2023 Festival Award Winners
Directors’ Choice Awards 2023
Best Feature – Drama: The Wind and the Reckoning
Best Feature – Comedy: Long Flat Balls “Broken Promises”
Best International Feature: Róise and Frank
Best Humanitarian Feature: Clocked
Best Indie-Spirit Feature: Silent Life
Best Impact Film: The Year of the Dog
Best Family Film: Rally Caps
Most Inspirational Film: Maamanithan (The Great Man)
Marion Herrman Excellence in Filmmaking: The Secret Song
Best Documentary: Ranger
Best International Documentary: A House Made of Splinters
Best Environmental Documentary: Patrick and the Whale
Most Inspirational Documentary: Of Medicine and Miracles
Best Investigative Documentary: The Grab
Best Indie-Spirit Documentary: Unveiled: Joyce Tenneson & the Heroine’s Journey
Non-Fiction New Visions Award: Sansón and Me
Best Doc Short: Monumental Divide
Best Environmental Doc Short: American Scar
Most Inspirational Doc Short: Rare Enough
Best Indie-Spirit Short Documentary: Bacon ‘n’ Laces
Best Short – Drama: Tarneit
Best Short – Comedy: The Vacation
Best Short – Dramedy: DAD-rahpy
Best Animated Short: Andy “a dog’s tale”
Best International Short: Table 8
Best Student Short: Dadu
Best Humanitarian Short: Bienvenidos a Los Angeles
Best Indie Spirit Short: Where No One Lives
Best Mixed Media Short: The Block
Most Inspirational Short: This Wild Abyss
Audience Choice Awards 2023
Best Animated Film: Still With You
Best Short – Drama: Before Dawn, Kabul Time
Best Short – Comedy: Sunscreen
Best Student Short: The Code of Family
Best Documentary Short: TIE: Conducting Life and Awadagin Pratt: Black in America
Best Documentary Feature: TIE: Of Medicine and Miracles and Mama Bears
Best Feature Drama: The Road Dance
Best Feature Comedy: Pinball – The Man Who Saved the Game
Best International Film: Farewell, Mr. Haffmann
BEST OF FEST NARRATIVE: Farewell, Mr. Haffmann
BEST OF FEST DOCUMENTARY: Of Medicine and Miracles
Screenplay Competition Winners 2023:
Best TV Pilot Screenplay: “Back Fires” by Alex Blumberg
Best Feature Screenplay: “I Dream A World” by Hal LaCroix
Best Short Screenplay: “Mary & Adam” by Ren Montoro
Special Awards 2023:
Lifetime Achievement (Acting): Jacqueline Bisset, Karen Allen, Judd Hirsch
Lifetime Achievement (Directing): Lasse Hallström
Outstanding Acting: Lena Olin and Tora Hallström — “Hilma”
Outstanding Lead Actress: AnnaLynne McCord — “Condition of Return”
Heart of the Festival Award: Chris and Pat McFaul