The following projects (short films, TV & web series, and screenplays) are the finalists of the Fall 2023 competing in 22 genre categories, plus the technical ones.
These projects were shortlisted from an official selection pool with 51,7% acceptance rate, based on submissions from 21 countries and total runtime of 34:52:44, plus the short scripts.
The nominees are placed in the top 25,3%.
***Categories not listed have no submissions meeting the requirements, namely with minimum scores to make the cut***
***Categories TBA have 2 or less projects with scores for awards’ cut. The award winner(s) announcement for these categories is done along with the award winners of all of the other categories***
Fall 2023 Nominations: Technical Competitions
Best Narrative Short (Grand Jury Prize)
Dear Ernie by M.D. Walton (USA)
Drawback by Caroline Bevaart and Harald Swinkels (Netherlands)
Five Tool Player by Carlos Ramirez (USA)
Gladiators by Maryam Rahimi (Iran)
Under by Aloura Melissa Charles (USA)
Best Foreign Short (Grand Jury Prize)
Ave Gradiva by Yuri Riklis (Israel)
Floaters by Aurélie Garon (France)
Happy Birthday Prince by Victor Amalraj Banerjee (India)
Marie s’envole by Léa Sassi (France)
Varanus by Kiarash Bokaeyan (Iran)
Best Documentary Short
Lionheart by Robert Kroger (USA)
News Without a Newsroom by Oana Liana Whaples (USA)
Rising Wings by Harun Kazaz (USA)
Sheri by James ‘Q’ Martin (USA)
Wire and Water by Robert Kroger (USA)
Best Comedy Short
Breakdown by Gabriel Tibi (France)
The Job by Geraldine Pearl Bright (USA)
Wild Music by Jaymz Bee (Canada)
Best Crime Short
TBA
Best Thriller Short
Bonding by Luke Rex (USA)
I Know What You Need by Julia Marchese (USA)
The Need by Michael Rognlie and EE Tallent (USA)
Best Horror Short
TBA
Best Sci-Fi Short
TBA
Best Fantasy Short
Life Reborn by Marcel Barragan (Venezuela)
The Hourglass by Alexandre Bilardo (Switzerland)
Y by Tamara Cook (Australia)
Best Animation Short
Foreigner by Giovanni A Lodigiani (USA)
Looker by Christian Balbido (USA)
Speedman by Joe Bowers (USA)
Best Children Short
A Fantasy of Companionship between Human and Inanimate by Susan Mey Lee Lim, Samudra Kajal Saikia, and Christina Teenz Tan (Singapore)
Great Fortune by Sabia Faden (USA)
One Wish by Kat Dubrow (USA)
Best Women Short
Hairdryer by Afshin Eisaei (Iran)
Marie s’envole by Léa Sassi (France)
Mother Trucker by Jessa Zarubica (USA)
Best Experimental Short
…Der Flitter graut. Es bleibt Verpasstes übrig (…Faded Glitter, What Remains is Missed) by Carsten Fuhrmann and Mark Klotz (Germany)
Lose Me Not by Desmond Hudson and Nina Zogg (Switzerland)
Silent Chirping of Invisible Digits by Vera Sebert (Germany)
This Is Not a Film by Mahdi Hassanieh (Iran)
Visualization by Abdolrahman Sarraei (UK)
Best Student Short
Great Fortune by Sabia Faden (USA)
How to Cure Insomnia by Khiam’e L.F. (USA)
Monday Mourning by Dustin Kahia (USA)
Best Newcomer Short
Bloody Date by Danilo Proh (Italy)
Cats and Husbands by Barry Samson (USA)
Cottonmouth by Hailey Naomi Irvin (USA)
Ellie by Vinny O’Brien (USA)
Fractured Paradise by Nick Kearney (USA)
Best Microfilm
TBA
Best Screendance Short
TBA
Best Music Video
Dirty Freaken Joe – Sci-Fi Sam by Timothy A Bennett (USA)
Freakshow by Chris Villain (USA)
Lost Bird (Zintkála Nuni) by Scott Feldmann and Brad Colerick (USA)
Best Web Series/TV Pilot
TBA
Best Short Script
In Search of a Perfect Christmas Tree by Robin Neil Chambers (USA)
Light of Hope by S. T. Collins (USA)
Secret Lives, Restless Hearts by Esaias Wiseworth Alexander (USA)
Summers with Nanny by Robin Neil Chambers (USA)
The Color of the Evening Sky by Linda Kampley (USA)
Fall 2023 Nominations: Technical Competitions
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