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BEST SHORT FILM

"After The Egg"

Directed By: Chelsea Slayter

Written By: Chelsea Slayter

A young woman becomes an unlikely caregiver for her estranged father and his new chicken friend. The pressures of caring for her father’s needs, as well as the chicken’s, begins to mount and she grapples with the idea of leaving him at an assisted living facility. Their underlying history comes to a boiling point when she accidentally leaves the door open and the chicken wanders off.

BEST FEATURE FILM

"Gangnam Girls"

Directed By: Charmi Nemchand Chheda

Written By: Charmi Nemchand Chheda

Four friends Karma Lhamo, Tshokey, Tara Dorji and Menda are childhood friends. Even though extremely different, they grow up supporting each other’s dreams. In their late teens, they have a fall out, and their friendship breaks. Menda tries to reunite and reignite the friendship but all her efforts are in vain. After a decade, Karma realizes it’s time to connect to her friends. She invites them for her weekend stayover, housewarming,which results in a series of highs and lows, heart warming and confronting situations, that eventually lead to revealing of secrets and a catharsis of intense emotions. It brings them closer, once again reigniting the strong friendship, love and trust that they always shared.

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BEST STUDENT FILM

"Counting Down"

Directed By: Oya Babaoglu

Written By: Oya Babaoglu

A young psychiatrist in 1875 is promoted to be the head doctor of the city asylum, but she has a secret, she suffers from arithmomania - a form of OCD where sufferers have a strong urge to count. She is committed to cure herself all on her own, but she only has one week. Can she succeed?

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

"Mishandled"

Directed By:  Samantha Marie Ware

Assistant Director:  Britni Camacho

Every variable of this project stems from the absolute faith that someone like me could perhaps envision a genre-less, short tale that encapsulates the inner turmoils of a woman at the feet of her own self-sabotage; moderate substance abuse, her choice of men, and the occasional dissociation that gives her imagination a chance to paint what her own freedoms may look like. Not only did I write this project, I fully funded it myself. I needed to have complete control in the direction of this project as it's ultimately my story, and the lens, just like any visual tool can be revolutionary.

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BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN AND COSTUMING

"Almost Home"

Production Designer: Jenna Giannini

Directed By: Kayla B Saunders

Written By: Kayla B Saunders

After the tragic event of the explosion of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003, this short film tells the story of two family members of one of the (fictional) members on board the shuttle. Though six-year-old Abigail, with her wild imagination, fascination for all things cosmic, and playful spirit, desires nothing more than to be an astronaut like her mother, her grandfather, Robert, who is left to take care of her, struggles to keep a positive demeanor for his granddaughter. As he struggles internally with the loss of his daughter, he must decide whether or not he will break the news to his young granddaughter. However, this is also a story of family bonds; of triumphing over a great loss with even greater love, and of nurturing rather than discouraging a child’s imagination.

BEST STORY

"After The Egg"

Directed By: Chelsea Slayter

Written By: Chelsea Slayter

A young woman becomes an unlikely caregiver for her estranged father and his new chicken friend. The pressures of caring for her father’s needs, as well as the chicken’s, begins to mount and she grapples with the idea of leaving him at an assisted living facility. Their underlying history comes to a boiling point when she accidentally leaves the door open and the chicken wanders off.

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BEST DIRECTING

"Almost Home"

Directed By: Kayla B Saunders

Written By: Kayla B Saunders

After the tragic event of the explosion of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003, this short film tells the story of two family members of one of the (fictional) members on board the shuttle. Though six-year-old Abigail, with her wild imagination, fascination for all things cosmic, and playful spirit, desires nothing more than to be an astronaut like her mother, her grandfather, Robert, who is left to take care of her, struggles to keep a positive demeanor for his granddaughter. As he struggles internally with the loss of his daughter, he must decide whether or not he will break the news to his young granddaughter. However, this is also a story of family bonds; of triumphing over a great loss with even greater love, and of nurturing rather than discouraging a child’s imagination.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

"Old Fox"

Directed By: Briana Rayner

Director of Photography: William Minsky

Written By: Briana Rayner

A daughter questions her father's mental health, and mysterious death.

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BEST DOCUMENTARY

"The Warrior Princess"

Directed By: Vianca Fuster

The Warrior Princess is a short documentary about Violet 'The Warrior Princess' Lopez, a 13-year-old, five-time amateur national boxing champion who believes boxing shouldn’t be labeled as just a "boys sport.” Violet is a barrier-breaking boxer looking to one day etch her name in the women's sports history books by winning a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics, becoming a professional fighter, and inspiring growth in the sport of girls amateur boxing. The film follows Violet's fight for a sixth national title, and the trials and triumphs that come with her successful boxing career that affirms a girl's place in the ring.

BEST ALTERNATE CONTENT

"See Me: A Global Concert"

Directed By: Bernadette Wegenstein, Nico Daswani, Marin Alsop, Es Devlin

See Me is an original musical film about the power of hope and connection during a global pandemic. Filmed as a cinematic musical experience, See Me poetically interweaves the musical contributions of orchestras and choirs in Afghanistan, Austria, Brazil, China, Italy, South Africa and the United States, into a singular moment of beauty and unity that will remind us for years to come of this very moment in history.

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FEATURED SELECTIONS

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Wearing Thin
Director Hermeilio Miguel Aquino

Out of My Comfort Zone
Director Ivy Vale, Rick Reil

Out of Milk
Director Yuval Barbi

Nanakorobi (Seven Falls)
Director Glenna Burmer, Gaby Breiter

The Hostess
Director Dylan Gee

The Race
Director Carolina Stevens, Michael Everett

Intermission
Director Susannah Collins

A different path to recovery
Directors Raginie Duara

LUCIA
Director Joyce Garvey

obscure origins
Director Molly Moody

If You Can Walk, You Can Dance
Director Moira Rowan

 

Retribution
Director Mel Orpen

The Way
Director Dastan Khalili (DGA)

Love exhaustion
Director Sam Janot

Hansel's Gretel
Director Laura Jane Turner

I AM THE NEW ADJANI
Director KHADY N'DIAYE

Indelible Lives
Director Jasmine Capon

Get Over It
Director Meagan Massa

Metamorphosis
Director Edward Taveras and Cashavelly Morrison

SHANTA
Director Amanda Bensel

A Void
Director Andrea Maldonado

Her Call
Director Ewa Bielska

 

Every Moment
Director Samantha deManbey

Bottle Monster

Director Marjorie DeHey

 

ICON - Memoirs of a Master Craftsman
Director Kala Shreen

Gone Too Soon: The Life, Legacy and Loss of Newark's Cultural Icons
Director Celeste A. Bateman

A Study In Conservation
Director Anna Ramey Borden

Crackle
Director Anais Thomassian

“Our Nappy Hair”
Director Aviva Yalem Reuven

IDENTITY
Director Ekta Saran

Summer in winter
Director Xiaoxing Chen

“And suddenly it's evening”
Director Giulia Brazzale

“When She Sleeps”
Director Lauren Anneliese Pentony

“Sound of Judgment”
Director Julia Wall

“The Collector”
Director Jaclyn Tyler Poeschl

“WE THREE”
Director Linna He

Thank you to everyone who submitted their wonderful work! 

Hi all! First, congratulations! These past few years have been pretty tough on everyone, and we appreciate you all still continuing your craft in the ways that you have. We had a record number of submissions this year and our team watches every one of them. These selections are so amazing and so wonderful and we hope that each and every one of you continues in your pursuits in this industry. We were honestly blown away by the creativity, enginuity, and emotion that was put into each and every one of these submissions! 

The videos for the selected submissions unfortunately will not be played on this website, as many of them are still on their festival run, and with no in-person screenings allowed, it would be unfair to release these films without everyone’s consent. We’re hoping to get back to in-person events as soon as possible, and of course past participants will be invited as well! We would love to get the chance to meet you all and give everyone a wonderful opportunity for networking.  

Again, thank you so much. Congrats on your achievements and may you continue to create and thrive! Until next year!

Make sure to check out the amazing resources we have below!

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FILM RESOURCES

Jodie Foster: Insights on Female Filmmakers | MasterClass Moments | MasterClass
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MasterClass

Jodie Foster: Insights on Female Filmmakers | MasterClass Moments | MasterClass

It used to be that Jodie Foster never saw other women behind the scenes. That’s changing, she says. Here’s to a whole new generation of women directors and filmmakers. Happy International Women's Day. Learn more about Jodie Foster Teaches Filmmaking: https://mstr.cl/2WwhgOH In her first-ever online class, Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster uses her decades of experience on both sides of the camera to provide a unique and personal approach to filmmaking. From storyboarding and casting to collaborating with writers and inspiring memorable performances, Jodie teaches students how to bring their stories from the page to the screen. Over her 52-year career, Foster has appeared in over 40 major films, directed four feature-length movies, and won nearly 60 awards—among them, two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, four Juniper Awards, and three Golden Globes, including the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. Foster started her career at the tender age of three and ascended to superstardom with striking performances in Taxi Driver, The Silence of the Lambs, The Accused, and Nell, portraying complex characters alongside acting heavyweights Robert De Niro, Anthony Hopkins, and Liam Neeson. Foster made her directorial debut in 1991 with Little Man Tate, following up with Home for the Holidays in 1995 and The Beaver in 2011. Her most recent feature film, Money Monster (2016), stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts. Since then, Foster has ventured into television, directing episodes of Netflix original series House of Cards, Black Mirror, and Orange Is the New Black, which earned her an Emmy nomination. In this online filmmaking class, you’ll learn about: • Finding personal inspiration • Sharpening your storytelling skills • Building your story into a screenplay • Collaborating with screenwriters • Prepping and scheduling • Casting • Working with actors • Shooting and editing • Music selection • Bringing your vision to life More from MasterClass: • Helen Mirren Teaches Acting: https://www.masterclass.com/hm • Samuel L. Jackson Teaches Acting: https://www.masterclass.com/slj • Martin Scorsese Teaches Filmmaking: https://www.masterclass.com/ms About MasterClass: MasterClass makes it possible for anyone to learn from the best. Get inspired with classes from 75+ world-renowned instructors on cooking, photography, writing, performance, and much more. Watch video lessons anytime, anywhere on mobile, desktop, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. • Subscribe: https://mstr.cl/30SH1wj • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/masterclassofficial • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masterclass • Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/masterclass #MasterClass #JodieFoster #InternationalWomensDay

read:

Building Wealth As a Filmmaker | Understanding The Cashflow Quadrant

read:

10 Must-Have Filmmaking Video Accessories To Step Up Your Content in 2021

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read:

How To Stay Motivated and On Task During Quarantine

read:


The Trick To Start Writing a Good Story In Filmmaking

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Once again, thank you to everyone who submitted this year to the Women's International Film Festival.

 Hope to see you next time!

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