FILM REVIEW
short film
FILM REVIEW
short film
WINTER '16
WINNERS
BFA
FOR FILMS IN CHARGE OF CHANGE
BEST SHORT
WINNER Directed by Wouter Hoek Runtime: 20 minutes Release Date: June 1 2016 Country: Netherlands, Romania Category: Documentary, Experimental Synopsis: In a remote valley in Transylvania there is a community (Csángó) which presently maintains medieval traditions. These unique traditions are still practiced but because of urbanisation and a loss of interest amongst the younger generation, they are likely to die out.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Frank Aron Gårdsø Runtime: 29 minutes Release Date: April 10 2015 Country: Norway Category: Fiction, Horror Synopsis: Four friends are on a hiking trip into the deep midst of a forest. While filming the trip they accidentally lose one of their cell phones. In search of the lost phone they discover a mysterious black hole in the ground. Curious and puzzled by this newly discovered hole, they decide to explore it, which leads to a dramatic chain of events.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Sam Geyskens Runtime: 21 minutes Release Date: June 15 2016 Country: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Category: Documentary, Student Synopsis: A tragicomic documentary portraying one of the many rest stops where Eastern European truck drivers gather to spend their time off during the weekends, to make their home sickness more bearable.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Daniel Mattiasson Runtime: 19 minutes Release Date: March 29 2016 Country: Sweden, United Kingdom Category: Fiction, Experimental, Sci-Fi Synopsis: The film takes part in two separate worlds: One where Eric is sheltered with his father from a storm and the other where he gets closer and closer to a woman. Almost as a detective, Eric moves between the worlds to find out the truth. As the story progresses Eric starts to question the reality.
BEST FEATURE
WINNER Directed by Erik de Bruyn Runtime: 1 h 44 minutes Release Date: September 25 2015 Country: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Category: Fiction, Comedy Synopsis: A writer, Frans, with a writers block is to go on a strange trip to Hamburg with his old pal and favorite character J. KESSELS. To have to fetch a cheating sausage export dealer. But the real reason is Frans is hoping to see his Beebeetje, back, the pinballwizzard princess from the snackbar from his adolescent years.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Jawad Rhalib Runtime: 1 h 20 minutes Release Date: Country: Morocco, Belgium Category: Fiction Synopsis: Laila, a young unemployed Moroccan IT professional, leaves her country to do seasonal work in Belgium. The young woman ends up on André’s small family farm, where he grows apples and pears. Laila rapidly becomes disenchanted as she discovers the deeply unfair system that regulates the contracts of seasonal workers.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Chelsea Kane Runtime: 1 h 30 minutes Release Date: May 5 2015 Country: United States Category: Fiction Synopsis: A girl grows up.
RUNNER-UP
BEST FEATURETTE
WINNER Directed by Mike Hoolboom Runtime: 58 minutes Release Date: January 11 2016 Country: Canada Category: Documentary, Experimental Synopsis: This Marxist love story asks: could the couple also be a form of resistance? Essay notes on marriage, microcinema, and the art of projection. With guest appearances by Occupy, Pussy Riot protesters, a runaway goat, two poodles, an army of street marchers, Mos Def, Frankenstein and cinema’s first kiss.
RUNNER-UP Directed by John Gillies Runtime: 39 minutes Release Date: August 22 2016 Country: Australia, Poland Category: Documentary, Experimental Synopsis: The conflict between materialist and metaphysical thinking is personified in the argument between two friends.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Sergio Herrera and Christo Mercado Runtime: 51 minutes Release Date: September 24 2016 Country: United States Category: Fiction, Experimental, Student Synopsis: Matt is an aspiring actor in Los Angeles. He supports his grandmother in Madrid by doing small roles in films and commercials. Whilst looking to better his career, Matt faces a series of artistic and financial challenges. He starts to question whether or not he should continue his acting career.
BEST EXPERIMENTAL
WINNER Directed by Mike Hoolboom Runtime: 58 minutes Release Date: January 11 2016 Country: Canada Category: Documentary, Experimental Synopsis: This Marxist love story asks: could the couple also be a form of resistance? Essay notes on marriage, microcinema, and the art of projection. With guest appearances by Occupy, Pussy Riot protesters, a runaway goat, two poodles, an army of street marchers, Mos Def, Frankenstein and cinema’s first kiss.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Muriel Paraboni Runtime: 20 minutes Release Date: July 1 2016 Country: Brazil Category: Fiction, Experimental Synopsis: A man and a woman relive moments of their lives transfigured on the landscape of a beach. Past, present and future merge in the cadence of the waters, which come and go revolving memories and old silences.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Daniel Mattiasson Runtime: 19 minutes Release Date: March 29 2016 Country: Sweden, United Kingdom Category: Fiction, Experimental, Sci-Fi Synopsis: The film takes part in two separate worlds: One where Eric is sheltered with his father from a storm and the other where he gets closer and closer to a woman. Almost as a detective, Eric moves between the worlds to find out the truth. As the story progresses Eric starts to question the reality.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Freya Billington Runtime: 11 minutes Release Date: March 2 2016 Country: United Kingdom Category: Fiction, Experimental Synopsis: Struggling psychiatric nurse, Joe impulsively absconds to the seaside with Archie, his deeply haunted, elderly patient. Intending to re-engage him with real life, the memories he stirs up for Archie, however, are not happy ones as the truth of the past resurfaces.
BEST DOCUMENTARY
WINNER Directed by Sam Geyskens Runtime: 21 minutes Release Date: June 15 2016 Country: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Category: Documentary, Student Synopsis: A tragicomic documentary portraying one of the many rest stops where Eastern European truck drivers gather to spend their time off during the weekends, to make their home sickness more bearable.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Wouter Hoek Runtime: 20 minutes Release Date: June 1 2016 Country: Netherlands, Romania Category: Documentary, Experimental Synopsis: In a remote valley in Transylvania there is a community (Csángó) which presently maintains medieval traditions. These unique traditions are still practiced but because of urbanisation and a loss of interest amongst the younger generation, they are likely to die out.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Mari Bakke Riise Runtime: 30 minutes Release Date: September 15 2016 Country: Norway, Ghana Category: Documentary, Web/New Media Synopsis: This documentary is about Bamunu, an 8-year old girl who hasn’t seen her family since she was sent away from home, two years ago, to work as a Kayayo to support her family. We follow her incessant longing to get away from the harsh markets, her journey back home and what awaits there.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Tim Guthrie Runtime: 25 minutes Release Date: November 11 2016 Country: France, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Peru, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay Category: Documentary Synopsis: Simultaneously a portrait and a self-portrait. My journey to pay homage to my wife, who died a year ago; the missing piece in my life.
BEST STUDENT FILM
WINNER Directed by Yudhajit Basu and Prithvijoy Ganguly Runtime: 19 minutes Release Date: March 1 2016 Country: India Category: Fiction Synopsis: The Search' tells the story of a few hours in the life of two Bhutia kids in the midst of a revolution for a new state in the hills of Kurseong.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Sam Geyskens Runtime: 21 minutes Release Date: June 15 2016 Country: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Category: Documentary, Student Synopsis: A tragicomic documentary portraying one of the many rest stops where Eastern European truck drivers gather to spend their time off during the weekends, to make their home sickness more bearable.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Wouter Hoek Runtime: 20 minutes Release Date: June 1 2016 Country: Netherlands, Romania Category: Documentary, Experimental Synopsis: In a remote valley in Transylvania there is a community (Csángó) which presently maintains medieval traditions. These unique traditions are still practiced but because of urbanisation and a loss of interest amongst the younger generation, they are likely to die out.
RUNNER-UP Directed Elke Brugger Runtime: 34 minutes Release Date: June 1 2015 Country: Austria, Germany Category: Fiction Synopsis: Rainer and Sarah want to start their lives over together. All they have to do is fake their disappearance while hiking a nearby mountain. What will happen when their seemingly perfect plan faces some complications?
WINNER Directed by Chelsea Kane Runtime: 1 h 30 minutes Release Date: May 5 2015 Country: United States Category: Fiction Synopsis: A girl grows up.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Jawad Rhalib Runtime: 1 h 20 minutes Release Date: Country: Morocco, Belgium Category: Fiction Synopsis: Laila, a young unemployed Moroccan IT professional, leaves her country to do seasonal work in Belgium. The young woman ends up on André’s small family farm, where he grows apples and pears. Laila rapidly becomes disenchanted as she discovers the deeply unfair system that regulates the contracts of seasonal workers.
RUNNER-UP Directed Julián Quintanilla Runtime: 30 minutes Release October 30 2016 Country: Spain Category: Fiction Synopsis: As he does every year, Julián visits his dead mother in the village cemetery. She appears to him and they make plans... more or less 'together': she devises them and he obeys. But this year, Julián is going to get a very special request from his mother that will surprise... the whole world.
RUNNER-UP Directed Kristina Cepraga Runtime: 29 minutes Release March 5 2015 Country: Romania Category: Fiction Synopsis: Tamara, echelon.
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
WINNER Directed by Wouter Hoek Runtime: 20 minutes Release Date: June 1 2016 Country: Netherlands, Romania Category: Documentary, Experimental Synopsis: In a remote valley in Transylvania there is a community (Csángó) which presently maintains medieval traditions. These unique traditions are still practiced but because of urbanisation and a loss of interest amongst the younger generation, they are likely to die out.
RUNNER-UP Directed Tuukka Temonen Runtime: 1 h 51 minutes Release September 7 2016 Country: Finland Category: Fiction, Feature Synopsis: A story of four Finnish boys growing up during the devastating 90's recession. They live in the small, timber industrial town of Heinola. As the parents of these young teens struggle through hard economic times, the four very different guys meet by coincidence to form the punk band Apulanta.
RUNNER-UP Directed Adelaide Dante De Fino Runtime: 24 minutes Release December 15 2015 Country: Italy Category: Fiction Synopsis: 1952, De Gasperi visits Sassi di Matera, the ancient part of Matera city. The town is bubbling with energy. Two rival families are getting ready for the most important singing competition of the year. All the adults’ recent and passed contradictions and oddities are shown up through the eyes of little girl Chico.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Muriel Paraboni Runtime: 20 minutes Release Date: July 1 2016 Country: Brazil Category: Fiction, Experimental Synopsis: A man and a woman relive moments of their lives transfigured on the landscape of a beach. Past, present and future merge in the cadence of the waters, which come and go revolving memories and old silences.
BEST ACTRESS
BEST WEB SHORT
WINNER Directed Cristian Tomassini, Marco Businaro Runtime: 12 minutes Release Date: August 1 2016 Country: Italy Category: Fiction Synopsis: Onyros is an organization that under the cover of a broadcasting company, presents a secret structure with one purpose only: to feed on the vital energy produced by people’s dreams. The energy extracted from dreams is the most powerful drug ever tested.
RUNNER-UP Directed Eddie Gibson Runtime: 12 minutes Release Date: April 11 2016 Country: United States Category: Fiction, Student Synopsis: A dark web series that follows a Russian woman who battles to escape from a soul-shattering life of forced prostitution in the United States.
RUNNER-UP Directed Natalie MacMahon Runtime: 12 minutes Release Date: August 16 2016 Country: Germany Category: Fiction Synopsis: Three different people who live in the same building have one thing in common- they are all loners caught in their very own world- relying on the routine of their every day lives. But what happens when that routine stops? Are they able to cope or does their world fall apart completely?
RUNNER-UP Directed Emmett Skilton Runtime: 3 hours Release Date: September 1 2016 Country: New Zealand Category: Fiction Synopsis: Auckward Love gets drunk and does things nobody is proud of… Uh huh; Our girls are back and more auckward than ever. Season Two sees Alice determined to get on top, Vicky forming an affinity for rubber, Grace's heart put to the test and Zoe pulling the fingers at everyone she can.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
WINNER Directed Thibaut Charlut Runtime: 30 minutes Release April 26 2016 Country: France Category: Fiction Synopsis: Enzo is 19 years old and lives in disinherited districts of a small town in East of France. There, the countryside is neither peaceful nor verdant : it is in a violent and gathered universe that Enzo and his best friend Hugo look to kill time during summer holidays.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Daniel Mattiasson Runtime: 19 minutes Release Date: March 29 2016 Country: Sweden, United Kingdom Category: Fiction, Experimental, Sci-Fi Synopsis: The film takes part in two separate worlds: One where Eric is sheltered with his father from a storm and the other where he gets closer and closer to a woman. Almost as a detective, Eric moves between the worlds to find out the truth. As the story progresses Eric starts to question the reality.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Wouter Hoek Runtime: 20 minutes Release Date: June 1 2016 Country: Netherlands, Romania Category: Documentary, Experimental Synopsis: In a remote valley in Transylvania there is a community (Csángó) which presently maintains medieval traditions. These unique traditions are still practiced but because of urbanisation and a loss of interest amongst the younger generation, they are likely to die out.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Yudhajit Basu and Prithvijoy Ganguly Runtime: 19 minutes Release Date: March 1 2016 Country: India Category: Fiction Synopsis: The Search' tells the story of a few hours in the life of two Bhutia kids in the midst of a revolution for a new state in the hills of Kurseong.
BEST DIRECTOR
WINNER Directed by Chelsea Kane Runtime: 1 h 30 minutes Release Date: May 5 2015 Country: United States Category: Fiction Synopsis: A girl grows up.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Freya Billington Runtime: 11 minutes Release Date: March 2 2016 Country: United Kingdom Category: Fiction, Experimental Synopsis: Struggling psychiatric nurse, Joe impulsively absconds to the seaside with Archie, his deeply haunted, elderly patient. Intending to re-engage him with real life, the memories he stirs up for Archie, however, are not happy ones as the truth of the past resurfaces.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Sam Geyskens Runtime: 21 minutes Release Date: June 15 2016 Country: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Category: Documentary, Student Synopsis: A tragicomic documentary portraying one of the many rest stops where Eastern European truck drivers gather to spend their time off during the weekends, to make their home sickness more bearable.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Mike Hoolboom Runtime: 58 minutes Release Date: January 11 2016 Country: Canada Category: Documentary, Experimental Synopsis: This Marxist love story asks: could the couple also be a form of resistance? Essay notes on marriage, microcinema, and the art of projection. With guest appearances by Occupy, Pussy Riot protesters, a runaway goat, two poodles, an army of street marchers, Mos Def, Frankenstein and cinema’s first kiss.
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
WINNER Directed Lu Pulici Runtime: 5 minutes Release Date: April 1 2016 Country: Italy Category: Animation, Sci-Fi Synopsis: This is the official music video of the track 'Can You Decide' written by the Manchester (UK) singer song writer, Jon Kenzie. The video tells a story of a lonely robot musician who is struggling between the desire to travel and play music throughout the galaxy or go back home to be with the one he loves.
RUNNER-UP Directed Benjamin Esterlis Runtime: 5 minutes Release Date: Country: Israel Category: Music Video Synopsis: A fantastic voyage to defy fears, gravity & death.
RUNNER-UP Directed Simon Gesrel and Arnaud Viémont Runtime: 5 minutes Release September 15 2016 Country: France Category: Animation, Horror Synopsis: Inside a shabby american diner on the side of a lost national road, the mesmerizing dance of a stripper triggers a extremely violent brawl among the customers.
RUNNER-UP Directed Simone Hooymans Runtime: 7 minutes Release April 20 2016 Country: Norway Category: Animation, Experimental Synopsis: The animation with the song Rett Ned is an ongoing journey, with unexpected places and elusive worlds. Worlds where you will never arrive, but will always stay in your memory, as an exciting experience where you cannot lay your finger on.... A longing for a mystical world, but with an unearthly undertone.
BEST ACTOR
WINNER Directed by Erik de Bruyn Runtime: 1 h 44 minutes Release Date: September 25 2015 Country: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Category: Fiction, Comedy Synopsis: A writer, Frans, with a writers block is to go on a strange trip to Hamburg with his old pal and favorite character J. KESSELS. To have to fetch a cheating sausage export dealer. But the real reason is Frans is hoping to see his Beebeetje, back, the pinballwizzard princess from the snackbar from his adolescent years.
RUNNER-UP Directed Thibaut Charlut Runtime: 30 minutes Release April 26 2016 Country: France Category: Fiction Synopsis: Enzo is 19 years old and lives in disinherited districts of a small town in East of France. There, the countryside is neither peaceful nor verdant : it is in a violent and gathered universe that Enzo and his best friend Hugo look to kill time during summer holidays.
RUNNER-UP Directed Ignacio Redondo Runtime: 12 minutes Release July 15 2016 Country: Spain Category: Fiction Synopsis: It's the most important day in David's life. He has a $10.000.000 deal with a Japanese Holding and it's all or nothing today. Everything seems to turn out perfectly well, until...
RUNNER-UP Directed David Sherbrook Runtime: 13 minutes Release June 16 2016 Country: United States Category: Fiction, Sci-Fi, Horror Synopsis: Light years from Earth, floating aimlessly in space, Flight Engineer Matthew Spencer and his crew battle isolation and despair aboard a failing escape pod. Spencer struggles to fight against not only his imminent demise, but the demons inside of him that are beginning to take hold of his sanity.
BEST SCREENPLAY
WINNER Directed by Erik de Bruyn Runtime: 1 h 44 minutes Release Date: September 25 2015 Country: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Category: Fiction, Comedy Synopsis: A writer, Frans, with a writers block is to go on a strange trip to Hamburg with his old pal and favorite character J. KESSELS. To have to fetch a cheating sausage export dealer. But the real reason is Frans is hoping to see his Beebeetje, back, the pinballwizzard princess from the snackbar from his adolescent years.
RUNNER-UP Directed Cengiz Akaygün Runtime: 15 minutes Release August 4 2014 Country: Germany Category: Fiction Synopsis: A successful manager gets taken and finds himself in an unknown surrounding. He is pitted against his hijackers.What's their purpose...?
RUNNER-UP Directed by Mike Hoolboom Runtime: 58 minutes Release Date: January 11 2016 Country: Canada Category: Documentary, Experimental Synopsis: This Marxist love story asks: could the couple also be a form of resistance? Essay notes on marriage, microcinema, and the art of projection. With guest appearances by Occupy, Pussy Riot protesters, a runaway goat, two poodles, an army of street marchers, Mos Def, Frankenstein and cinema’s first kiss.
RUNNER-UP Directed David Sherbrook Runtime: 13 minutes Release June 16 2016 Country: United States Category: Fiction, Sci-Fi, Horror Synopsis: Light years from Earth, floating aimlessly in space, Flight Engineer Matthew Spencer and his crew battle isolation and despair aboard a failing escape pod. Spencer struggles to fight against not only his imminent demise, but the demons inside of him that are beginning to take hold of his sanity.
BEST EDITOR
WINNER Directed by Mike Hoolboom Runtime: 58 minutes Release Date: January 11 2016 Country: Canada Category: Documentary, Experimental Synopsis: This Marxist love story asks: could the couple also be a form of resistance? Essay notes on marriage, microcinema, and the art of projection. With guest appearances by Occupy, Pussy Riot protesters, a runaway goat, two poodles, an army of street marchers, Mos Def, Frankenstein and cinema’s first kiss.
RUNNER-UP Directed David Sherbrook Runtime: 13 minutes Release June 16 2016 Country: United States Category: Fiction, Sci-Fi, Horror Synopsis: Light years from Earth, floating aimlessly in space, Flight Engineer Matthew Spencer and his crew battle isolation and despair aboard a failing escape pod. Spencer struggles to fight against not only his imminent demise, but the demons inside of him that are beginning to take hold of his sanity.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Daniel Mattiasson Runtime: 19 minutes Release Date: March 29 2016 Country: Sweden, United Kingdom Category: Fiction, Experimental, Sci-Fi Synopsis: The film takes part in two separate worlds: One where Eric is sheltered with his father from a storm and the other where he gets closer and closer to a woman. Almost as a detective, Eric moves between the worlds to find out the truth. As the story progresses Eric starts to question the reality.
RUNNER-UP Directed by Erik de Bruyn Runtime: 1 h 44 minutes Release Date: September 25 2015 Country: Netherlands, Belgium, Germany Category: Fiction, Comedy Synopsis: A writer, Frans, with a writers block is to go on a strange trip to Hamburg with his old pal and favorite character J. KESSELS. To have to fetch a cheating sausage export dealer. But the real reason is Frans is hoping to see his Beebeetje, back, the pinballwizzard princess from the snackbar from his adolescent years.