2024 Awards

Film Jury Awards

Best Picture - Trust in Love (Mick Davis, USA) 
Nominees: Out of State-A Gothic Romance, Not for Nothing, Burst the Silence, The Problem of the Hero

Best Student Film - Tangerine Drum Machine (Reilly McHugh, USA)
Nominees: Lovie Dovie, Slanted Perspectives: My Life with SMA, The Hauntings of New Hope, Adagio, Mike & Frank, Living All of Life

Best Alternative Film -  Divine Instinct (James Gossard, USA)
Nominees: Who Followed Us Home, The Blood Orange, Order My Steps, The Sun Rises in the East, The Problem of the Hero, White Noise, I Approve this Message

Best Short Film - What Ever Happened to Jonny Faith (Benjamin Pollack, USA) 
Nominees: Mayfly, My Over There, Shatter the Glass, Minutes to Go, The Portrait, Payment in Kind, Pushover, Gypsy Rose Leezinski

Best Short Short -  Millie's Care Free Day (Mike Licisyn, USA) 
Nominees: The Blood Orange, Lovie Dovie, Stay, Look Back and Laugh, Pushover, Earth Machiavelli, In Search Of, Dad Bod

Best Documentary -  Take the Ice (Rachel Koteen, USA) 
Nominees: Hopper X Vermeer, Take the Ice, Rhino Man, Jerry's Last Mission, Breaking Tradition: The Hugh McElroy Story, Tell Me Iggy, Undivide Us, The Carnival: 125 Years of the Penn Relays

Best Horror Film -  Quiet! Mom's Working! (P Patrick Hogan, USA)
Nominees: Dark Mommy, Girl with the Grey Eyes

Best Action Thriller -  Mayfly (Keith Andreen, USA) 
Nominees: Launch at Paradise, Earth Machiavelli, Girl with the Grey Eyes

Animal Welfare -  Rhino Man (John Jurko II, Matt Lindenberg, Daniel Roberts, South Africa, UK, USA)
Nominees: Menhaden: The Biggest Little Fish You've Never Seen, By My Side

Cultural Spirit -  Undivide Us (Kristi Kendall, USA)
Nominees: The Carnival: 125 Years of the Penn Relays, Rhino Man, Take the Ice, A Perfect Love, Black Uniform, Pioneering Women Muralists of Hyde Park, Single-Use Planet 

Best Short Documentary -  My Dear Hanna (Matthew Sullivan, USA)
Nominees: This Is Where I Learned Not to Sleep, Joe Barry Carroll, See Me, Hear Me, Know Me: The Welcome Project PA, Living Positive, My Superpower, I Am Living, Dad Bod

Best Foreign Film - Living All of Life (Marlen Rios-Farjat, Mexico)
Nominees: Walk With Me, The Old Young Crow, Je, Living All of Life, Black Sugar Red Blood, Moratorium, About People and About War

Community Spirit - Black Uniform (Robert Darwell, USA)
Nominees: The Sun Rises in the East, The Asbestos City, New Hope Rondo, The Hauntings of New Hope, Pioneering Women Muralists of Hyde Park, See Me, Hear Me, Know Me: The Welcome Project PA, I Am Living, Lady Ivory: The Life & Music of Liz DuFour

Best Local Film - See Me, Hear Me, Know Me: The Welcome Project PA (Eli Laban, USA)
Nominees: The Hauntings of New Hope, New Hope Rondo, Lady Ivory: The Life & Music of Liz DuFour, The Blood Orange

Best Biographical Film - Jerry's Last Mission (Louisa Merino, USA)
Nominees: My Dear Hanna, Tell Me Iggy, Black Uniform, Breaking Tradition: The Hugh McElroy Story

Best Experimental Short - Dark Mommy (Courtney Eck, USA)
Nominees: Interview with Traveler #582, Pushover, I Approve this Message, Adagio

Indie Spirit - Out of State-A Gothic Romance (Victoria Bugbee, USA)
Nominees: Burst the Silence, Black Uniform, The Asbestos City, Breaking Tradition: The Hugh McElroy Story

Best Animation - Black Sugar Red Blood (Luigi Toscano, Germany)
Nominees: Lovie Dovie, The Old Young Crow, Who Followed Us Home

Best Animated Film - Lovie Dovie (Francesca Brescia, USA)
Nominees: The Old Young Crow

Female Eye Filmmaking - Hopper X Vermeer (Annie Dautane, France)
Nominees: Girl with the Grey Eyes, Lovie Dovie, Stay, Look Back and Laugh, Gypsy Rose Leezinski, In Search Of

Best Sci-Fi Film - Launch at Paradise (Carrie Ann Quinn, USA)
Nominees: Interview with Traveler #582, Earth Machiavelli, Pushover

Best Comedy -  Brute Force (Tyler A. Wallach, USA)
Nominees: Pushover, Full Throttle Paradise, Coney Island Surprise, Low Risk Spectre, The Toms, Gypsy Rose Leezinski, Quiet! Mom's Working!, Dating Audrey

Best Period Film -  The Problem of the Hero (Shaun Dozier, USA)
Nominees: About People and About War, My Over There

Student Cultural Spirit - Mike & Frank (Kylie Conner-Sax, USA)
Nominees: The Hauntings of New Hope, Slanted Perspectives: My Life with SMA, Lovie Dovie

New Hope - This Is Where I Learned Not to Sleep (Anne de Mare and Kirsten Kelly, USA)
Nominees: Breaking Tradition: The Hugh McElroy Story, The Asbestos City, My Superpower, A Perfect Love, Our Flag Was Still There, Living Positive

Artistic Spirit - Tell Me Iggy (BLONDY Sophie, France)
Nominees: Rhino Man, Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn, Take the Ice, Divine Instinct, Hopper X Vermeer

LGBTQ+ Spirit -  There Are Things To Do (Mike Syers, USA)
Nominees: Love Dovie, See Me, Hear Me, Know Me: The Welcome Project PA, New Hope Rondo, Lady Ivory: The Life & Music of Liz DuFour, Mike & Frank, Living Positive, Trust in Love

Best Supernatural Film -  Pushover (Brian Lederman, USA)
Nominees: Low Risk Spectre, Dark Mommy, Mayfly

Best Webisode - About People and About War (Artel Film Production, Russian Federation)
Nominees: Coney Island Surprise

Best Music Video -  Dreaming (Jim Vacca, USA)
Nominees: Holding You Tight, The Light, Living All of Life

Best Alternative Music Video - The Light (Vincenzo Carubia, USA)
Nominees: Holding You Tight, Living All of Life

Best Narrative Feature -  Not for Nothing (Tim Dowlin and Frank Tartaglia, USA)
Nominees: The Problem of the Hero, Trust in Love, Out of State-A Gothic Romance, Burst the Silence

Best Musical Score - Burst the Silence (Eric D. Schaeffer, USA)
Nominees: Living All of Life, The Blood Orange, Not for Nothing, Out of State-A Gothic Romance, Hopper X Vermeer, My Dear Hanna, Rhino Man, The Problem of the Hero

Best Director -  Rachel Koteen (Take the Ice, USA)
Nominees: Tim Dowling and Frank Tartaglia (Not for Nothing), Mick Davis (Trust in Love), Annie Dautane (Hopper X Vermeer), BLONDY Sophie (Tell Me Iggy), Matthew Sullivan (My Dear Hanna), John Jurko II, Matt Lindenberg and Daniel Roberts (Rhino Man), Shaun Dozier (The Problem with the Hero)

Audience Choice Awards

Best Student Film - Tangerine Drum Machine (Reilly McHugh, USA)
Best Documentary - The Asbestos City (Joe DeVito III, USA)
Best Short Documentary - White Noise (SanMartin Garcia, USA)
Best Short Film - Dating Audrey (Dan Hertzog, USA)
Best Narrative Feature - Out of State-A Gothic Romance (Victoria Bugbee, USA) 
Best Webisode - Coney Island Surprise (Chris Marcantel, USA)

Script Jury Awards

Best Script - The White Rose (David Joseph Cooley)
Nominees: All I Want for Christmas, Graham, Sundown, The New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms

Best Narrative Feature Script - Sundown (Gretchen Elizabeth Jackson)
Nominees: Graham, The White Rose

Best Short Screenplay - All I Want for Christmas (Linda Tancs)
Nominees: The New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms

Rhino Man

During the production phase of this important and riveting documentary, the central subject of the film, Anton Mzimba, was assassinated in his South African home. The wildlife traffickers responsible for the heinous crime also injured his wife.  

Rhino Man is a conservation film and much more. Mzimba and other field rangers at the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve have been fighting poachers and illegal wildlife traffickers for decades despite the high personal risk. At its core, the film is a tribute to their bravery, integrity and military-grade training. 

Yet the images of rhinos suffering are comparably moving. Co-Directors John Jurko II, Matt Lindenberg and Daniel Roberts took care to let Timbavati's rangers tell their stories and explain why they would give their lives for another species. Their reasons are deeply thoughtful—even soul-stirring. The rangers' shared vision for their nature reserve is one of compassion and selfless service over vast expanses of time. 

Important people and organizations are involved in this project. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, President of United for Wildlife and heir to the throne for the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, contributes on-camera remarks from his unique perspective as an activist and future head of state. The Prince's sophisticated contributions toward reducing the illegal wildlife trade are praiseworthy and game-changing. His Royal Highness's work is also entirely charitable, as United for Wildlife is a program of The Royal Foundation, the philanthropic vehicle of The Prince and Princess of Wales. 

Other notable supporters of the film include Thin Green Line, Southern African Wildlife College, International Ranger Federation, Game Rangers Association of Africa and the previously stated Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. This documentary pays due homage to the people on the front lines of a global wildlife trafficking war. At the same time, it raises questions. Can the world stand by while one species after another becomes extinct? When should humans risk their lives for such a cause? What are the implications for animals, the planet, and us? The rangers in Rhino Man probe these thoughts, and act on their convictions, as you will see if you check out this cutting-edge film. 

You can watch a teaser here: Rhino Man Teaser

Interview with Traveler #582

In this deadpan, Kafkaesque take on the modern corporate grind, a middle manager interviews a job hopeful for a position in a secretive spiritual order. The organization, called Third Eye Moonwalk, travels outside of four-dimensional space-time. Despite this amazing feat, it's still bound by the humdrum oppressions of debt, turnover and general administrative expenses. They need help, but is Traveler #582 the candidate who can help them?

Co-Directors Lisa Steindler and Jon Bernson conceived this satirical project to illuminate people on the perils of seeking financial gain as an end goal. It leads to a life without meaning and purpose, they warn. The filmmaking team is based in San Francisco, a city known for its counter-culture spirit—and vast wealth. The conflict between those two realities is a call for artists, and this filmmaking team found something otherworldly amidst the contrast.  

You can watch the teaser here: Interview with Traveler #582 Teaser

Living All of Life

When Susana learns that her husband of many decades has abandoned her, she is disconsolate. Life is joyless, bland and empty. In desperation, she reaches out to her neighbor Gloria, a high-spirited soul who could help her heal the wound. Yet Susana despises Gloria for all the reasons the younger woman could help. It is a vortex of suffering, and neither words nor possible friends are enough to help Susana really live again. 

Mexico City-born Director Marlen Rios-Farjat has a discerning touch in Living All of Life (Vivir Today la Vida). The acting is intimate and nuanced, and elements of cinematography such as lighting, movement and color are woven carefully into the narrative. Susana's fragility is held in relief to the vibrancy and possibility of the city, showing how people can be influenced by their environments and given circumstances. There is much for cinephiles to admire here. 

Then there is the music. An original work by Emiliano Suarez follows the story, entering and exiting, then entering again. The song in this short film is a touchstone of life, a form of expression that conveys Susana's inner life as she grows and manifests. 

Living All of Life is a student project from Centro de Capacitacion Cinematografica, A.C.. Given the maturity of the work, you would never know it had an educational origin. The movie will play with English subtitles, and the accompanying music video for the song will screen separately in Spanish only. You can watch the trailer here (Spanish, without subtitles): 

Gypsy Rose Leezinski

Poor Max. He tries and tries again to land himself a girlfriend. No, a date! Just a date would be fine. But women will have none of it as he endures rejections, slaps and general love life failure. Yes, it's a humiliating, even depressing, mental state for him to exist in each day...after agonizing..........day. 

But he won't give up. In fact, his frustration is propelling him to take action. So, one day, he heads off to see a fortune teller. It's a Hail Mary, he knows, but hey it's LA and you can make the nutty choice when stretching for your dream. If Gypsy Rose is making it here, she must have something to offer someone. What has he got to lose? If you don't see a fortune teller now and then, you're not even in the game. 

Gypsy Rose gazes into her crystal ball, and maybe she has no idea what she's doing and only does this gig to pay the rent, but she does see something intriguing and he goes where she sends him. What happens next is really...really.........unexpected. 

You can watch the trailer here: 

My Dear Hanna

This short documentary involves a powerful and moving love story. The film's narrator, Marianne Szegedy-Maszak, speaks with eloquence, wisdom and deep fondness about her parents. Her father, a Hungarian Christian, was a rising star of Hungary's Foreign Ministry, but he found his government's alliance with Germany despicable. Her mother was the granddaughter of a Jewish industrialist. The story of their tumultuous lives unfolds through letters found 60 years after they were written. 

Family tribute films aren't often so beautifully produced, a lofty compliment to Director Matt Sullivan, his team, and the quality of the letters. In an era when Holocaust denial and anti-semitism have risen to alarming levels, this is an important film to see and discuss. You can watch the trailer here: My Dear Hanna Trailer

The Carnival: 125 Years of the Penn Relays

Not many sporting events in the United States are as steeped in history as the Penn Relays. It is the oldest and largest track & field competition in the country, with origins dating back to April 1895. Approximately 5,000 people attended the first event, no doubt scarcely imagining the future importance of the meet. Today, total attendance can be well over 100,000. 

This well-produced documentary waxes poetic on the history, but it also explores the Penn Relays as a catalyst for change, particularly in the areas of racial and gender equality. Early in its history, organizers invited African-American athletes to compete. Later, women's events were added. The event maintained this all-inclusive ethos through world wars, the civil rights marches, and many White House administrations. 

Iconic sportscaster and project Producer James Brown (The NFL Today, Inside the NFL) and award-winning Director Justin Jarrett combined forces to tell a story and make a statement with The Carnival: 125 Years of the Penn Relays. Many people see a dramatization of real life in the world of sport: the highs and lows, intense struggles and uncertain outcomes. This film draws frequent ties between the event and America's wider culture, suggesting that the Penn Relays helped to shape history. It is a bold claim, but it is also uplifting and worth saying. Penn Relays is an example of everyone winning in the end, whether or not individual athletes take home medals. 

You can watch the trailer here: The Carnival Trailer

Lady Ivory: The Life & Music of Liz DuFour

A cherished member of New Hope, Pennsylvania's music scene, Liz DuFour would need no introduction in this area. She is a local celebrity, an entertainer par excellence, and a long-term participant in the evolution of the LGBTQ+ community. She is so respected that New Hope Celebrates included this biographical film in the LGBTQ+ organization's New Hope Celebrates History: Artists and Authors series. 

Directed by local filmmaker E. Robert Reilly, the short doc includes exclusive interviews with DuFour and other leading lights of New Hope, making this is a must-see for anyone who loves this quaint, inclusive and ever-arty town on the banks of the Delaware River. 

Lady Ivory, as she is affectionately known, played Carnegie Hall at the age of 8. That's right. Eight. A prodigy like her deserves her own film and a beloved place in New Hope's history. You can watch the trailer here: Lady Ivory: The Life & Music of Liz DuFour

New Narratives in Health Access: The Language of Care

This concise and informative documentary needs only six minutes to deliver a thought-provoking message regarding health equality for the Deaf community. The film is tied to Deaf Diabetes Can Together, a part of the Intensive Diabetes Education and Support (IDEAS) Program at the University of Utah. 

Academy Award-winning Director Ross Kauffman and his team explain that the purpose behind New Narratives of Health Access: The Language of Care is to improve healthcare practices for the Deaf community and, ultimately, "transform life challenges into hope and beauty."

Something as routine as a diabetic person's appointment with a physician can become an insurmountable barrier to care if an inappropriate standard is employed. This film will make a difference when influential people hear the message. 

You can watch a teaser here: 

By My Side

Dogs occupy a special place in the lives of many people. This short documentary from Northern California portrays that specialness at another level: a service dog program for sufferers of PTSD. 

In By My Side, Co-Directors Vicki Topaz and Wynn Padula focus their camera on three veterans and their families. Through these intimate portraits, one better understands how difficult it is to overcome the "invisible wound." Twenty suicides per day is a bleak number; indeed, many veterans feel there is no hope. 

Yet there is hope in service dogs. Once the veterans were assigned their canine health care workers, smiles returned, family relationships healed, and the world became a little better—one human and dog at a time. You can watch the trailer here: By My Side

There Are Things To Do

There are things to do. What an understated, yet earnest, rallying cry. 

Urvashi Vaid is considered one of the most formative LGBTQ+ activists in history. When she took the podium at the Washington Mall in 1993, an estimated 1,000,000 people stood and listened. Her powerful voice, combined with a certain openness that one associates with love, helped shape a movement and change lives.

Director Mike Syers, a refugee from corporate America who found his calling as a filmmaker, does a sound job of recounting Vaid's story. This short documentary includes interviews and archival footage, making it an excellent foundation piece for LGBTQ+ studies and history. 

You can watch the trailer here: 

Witch Hunt

In this historical documentary, the son of red-baited Hollywood actor J. Edward Bromberg tells the story of his father's difficult life. In June 1951, the Hungarian immigrant who had once been a member of the American Communist Party found himself taking congressional heat for that past, even though he no longer associated with the party and had not been charged with espionage or any other crime. 

The House Committee on Un-American Activities put 320 people on the infamous Black List, effectively ending their careers. In an ironic twist to the committee's effort to stamp out communists, they trampled over Constitutional rights enshrined as examples of America's superiority over the Soviet system. Bromberg fled to London, where he died of a heart attack in exile. Looking back at his life, he never really settled down in one place he could call home. It's a sad story, and his son Conrad Bromberg carries this weight with a heavy tone throughout the narration of Witch Hunt. 

The U.S. Constitution evolved out of centuries of conflict. It is designed to protect citizens against abuses of power. When an individual is targeted for political persecution, the system isn't to blame when people cynically twist the law for their own perceived gain. You can watch the trailer here: Witch Hunt Trailer

Order My Steps

In this unsettling short film, an incarcerated woman named Peg tries to connect with her daughter on the outside. The prison has granted permission for a teleconference, but her daughter, Dorian, blunts the opportunity for reconciliation with a standoffish attitude and defiant refusal to show her face. 

No doubt, Peg brought this situation upon herself through years of neglect and addiction. Still, wouldn't it be nice if Dorian showed a little more humanity for her own mother? Such is the depth of the wound, and tragically, this short film draws from real life experience. 

Director Augusta Palmer is a filmmaker and educator with a good instinct for character, dialogue and story. The emptiness between mother and daughter expressed through uncomfortable moments of silence is deeply informed and impactful. You can watch the trailer here: Order My Steps

Mayfly

Aaron Driscoll is a media sensation. His self-help books and motivational speaking have landed him on daytime talk shows. He packs auditoriums. He is making a lot of money. 

He is also a very self-centered man. It's a problem. Especially now, when his wife has a gun. 

In this razor-edged short thriller, LA-based director Keith Andreen keeps you in suspense. From one tense moment to the next, the gun could go off, and it's not at all clear who will pull the trigger on whom. 

You can watch the trailer here: Mayfly Trailer

The Problem of the Hero

This fascinating portrayal of 20th century writer Richard Wright delves into his complex relationship with playwright Paul Green. Despite mutual admiration and the writing profession they shared, the men spoke different dialects, as it were, about politics and race. Later in life, Wright penned a manuscript about his contentious words with Green concerning a stage adaptation of the African-American writer's social justice novel, Native Son. The novelist's recollections of the experience comprise the basis of The Problem of the Hero. 

Director Shaun Dozier clearly drew inspiration from the theatrical and literary origins of his material. Scenes are often emotionally intense and character driven, and the setting itself is a theater. Dialogue fires back and forth between Wright and Green, and later with Orson Welles, with a tension of reserve and projection, mitigating the need for physical action. Yet a murder scene from the novel takes on a dangerous edge during rehearsal. 

The theater is a realm where high stakes battles can be fought with words and actors instead of weapons. This film takes its audience back to a time when literature had greater power in American culture—when exposition and conversation went deeper than the pithy self-declarations often experienced today. You can watch the trailer here: The Problem of the Hero Trailer

The Blood Orange

A single mother of two girls can't seem to get it together. She's addicted to prescription medications, after all, and her therapist Dr. Claire doesn't have an easy answer for Mom's lifetime of struggle. Her precious daughters are stoic in the face of a chaotic home life, but it appears as if Sweetie will pass her problems on down the line. 

Director Anthony Figliano appropriately started this mental health-themed project during the Covid lockdown. Given his strong background in music, including stints as a music teacher and opera performer in Italy, New York and New Jersey, Figliano composed twelve songs while writing a feature-length screenplay. The result of this ambitious project is The Blood Orange, a four-piece carousel with Dr. Claire serving as the central narrative thread. This 10-minute runtime short is the opening scene of the work-in-progress feature. 

Anxiety, depression and addiction are at epidemic levels in the United States. The dark subtext and haunting, off-axis but strangely catchy musical score combine to make this film as hypnotizing as it is interesting. You can watch the trailer here: The Blood Orange Trailer

Dad Bod

In this short documentary from the State of Washington, a seemingly ordinary father of four harbors a difficult memory. Years ago, he fell on hard times. His state of depression became severe, and the only way out he could see was to end it all. He nearly succeeded. 

Dad Bod is the story of a man who endured long past his darkest hour to become the man he is today: a Superdad with an upbeat spirit and a zest for living. His story must have resonated with Director Daniel Flahiff, a West Coast endurance athlete who competes all the way up to the Ironman level. Both men needed to dig deep to achieve their goals, making this film an inspiration for anyone who finds life not worth living anymore.

You can watch the trailer here: Dad Bod Trailer

Lovie Dovie

In this student project from Pratt Institute School of Art, an eager pupil with a love for marine life finds herself mysteriously attracted to a new girl in class. Already a diligent worker, she delves into articles and quizzes to work through her feelings and determine what this all means. The topic of exploring her own sexuality is a new one for her. 

Lovie Dovie is both charming and edifying, a lovely but challenging combination that filmmaker/animator/video producer Frankie Brescia achieves with skill and intentionality. This is an expressive film telling a story through animation and music; there is no dialogue to get in the way. 

As Brescia demonstrates through her art, some thoughts in life are more meaningful when left unsaid. You can watch the trailer here: 

Launch at Paradise

In this probing sci-fi thriller, John is a human who wants to be invincible. To get there, he needs to endure a cutting-edge medical procedure that transforms his mortal self into something digital, but not android. He will keep his existing body and live in it again after death. It's a strange, even loopy idea, but forces more powerful than he is are fully behind the technology. After all, they need people like John who are willing to die for the interests of elites. Over. And over. Again.  

The procedure leaves John in an existential haze between living and dying, where even as an enhanced lifeform he remains incomplete. He now faces an endless journey ahead towards perfection. The thought is overwhelming. So he ponders questions. When life goals are infinitely out of reach, what is the point of even trying? Or living?

Director Carrie Ann Quinn combines superb production values with intricately woven, often literary dialogue to deliver a short film that dedicated science fiction fans will appreciate. Most of the production team is based in Los Angeles, but the film is set in New York, making Launch at Paradise a bicoastal vision of an uncertain future. 

You can watch the trailer here: Launch at Paradise Trailer

Millie's Care Free Day

Conceived and produced during the Covid pandemic, this short from southern New Jersey involves a woman who's trapped inside a prison of depression and isolation. As all of us felt during the annus horribilis of 2020, she yearns to break free. For the central character Millie, it should be as easy as stepping outside for a lakeside stroll, but an outside force in the form of her best friend stands menacingly in the way. 

Director Michael Licisyn is an Emmy Award-winning cinematographer, editor and writer. His experience in media gave him the creative outlet he needed for dealing with lockdown, so his motivation for making this film was quite personal. As the months wore on, Licisyn no doubt found refuge here, but for the audience the film might be more painful reminder than solace.  

Might. The story involves twists in plot and mood, keeping the audience in suspense. You can watch the trailer here: Millie's Care Free Day Trailer