Palm Springs Int’l Shortfest announces 2017 winners

Palm Springs Int’l Shortfest announces 2017 winners

PanARMENIAN.Net - The 2017 Palm Springs International Shortfest announced its winners on Sunday, June 25. The short film festival screened 338 short films with more than 4,200 filmmaker submissions available in the film market, Variety said.

“Facing Mecca” received two awards, including best of the festival. “The Head Vanishes” and “Dekalb Elementary” received jury awards, and “Red Light,” “Coin Operated,” “Kayayo,” and “Lost Face” received audience awards.

“After spending a week in and out of theaters, and talking with filmmakers and audiences, we close out the festival with such a strong sense of community,” said festival director Lili Rodriguez. “Filmmakers are making movies about the changing world around them. I think our award winners showcase an understanding and compassion for people and it’s a great thing to see.”

The Palm Springs International Film Festival will be held Jan. 4-15, 2018, and the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala will be held Jan. 2.

The 2017 Palm Springs International Shortfest award winners are:

JURY AWARDS:

BEST OF FESTIVAL AWARD Facing Mecca (Switzerland), Jan-Eric Mack

GRAND JURY AWARD The Head Vanishes (France/Canada), Franck Dion

PANAVISION BEST NORTH AMERICAN SHORT Dekalb Elementary (USA), Reed Van Dyk

NON-STUDENT COMPETITION AWARDS:

BEST ANIMATED SHORT The Head Vanishes (France/Canada), Franck Dion

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT OVER 15 MINUTES Retouch (Iran), Kaveh Mazaheri

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT 15 MINUTES AND UNDER Great Choice (USA), Robin Comisar

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT Edith + Eddie (USA), Laura Checkoway

STUDENT COMPETITION AWARDS:

FUTURE FILMMAKER AWARD Where You Found Refuge (France), Guillaume Legrand

Special Mention: Fry Day (USA), Laura Moss

BEST STUDENT ANIMATION Sog (Germany), Jonatan Schwenk

BEST STUDENT LIVE ACTION SHORT OVER 15 MINUTES Facing Mecca (Switzerland), Jan-Eric Mack

BEST STUDENT LIVE ACTION SHORT 15 MINUTES AND UNDER Iron Hands (USA/China), Johnson Cheng

BEST STUDENT DOCUMENTARY SHORT Searching for Wives (Singapore), Zuki Juno Tobgye

Special Jury Mention: I Made You, I Kill You (Romania/France), Alexandru Petru Badelita

AUDIENCE AWARDS:

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT Red Light (Bulgaria/Croatia), Toma Waszarow

BEST ANIMATION SHORT Coin Operated (USA), Nicholas Arioli

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT Kayayo (Norway), Mari Bakke Riise

SHORTFEST ONLINE AUDIENCE AWARD Lost Face (Australia/Canada), Sean Meehan

ADDITIONAL PRIZES:

ALEXIS AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING STUDENT FILMMAKER Chebet (Kenya/USA), Tony Koros

HP BRIDGING THE BORDERS AWARD PRESENTED BY CINEMA WITHOUT BORDERS – Pantheon (France), Ange-Régis Hounkpatin

YOUTH JURY AWARD Everybody Else is Taken (New Zealand), Jessica Grace Smith

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