Award of Merit June 2023

Past winner sub pages color

Award of Merit Special Mention

4 A Films (USA), Five Questions, Actress: Leading (Amber Paul as Jill)
Atul Ravindra Joshi (USA), GUISE, Film Short
Bradley Hawkins (USA), Night Voices, Actor: Leading (Gorman Ruggiero as Jude Wilcox)
Collin Nelson (USA), The Last Liftoff, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Drew Alexa Naiburg-Smith and Paco Prio (USA), Wait, Script / Writer (Student)
Emma Rhett (USA), The Revolution of the Heart, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Farzam Salami (USA), Two Little Fish, Actress: Leading (Desiree Coleman Jackson as Jenny), Film Short, Direction
Francesco Brunotti (USA), Adventures Of Samurai Bron, Animation, Film Short
Goran Zaneti and Matthieu Brajot (USA), Developing Our Future, Documentary Short, Educational / Instructional / Training
John Andrew Quartaro (USA), Enter the Green Abyss, Direction, Experimental
Jon Paul (USA), Dojo, Movie Trailer
Kain Baigent and Stig Wemyss (Australia), A Piece of Work is Man, Ensemble Cast

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

Katie Garibaldi (USA), This and That, Original Song (Dear Universe, written and performed by Katie Garibaldi)
Kelly Siu (Hong Kong), Find My Way, Documentary Short, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Laura Ellen Di Trapani (USA), Exquisite Corpse, Film Short
Linda Kudzmas (USA), Misfortune, Animation, Narration / Voice-Over Talent (Meg Arbo as Narrator)
Michael J. Garcia (USA), STILL, Film Short, Cinematography
Nawal Kaffouf (France), ARTHON, Women Filmmakers
Ryan Paul Buck and Cyndee K. Buck (USA), God Our Refuge Documentary and Virtual Art Exhibit, Christian
Sean Famoso and Dennis Williams (USA), Demanded Supply, Direction
Tiffany Lin (USA), Foreign Planetary, Actress: Leading (Chelsea Sik as Angie)
Yeimy Daza (Canada), BEACH, Women Filmmakers
Yuri Riklis (Israel), Ave Gradiva, Film Short, Creativity / Originality

award of merit words

4 A Films (USA), Five Questions, Film Short, Ensemble Cast (Kiera Allen, David Arrow, Andrew Arrow, Joyia D. Bradley, Donna Lynne Champlin, Elijah Guo, Amber Paul, Tom Alan Robbins and Eliza Simone), Direction (David Arrow), Editing (Joseph Huba)
A.P. Gonzalez (USA), George & Dorothy, Direction, Film Short, Script / Writer, Actress: Leading (Tina D’Marco as Dorothy)
Afsaneh Aghanezhad and Vali Bagheri (Iran), For Child Never Born, Women Filmmakers
Alex Astrella (USA), Unbreakable, Documentary Short
Alexandr Bochko (Ukraine), UNNOTICEABLE, Documentary Short
Andreina Sanoja (Canada), I Love You, Film Short (Student)
Andrey Gil (Ukraine), Lullaby for the Cat, Film Short
Annika Puri (USA), Resilience: Ukraine Crisis, Documentary Short (Student)
Ari Grabb (USA), Bento Banana 1-4, Animation, Web Series
Ashton K. Bracciodieta (USA), Stringout, Film Short
Austin Shopinski (USA), An Error Has Occurred, Editing (Student)
Bill Walker (USA), Whiskey Mountain Days—Proof of Concept, Film Short
Bo Tanas (Canada), The Return, Film Short
Bradley Hawkins (USA), Night Voices, Christian, Direction, Film Short, Script / Writer (Bradley Hawkins and Peter Fenton), Editing (Caleb Tyson)
Brody Bowman (USA), The Love Dunce, Film Short (Student)
Chientung Chung (Taiwan), Purple Crow Butterfly Highway, Documentary Short, Nature / Environment / Wildlife, Public Service Programming / PSA

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

Christopher Plant (USA), Recollections: Val Shively & 50 Years of Collecting Records in Philadelphia, Documentary Short
Crystal Thomas (USA), Belly Encounters, Women Filmmakers
Daniel Stephen (USA), Lyric Video – People Get Ready For Your Lord, Music Video, Animation
Daniel Stephen (USA), Music Video – How Far is Heaven, Music Video (Student), Editing (Student)
Danna Gilbertson and Jocelyn Rose Sanchez (USA), The Girl Next Door, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Darryl M. Haase (USA), HOLLYWOOD’S PASTOR: The H.K. Rasbach Story, Christian
Dino Muccio (USA), The Whisper of Cape Fear Island, Script / Writer
Don Aoki (USA), Pioneers of Rock Springs, History / Biographical
Drew Alexa Naiburg-Smith and Paco Prio (USA), Wait, Film Short (Student), Women Filmmakers (Student)
Eduard Nechmohlod (Ukraine), Captain Brovary, Direction (Student)
Flavio Cammerano (Italy), I Custodi del Tempo inseguendo il sogno di Icaro, Documentary Short
Goran Zaneti and Matthieu Brajot (USA), Developing Our Future, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest
Gordy De St Jeor (USA), Bodysuit, Actress: Leading (Jillian Moray as Anna), Film Short
Havva Okutan (Turkey), THE TINSMITH, Documentary Short (Student)
Ines Wallisch (USA), Memento Mori, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
James F. Darfus (USA), Birth of the Song, Documentary Short
James Grim (USA), Have You Found The Bodies?, Movie Trailer
Jannika Jira (Germany), Becoming People, Film Short
Jenifer L. Yeuroukis (USA), Kizy & Me, Documentary Short

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

Joey Min (USA), Rumble Riot, Actor: Leading (Nathan Porter as Good Guy), Film Short, Webisode, Web Tube Length Video
John Andrew Quartaro (USA), Enter the Green Abyss, Film Short
Jon Paul (USA), Dojo, Film Short
Jordan Coolbear (United Kingdom), Man Made, Actor: Leading (Richard Cambridge as Will)
Julian Jay Burton (USA), Bermuda City Web-series – Episode 6, Web Series
Justin MacFayden (USA), Share The Influence, Documentary Short
Justin Tang and Rishabh Trivedi (USA), Better Together, Asian (Student), Film Short (Student), Cinematography (Student)
Jyoti Madnani Singh (India), I Am Not Down, Children / Family Programming
Kalina Lukanova (Bulgaria), Bird, Film Short (Student)
Katie Garibaldi (USA), This and That, Film Short
L. E. Coleman (USA), She’s Too Young, Script / Writer, African American
Lexi Johnson (USA), They Took Jacob, Film Short, Actress: Leading (Lexi Johnson as Ellie), Actor: Leading (Alex Goransson as Turner)
Logan Wood (USA), Finger Lickin’ Good, Animation (Student)
Marcus Rando (USA), Royals of Rosedale, Ensemble Cast, Podcast: Episode
Matt Bolin (Australia), The Adventures of Wolfdogg and Red Ridinghood, Animation, Creativity / Originality
Mia Aston (USA), Bitchin’, Film Short (Student)
Michael Joiner (USA), Rubber Bullets, Actor: Leading (Jermi Little as Jeremy), Actor: Supporting (Chad Ayers as Marco), Film Short, Direction
Monica Sofia Liendo (Canada), Engagement Foundation, Public Service Programming / PSA (Student)

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

Olabisi Kovabel (USA), Decamp, Christian, Ensemble Cast (Olabisi Kovabel and Sean Topps), Film Short, LGBTQ+
Özgür Yaşaroğlu (Turkey), A THOUSAND YEARS YET ALL  A NIGHT, Experimental
Peter Hartwig (Australia), Pump it, Film Short
Randy Michael Stoudt (USA), Woven, Documentary Short
Regina González (USA), EMBER ALERT, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest (Student), Latin / Hispanic (Student)
Richie Yeager, Prague Film School (Czech Republic), April Showers, Film Short (Student)
Rick Walker (USA), To all the Gabbys in the World, Music Video, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest, Original Song (Written by Darla Zuhdi)
Rob McLean (Canada), True Stories With Titles – Episode 1 Space, Television – Pilot Program
Robbie Robertson (USA), COMMON AS RED HAIR, LGBTQ+
Robert Denfeld (USA), California Light, Nature / Environment / Wildlife
Romina De La Puente (USA), Alphabet Soup, Film Short (Student), Actor: Leading (Student) (John Ververis as George)
Ryan Adolph and Alex J Greenberg (USA), The Director, Film Short (Student)
Shira Green (Israel), WHO IS LIKE YOU, Documentary Short, Jewish, Religion / Ethics

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

Sicheng Yang (China), Naked Dreams in My Youth, Asian (Student)
Stephan Wolfgang Böker (USA), Trilogy: It’s In the Heart, Documentary Short, Tourism / Travel
Tova Hopemark (USA), Alright, Robot, Actress: Leading (Tova Hopemark as Jessica)
Vanessa Ozinger (USA), Behind the Curtain, Experimental, Actress: Leading (Vanessa Ozinger as Kate)
Vicente Alvarado Ponce (Japan), Made Righteous, Christian, Documentary Short
Virgo Velasquez, Karen Tusa and Melva McLean (Canada), A Birthday Tale, Film Short, Ensemble Cast
Vitaliy Perunov (USA), Tales of the Boiling River, Documentary Short
Will Sims (USA), Journey of the Tru-Spot, Movie Trailer
Yogi Chavada (USA), My Brother Charlie, Cinematography
Zachary Dover (USA), The Beneficiary, Animation, Narration / Voice-Over Talent
Zsolt Répási (Hungary), Deeplight, Experimental

Click below for Award of Recognition winners:

Award of Recognition Film Festival

Click below for Award of Excellence and Best of Show winners:
Award of Excellence