November 2nd, 2020

WORLD’S TOP FILM FESTIVAL FOR EMERGING FILMMAKERS ANNOUNCES 2020 JURY AND AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS

NFFTY, the world’s largest and most influential film festival for emerging directors, showcases work by filmmakers 24 and younger from around the globe. NFFTY returned for its 14th consecutive year with a virtual edition October 23 - November 1, with thousands attending the festival. This year’s festival featured 250 films from 26 states and 29 countries. The award winners – including jury, audience and special achievement awards – have been announced.

The winning school of the STOCK FOOTAGE CHALLENGE will receive a $1000 cash prize for their school from NFFTY, and an Annual School Package from Audiosocket. NEW TALENT AWARDS (Ages 14 and Under, 15 - 19, and 20 - 24) will receive software and licenses from Red Giant, FiLMiC Pro, and Audiosocket. JURY AWARD Winners will receive a $500 cash prize. Winners of STORY STARTS HERE, presented by Point Park University, will receive $500 cash prize for both Best Pilot and Best Screenplay and a $10,000 scholarship to Point Park’s MFA Screenwriting program, and all finalists of STORY STARTS HERE will receive a copy of Final Draft 11. Winners in VFX categories receive software suite licenses from Red Giant. AUDIENCE AWARD winners will receive filmmaking books from Michael Wiese Productions. Partial and full-ride tuition scholarships will be awarded to selected students to programs at Hussian College, Point Park University, Vancouver Film School, and Interlochen Center for the Arts.

NFFTY also expanded commitment to emerging filmmakers’ exposure to industry professionals, expanding jury competition across ten categories with 40 jurors, whose bios can be found at: https://www.nffty.org/jury-members

JURY AWARDS:

  • BEST NARRATIVE – Babydyke - Tone Ottilie

  • BEST NARRATIVE (STUDENT) – Downs of the Dead - Even Husby Grødahl, Jesper Breen Frilseth, August Jordfald, Petter Brenni Gulbrandsen

  • BEST DOCUMENTARY – Mizuko - Kira Dane, Katelyn Rebelo

  • BEST DOCUMENTARY (STUDENT) - HONORABLE MENTION – Joychild - Aurora Brachman

  • BEST DOCUMENTARY (STUDENT) – No Crying at the Dinner Table - Carol Nguyen

  • BEST ANIMATION - HONORABLE MENTION – Only the Moon - Maya Cueva

  • BEST ANIMATION – Perfect. - Daniel Epega

  • BEST ANIMATION (STUDENT) – In Passing - Esther Cheung

  • BEST EXPERIMENTAL – Flores Dentro - Catalina Loret, Gabriela Ortega, Vicente Manzano, Morning Wu

  • BEST EXPERIMENTAL (STUDENT) - HONORABLE MENTION – To the Girl that Looks Like Me - Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah, Farah Jabir, Adrian Sobrado

  • BEST EXPERIMENTAL (STUDENT) – There Were Four of Us - Cassie Shao

  • BEST MUSIC VIDEO – Claud “Just to Forget” - Christina Xing, Shane Bagwell, Harrison Allen

JURY STATEMENTS:

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT - MIZUKO

Hooking us in with its sophisticated filmmaking, before captivating us with its deeply intimate subject, the Jury was unanimous in naming Mizuko as Best Documentary Short for NFFTY 2020. Tackling complex issues in surprising depth, directors Kira Dane and Katelyn Rebelo have created a tender and honest portrait of a woman reexamining abortion ethics, which should be praised for its insightful and moving nature.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT (STUDENT) - NO CRYING AT THE DINNER TABLE

For its innovative application of documentary structure to develop a family portrait that unveils like an unsolved mystery. This doc from director Carol Nguyen is a brilliant display of vulnerability by the protagonists and filmmaker alike. It speaks to so much in such a tight timeframe: a North American-raised child wanting affection from Vietnamese parents who grew up without that as a big part of their culture, the hidden pain of their father, the intergenerational silence within immigrant families, without ever feeling heavy handed. Nguyen presents a vulnerable, courageous voice as director that exhibits deep care for the subjects. This film was extremely strong across the board, aesthetically presented with excellent visual compositions and delicate lighting, and careful aural attention to the sounds of domesticity. Our jury was deeply moved, from fostering empathy to forging strong connection with lived experiences. 

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT (STUDENT) HONORABLE MENTION - JOYCHILD

This doc from director Aurora Brachman resonates with an impact far beyond its runtime. We felt profound depth and meaning in this simple, sensitive portrait of a child beginning to find truth in their transgender identity. The black and white filmic compositions, like a collection of moving stills, creates an observational portrait that calls for deep listening. The protagonist's voice is powerful and engaging, allowing the viewer to fully witness this role model for self-love. Brachman has crafted a stand out film that will not soon be forgotten by those who have the pleasure to watch it. 

BEST ANIMATED SHORT (STUDENT) - IN PASSING

 The jury was very impressed with the formal and technical artistry, the captivating sound design, and the moving narrative. We felt Cheung did an impressive and beautiful job immersing us in 1970s Hong Kong.

BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT (STUDENT) - THERE WERE FOUR OF US

The recipient of this prize is a wildly vibrant short that boasts a clearly developed personal language in filmmaking. Experimental in both a visual, aural, and narrative sense, we were struck by its whirlwind of rich colors and textures as well as jazzy sound design that transports the audience to a dreamlike world. For its original approach to the category of experimental film, we are happy to present the award for Best Experimental Film to “There Were Four of Us,” by Cassie Shao. 

BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT (STUDENT) HONORABLE MENTION - TO THE GIRL THAT LOOKS LIKE ME

We would like to give an honorable mention to "To the Girl That Looks Like Me" by Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah. We loved this film's strong commentary on self-love in the face of a society that continually devalues Black women. It encourages Black women around the world to celebrate their beauty,call out the hypocrisy of cultural appropriation, and continue to reject a society that denies their unique contributions to human culture. Ewurakua's poetic voice is one we'll be on the lookout for on the festival trail in years to come!  

BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT - FLORES DENTRO

The filmmakers in this category all used a breadth of techniques to create films that are honest and personal and the jury was inspired by the clarity of the visions represented. We are pleased to announce Flores Dentro (Flowers Within) as the Jury Award winner for its exploration of the relentless tension between stifling societal expectations and inner bursts of passion begging to escape. The film layers dance, animation, and the spoken word into a rich visual world and tells its story with a compelling sense of rhythm that builds to a powerful release in the final frames. Congratulations to director Catalina Loret and the Flores Dentro team, and thank you to all the filmmakers for sharing their perspectives on the world through their insightful work.

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT - BABYDYKE

We were moved by Babydyke's complex relationships, elegant cinematography, and utterly believable performances. The siblings' relationship was at once harsh and delicate, surprising and lived-in, nuanced and true to its core. We felt this film showed both exceptional execution of craft and exciting demonstration of voice.

BEST NARRATIVE SHORT (STUDENT) - DOWNS OF THE DEAD

The jury knew from the memorable first music cue that this short would be a sharp-witted and well-crafted ride. With the perfect blend of horror and comedy, Even Husby Grodhal's DOWNS OF THE DEAD bowled us over with laugh-out-loud scenes while luring us into unexpectedly poignant and heartfelt moments. Technically, this air-tight script is realized with rich stylized cinematography and punchy rhythmic editing. Perhaps more importantly, the depth and character development explored in this sprawling ensemble is not just something to be celebrated but highlights a filmmaker ready to work in longer form. Grodahl has a singular and highly memorable vision as a filmmaker and this jury will be the first in line for his feature debut. Congratulations to the entire creative team that brought this film (back) to life.

BEST MUSIC VIDEO - CLAUD “JUST TO FORGET”

We were genuinely impressed by the quality shown in the finalist videos, demonstrating a range of concepts that seemed particularly commendable considering they were made by creators at the very start of their careers. Committed visual and stylistic choices, tonal elements, dance/movement integration, and technical playfulness were consistently utilized, and we look forward to seeing what these artists do next. Due to its emotional authenticity, nimble narrative, raw yet accessible performance and overall polish, we've selected Claud "Just to Forget" as the NFFTY Music Video Jury Winner.

BEST ANIMATED SHORT - PERFECT.

The NFFTY 2020 Animation jury is pleased to announce our winner; Perfect by Daniel Epega. We were blown away by the simple yet elegant animation. Using only a few shapes, Epega tells a sweet and relatable story about striving for perfection.

BEST ANIMATED SHORT (HONORABLE MENTION) - ONLY THE MOON

The jury would also like to give an honorable mention to Only The Moon/Solamente La Luna by Maya Cueva. It is a deeply personal film with beautiful illustrations that captured our attention. We would like to thank all the wonderful filmmakers for sharing their art with us, and we look forward to seeing your next films!

NEW TALENT:

  • AGE 14 AND UNDER (presented by Red Giant) – Eva Ulreich - Anxiety

  • AGE 15-19 (presented by Red Giant) – Tee Jaehyung Park - The Pupal Stage

  • AGE 20-24 (presented by Red Giant) – Mickey Lai - The Cloud is Still There

JURY/AUDIENCE AWARDS (50/50 WEIGHTING):

STOCK FOOTAGE CHALLENGE:

  • 1ST PLACE - Wicomico High School - Casey Mull, Gregory Zimmerman

  • 2ND PLACE - The Stony Brook School - Angela Kwak, Lemmy Greaves, Rukevwe Alade

  • 3RD PLACE - St. Margaret’s Episcopal School - Charlotte Quintanar, Ryan Krall 

SPECIAL AWARDS:

KATHY REICHGERDT INSPIRATION AWARD

WINNER: Ciani Rey Walker - Misfits

INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS AWARD

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Ella Fields - Bloom
RUNNER UP WINNER: Eva Ulreich - Anxiety

NEXTFILMFESTIVAL AWARD

WINNER: Kai Tomizawa - No Fan of Andy

BEST HIGH SCHOOL FILM AWARDS (presented by Hussian College)

NARRATIVE WINNER: Kai Tomizawa - No Fan of Andy
DOCUMENTARY WINNER: Raza Tariq - Gifted Handz


SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS:

  • BEST VFX - HONORABLE MENTION (presented by Red Giant) – INTI - Mariel Sosa

  • BEST VFX (presented by Red Giant) – The Painted - Sasha Sibley, Thomas George, Donovan Sierra

  • BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – SOFT - Daniel Antebi, Matthew Ballard, Reid Hannaford

  • BEST EDITING – No Crying at the Dinner Table - Carol Nguyen

  • BEST DIRECTING – The Mood in the United States Today - Ward Kamel, Adrian Lausell, Aditya Mayya

  • BEST ACTING – Virginia - Francesco Puppini, Kayleigh Platt, Jack Armour, Joel Renberg-Fawcett


STORY STARTS HERE: SCREENPLAY COMPETITION:

BEST PILOT (presented by Point Park University): Lucy the Nonbeliever - Liv Coron, Emmy St. Pierre
BEST SCREENPLAY (SHORT FILM) (presented by Point Park ): Out the Pot - Nifemi Madarikan

FINALISTS:

  • The Narnle (Pilot) - Georgina Cahill

  • Sunshine Room (Pilot) - Tiffany Lin 

  • Sweetie (Screenplay, Short Film) - Christl Stringer

  • Some Other Place (Screenplay, Short Film) - Solstice Harris

STORY STARTS HERE JURY STATEMENTS:

BEST PILOT - LUCY THE NONBELIEVER

LUCY THE NONBELIEVER  sets up a world that seems ready from prime time through strong, empathetic characters and a premise that promises lots of potential for story.

BEST SCREENPLAY - OUT THE POT

With compelling dialogue from the very first line, Out The Pot subverted the expectations of its premise with inventive characters and a unique voice we would love to see more of.

AUDIENCE AWARDS:

  • OPENING NIGHT – Practice - Moira Fett, Kerry Levielle, Lucy Adams

  • FAMILY PORTRAITS – In Vitro - Mackenzie Thomson, Dylan Freeman, Eimear Doherty, Liam Lyall

  • CALL YOUR MOTHER – Breastmilk - Roxy Sorkin, Christina Xing, Sophia Heriveaux, Eve Robitshek, Brian Niles

  • GROWING PAINS – Athol Park - Clark Burnett, a.k. payne, Lelai Givens

  • SALIENT SIMULATIONS (presented by MoPOP) – Sunshine Room - Nick Lopez, Tiffany Lin, Nate Cohen, Liam Walsh

  • ALL HOURS ABSURDITY – Number 2 - Cal J.T. Moreno, Francisco Serna

  • SATURDAY NIGHT SHORTS – Ciervo - Pilar Garcia-Fernandezsesma

  • HAPPY HOUR SHORTS – Post Love - Max Barry, Erik Scarsella, Tiernan O'Rourke, Evelyn Hassett

  • THRILLS & CHILLS (presented by Hussian College) – Downs of the Dead - Even Husby Grødahl, Jesper Breen Frilseth, August Jordfald, Petter Brenni Gulbrandsen

  • RECLAIMING ME (presented by FiLMiC Pro) – Name Me - Sia Peng

  • POWERFUL GRIT – Eyes of Eidolon - Davi Pena, Addison Toney, Kai Dickson, Devon Solwold

  • THROUGH MY EYES – Mr. Wild - Caleb Wild

  • THE CARDS YOU'RE DEALT – Toomsboro - Liam Tangum, Paolo Wolfsdorf, Jake Coury, Noelle DeAngelis

  • FAMILY STREAM-ALONG – Le Prince Oublié - Chloe Aguirre, Hailey Burns, Emmeline Shafer, Alex Fowler

  • ART IN MOTION – Mizuko - Kira Dane, Katelyn Rebelo

  • CENTERPIECE – To The Girl Who Looks Like Me - Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah, Farah Jabir, Adrian Sobrado

  • RADICAL EXPERIMENTS – Metamorphism - Kate Saltel

  • BREAKING THE MOLD – Facades - Gregory Alexander Foltynowicz, Alexander Baker

  • PACIFIC NORTHBEST (presented by Koerner Camera) – Some Bunny to Love - Ben Nakhuda, Ethan Seneker, Tatiana Elliott, Abhi Goyal

  • ANIMATION SENSATIONS (presented by Vancouver Film School) – The Kitchlets - Clarisse Chua

  • ANIMATION CELEBRATION (presented by Vancouver Film School) – The Peach Scarf - Del Sego

  • I MADE YOU A MIXTAPE (SIDE A) – Rodney Chrome “Pulpit” - Zachary Dov Wiesel, Shane Bagwell, Shuni Chopra Dhar, Lauren Nicola

  • I MADE YOU A MIXTAPE (SIDE B) – Lokl Yokl “Down the Line” - Ryan Rosenblum, Devon Young, Eli DiFiore, Stephen Boyer

  • DYNAMIC DUOS – Bittersweet - Max Mir, Lorenzo Fedon, John Otteson, Sam Lowsley-Williams

  • IMMERSE YOURSELF! – Swipe Right for Murder - Raine Bracken, Natalie O'Neill, Savina Monopoli, Caitlin Bevington

  • SLICE OF LIFE – In Passing - Esther Cheung

  • PALPABLE PERFORMANCES – For Kate - Claire Imler, Jessica Stossel

  • CONNECTED BY MORE (presented by AFI Conservatory) – What We See in the Clouds - Barb Hoffman

  • COME AS YOU ARE (presented by Seattle Pride) – Joychild - Aurora Brachman

  • CLOSING NIGHT: WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR? – Your Friend, Ranger Doug - Claire Jantzen, Sara Nell, Kayla Borkovec, Celine Francois


ABOUT NFFTY

NFFTY is the largest and most influential film festival in the world for young filmmakers. NFFTY occurs in Seattle and includes over 50 separate screenings, panels, contests, parties and networking opportunities for emerging filmmakers. Filmmakers from around the world submit short films in narrative, documentary, animation, music video, and experimental categories. This year, NFFTY expanded our professional development offerings for filmmakers, partnering with such brands as DUST and Seed&Spark and top creators like Sev Ohanian, Jim Cummings, and Carlos López Estrada. Since its launch in 2007, NFFTY has screened films from nearly 3,000 filmmakers, ranging in age from 6 – 24 years.  For updates and news on NFFTY, visit www.NFFTY.org or www.facebook.com/nffty.

NFFTY is pleased to acknowledge our Platinum and Gold Sponsors: Hussian College, Point Park University, Vancouver Film School, FiLMiC Pro, and MoPOP.

A special thanks to Blackmagic Design, Michael Wiese Productions, Audiosocket, Final Draft, FiLMiC Pro, and Red Giant for their prize donations to our winners.

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For more information:

Email: press@nffty.org

Phone: 206.905.8400