Dinner, women filmmakers
Guenther Group, A Lesson in Global Warming, nature/environment and cinematography
Head Space Entertainment (Australia), About Face, short film and humor/humorist
Iris Zaki (United Kingdom), My Kosher Shifts, Jewish
Joe Iacovino, And if Tomorrow…, short film
Joey Perotti, Back Home, short documentary
John Lopez, Fortunate Son, Latin American/Latino/Hispanic
Jozef Malocha, One on One, short film
Kyra Nicole Rogers, The Hipster Paradox, experimental
Lisa Miron Rambaldini (Canada), Candy Apple, women filmmakers
Ludovica Mauri, The Wing Man, disability issues
Manny Mahal (Canada), Room 303, short film
Mark Nickelsburg, Harry Grows Up, short film
MaxFilm (Australia), Father F****r, webisode/internet programming
Merci Entertainment, The Plan, gay/lesbian/transsexual
Michelle Hirsch, Match.bom, cinematography and casting
Mirto Ioanna Kassis, Sec, short film
Noah DeBonis, Do Tell, short documentary
Ooh La La Productions, Seriously?!, webisode/internet programming
MOS Media/Industry Films (Canada), Urban Outlaw, short documentary
Paul van Zyl, Elegy for a Revolutionary, short film
PCCW Now TV (China), Blood Mine, documentary series
Platinum Image Film (Canada), The Fortune Cookie, short film
Post Josh Productions, Exploring the Horizon Schools, nonprofit/fundraising
Preston Randolph, The Summer of ’81, short documentary
Rabid Pictures (Canada), The Beard, short film
Relic Entertainment, The Trials of Zander Peterson, African American
Rick Carmona, Motive, short film
Riot Scene! Media, Fabulous High, webisode/internet programming
Riz Films, Displaced, short documentary
Robert Krakovski, Heads Up, short film
Ronnie Cramer, Mugs, experimental
Ruán Magan (Ireland), Angel, short film, cinematography and editing
School of Visual Arts (Da Suel Kim & Yun Ah Oh), Karma, animation
Sea Song LLC, The Call, special purpose productions
Seung Yeob Lee, Goose Family, Asian American
Shanda Renee, Fallin, viewer impact: content/message delivery
Sheridan College/ Chrisann Hessing (Canada), An Unmarked Heart, experimental
Six Degrees (Canada), Poor Billy – Chapter One – Billy’s Parents, animation
Small But Mighty Productions, The Mop and Lucky Files, pilot program/series
Sven Alexander Heinrich (México), Hip Hop International, music video
Tatiana McCabe, Restoring Sight in Bangladesh, disability issues and viewer impact: content/message delivery
Toto Pictures, Water, Water Everywhere, children/family programming
Toy Gun Films, Half Good Killer, short film
Tropical Visions Video, Be Your Own Angel, special purpose productions/live events
Tunnel Mill Pictures, Farmers in the Field of Sundays, experimental
Université du Québec à Montréal/ Félix Lamarche (Canada), Des hommes à la mer (Men at Sea), short documentary
University of Southern California/ Roozbeh Dadvand, Mossadegh, short film
Victor Oconitrillo, Be, short film
Vision Channel Ltd. (India), India Shining, special purpose film
Weston Woods Studios, Edwina – The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct, animation
Whatever Jake Makes Animation, Sushi, animation
Wrongly Accused Films, Brian Alexander – Lemonade, music video
Yana Alliata di Montereale, Requiem for Emily, short film and direction (Yana Alliata)
Yasuda Engineering Company, Ltd. (Japan), Sewer Pipe Construction Using Mud Slurry, industrial/technical/business
Zack Bornstein, Dear Hunters, short film