The largest shorts
Boasting the largest short film festival and market in the US, the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films announced their award winners. Jury members included director John Dahl ("You Kill Me"), Bijan Tehrani from Cinema Without Borders. Time Magazine's Rebecca Winters Keegan, Kimberly Yutani, short film programmer for the Sundance Film Festival, and Amotz Zakai from Echo Lake Entertainment.
The fest has been chosen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an award-qualifying festival for the Best of Festival Award. This year the top award went to Simon Ellis' "Soft." Ellis will also receive $2000 and a Showbiz Software package.
BEST OF FESTIVAL AWARD
"Soft" (UK), Simon Ellis
FUTURE FILMMAKER AWARD - $2,000 & Showbiz Software Package
Dee Rees, "Pariah" (USA)
PANAVISION GRAND JURY AWARD - Panavision Camera Package valued at $60,000 & two days studio time courtesy of Casablanca Studios, Palm Springs, CA
Moon Molson, "Pop Foul" (USA)
AUDIENCE FAVORITE LIVE ACTION SHORT
"I Hate Musicals" (USA), Stewart Schill
AUDIENCE FAVORITE DOCUMENTARY SHORT
"Freeheld" (USA), Cynthia Wade
AUDIENCE FAVORITE ANIMATION SHORT
"The Needful Head" (USA), Zeth Willie
JURY CATEGORY AWARDS
BEST Live Action UNDER 15 minutes
First Place ($2,000) - "Contact"/"Raak" (Netherlands), Hanro Smitsman
Second Place ($500) - "Offside" (Israel), Erez Tadmor andGuy Nattiv
BEST Live Action over 15 minutes:
First Place ($2,000) - "The Tonto Woman" (UK/Spain), Daniel Barber
Second Place ($500) "Deface" (USA), John Arlotto
BEST Animation:
First Place ($2,000) - "Madame Tutli-Putli" (Canada), Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski
Second Place ($500) - "Love at First Sight" ("De la Vista Nace el Amor") (Mexico), Miguel Anaya
BEST Documentary:
First Place ($2,000) - "Freeheld" (USA), Cynthia Wade
Second Place ($500) - "Salim Baba" (India), Tim Sternberg
BEST STUDENT Live Action UNDER 15 minutes:
First Place - "Clear Cut, Simple" (USA), Vineet Dewan
Second Place - "Pleasance" (Australia), Amy Gebhardt
BEST STUDENT Live Action over 15 minutes:
First Place - "Pariah" (USA), Dee Rees
Second Place - "Cricket Head" (USA/South Africa), Grant Greenberg
BEST STUDENT Animation:
First Place - "The Needful Head" (USA), Zeth Willie
Second Place - "Windows Masks Doors" (USA), Sarah Orenstein
BEST STUDENT DOCUMENTARY:
First Place - "Left in Baghdad" (USA), Peter Jordan, John Kane
Second Place - "Unattached" (USA), J.J. Adler
KODAK AWARD FOR BEST STUDENT CINEMATOGRAPHY
First Place ($1,000 in Kodak film stock.) - Andrew McLeod (cinematographer), "Pleasance" (Australia)
Second Place ($500 in Kodak film stock) - Carlos Davis Colin Calderón (cinematographer), "If Eyes Can't See" ("Ojos que no Van") (Mexico)
SPECIAL AWARDS
The Alexis Award for Best Emerging Student Filmmaker - "Cricket Head" (USA/South Africa) directed by Grant Greenberg. The film follows a forty-something teacher, who goes to ever-increasing lengths to win a student's affections. The recipient will receive a Final Cut Pro package, courtesy of Apple Computer valued at $2,500.
Presented by Jason Reitman's production company Hard C Productions the The Hard C Hi Five to Lo-Fi Award for Best Low Budget Short - "Egg Love" (Canada/USA) directed by Jonah Bekhor and Zach Math.
The Cinema Without Borders Best International Film Award - "Milan" (Germany/Serbia/Montenegro) directed by Michaela Kezele.
The fest has been chosen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an award-qualifying festival for the Best of Festival Award. This year the top award went to Simon Ellis' "Soft." Ellis will also receive $2000 and a Showbiz Software package.
BEST OF FESTIVAL AWARD
"Soft" (UK), Simon Ellis
FUTURE FILMMAKER AWARD - $2,000 & Showbiz Software Package
Dee Rees, "Pariah" (USA)
PANAVISION GRAND JURY AWARD - Panavision Camera Package valued at $60,000 & two days studio time courtesy of Casablanca Studios, Palm Springs, CA
Moon Molson, "Pop Foul" (USA)
AUDIENCE FAVORITE LIVE ACTION SHORT
"I Hate Musicals" (USA), Stewart Schill
AUDIENCE FAVORITE DOCUMENTARY SHORT
"Freeheld" (USA), Cynthia Wade
AUDIENCE FAVORITE ANIMATION SHORT
"The Needful Head" (USA), Zeth Willie
JURY CATEGORY AWARDS
BEST Live Action UNDER 15 minutes
First Place ($2,000) - "Contact"/"Raak" (Netherlands), Hanro Smitsman
Second Place ($500) - "Offside" (Israel), Erez Tadmor andGuy Nattiv
BEST Live Action over 15 minutes:
First Place ($2,000) - "The Tonto Woman" (UK/Spain), Daniel Barber
Second Place ($500) "Deface" (USA), John Arlotto
BEST Animation:
First Place ($2,000) - "Madame Tutli-Putli" (Canada), Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski
Second Place ($500) - "Love at First Sight" ("De la Vista Nace el Amor") (Mexico), Miguel Anaya
BEST Documentary:
First Place ($2,000) - "Freeheld" (USA), Cynthia Wade
Second Place ($500) - "Salim Baba" (India), Tim Sternberg
BEST STUDENT Live Action UNDER 15 minutes:
First Place - "Clear Cut, Simple" (USA), Vineet Dewan
Second Place - "Pleasance" (Australia), Amy Gebhardt
BEST STUDENT Live Action over 15 minutes:
First Place - "Pariah" (USA), Dee Rees
Second Place - "Cricket Head" (USA/South Africa), Grant Greenberg
BEST STUDENT Animation:
First Place - "The Needful Head" (USA), Zeth Willie
Second Place - "Windows Masks Doors" (USA), Sarah Orenstein
BEST STUDENT DOCUMENTARY:
First Place - "Left in Baghdad" (USA), Peter Jordan, John Kane
Second Place - "Unattached" (USA), J.J. Adler
KODAK AWARD FOR BEST STUDENT CINEMATOGRAPHY
First Place ($1,000 in Kodak film stock.) - Andrew McLeod (cinematographer), "Pleasance" (Australia)
Second Place ($500 in Kodak film stock) - Carlos Davis Colin Calderón (cinematographer), "If Eyes Can't See" ("Ojos que no Van") (Mexico)
SPECIAL AWARDS
The Alexis Award for Best Emerging Student Filmmaker - "Cricket Head" (USA/South Africa) directed by Grant Greenberg. The film follows a forty-something teacher, who goes to ever-increasing lengths to win a student's affections. The recipient will receive a Final Cut Pro package, courtesy of Apple Computer valued at $2,500.
Presented by Jason Reitman's production company Hard C Productions the The Hard C Hi Five to Lo-Fi Award for Best Low Budget Short - "Egg Love" (Canada/USA) directed by Jonah Bekhor and Zach Math.
The Cinema Without Borders Best International Film Award - "Milan" (Germany/Serbia/Montenegro) directed by Michaela Kezele.