Summer 2023 WINNERS

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To ensure that each film and screenplay is evaluated and graded on its own merits, we established a mechanism that ensures that entries are not judged against one another. They are competing against themselves: we evaluate each item on its own merits and provide a score based on an innate value system. We want to ensure that when it's your moment to be judged, the judges' attention is focused on you and not on all the other films in the queue; this ensures that they won't be thinking about comparisons when they should think about YOU.






Best of Festival and Best of Show films are selected by category and region.
Not all categories had a Best of Festival winner

"FREEDOM ON FIRE: Ukraine's fight for Freedom"
(USA)    "BEST OF FESTIVAL"
"Documentary"
Evgeny Afineevsky: Director


Directed by Evgeny Afineevsky

FREEDOM ON FIRE: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom depicts the horrible realities of this unprovoked war instigated by Vladimir Putin. The film is an exploration of the courage of the Ukrainian people, who are fiercely determined to stand their ground until “the last drop of blood.”
Best Of Show

The Eastern Front
in Documentary
United Kingdom 
BEST OF SHOW 
Invisible Corps
in Health
United States 
BEST OF SHOW 
In Solidarity with Ukraine
in Documentary, Human Spirit, Cinematography (sub-category), Editing (sub-category), Original Score (sub-category)
United States 
BEST OF SHOW 
Willem & Frieda
in LGBT
United Kingdom 
BEST OF SHOW 



Outstanding Excellence

21 Miles in Malibu
in Social Issues
United States
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Air
in Documentary
Spain 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Ants
in Documentary
Italy 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Aris Demetrios: Sculpture From The Heart
in Documentary
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
The Attack
in Documentary
Spain 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
A Better Place
in Documentary
United Kingdom 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Borderless Blue
in Documentary 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
A Branch of US
in Environmental
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Braves Wear Braids
in Human Spirit, Social Issues, Travel/Culture/Arts, Youth Issues, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational (sub-category)
Canada 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Burden Of Memory
in Documentary
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
A Butterfly´s Tale
in Wildlife/Nature/Animals
Germany 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Cutting the Line
in Wildlife/Nature Documentaries, Environmental
Namibia 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Demons & Dragans. Mark Patinkin's Cancer Journey
in Health
United States
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
This is: Elk Ravine Farm
in Wildlife/Nature/Animals
United States
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
The Erie Situation
in Documentary, Environmental
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Fight for Ukraine-12 Women's War
in Documentary, Human Spirit, Social Issues
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
A Goal to Dream
in Sports
Italy 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
The Honey Movie
in Wildlife/Nature/Animals
Moldova, Republic of
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Ice Age America
in Science
Canada 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Interpreters Wanted
in Human Spirit
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Kalsa Blo Mi - Writing on the Skin
in Documentary, Travel/Culture/Arts
Papua New Guinea 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: Travel/Culture/Arts

EXCELLENCE: Documentary
Közüngü
in Travel/Culture/Arts
Turkey 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
I am Kanaka
in Documentary, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational (sub-category), Human Spirit
United Kingdom 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: Documentary,
Human Spirit

EXCELLENCE:Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational (sub-category),
Left Behind
in Documentary
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Living with Landslides
in Environmental , Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery (sub-category)
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE: Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery (sub-category)
The Lone Wolverine of the Wallowas
in Documentary, Environmental , Wildlife/Nature/Animals
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE: Documentary
Loons: A Cry from the Mist
in Environmental
Canada 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Malcom is Missing
in Documentary
Canada 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Mission Asclepios
in Documentary
Switzerland 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
No Boundaries
in Documentary
Korea, Republic of 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
THE NURSE PRACTITIONER
in Health
Netherlands 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Older Than Trees
in Wildlife/Nature/Animals, Original Score (sub-category)
South Africa 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
One Second at a Time: Battling the Monster of Addiction
in Documentary
United States
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
PADDLE TRIBAL WATERS
in Documentary
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Planet Soil
in Environmental
Netherlands 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Raised by Wolves
in Documentary, Social Issues, Youth Issues
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE: Documentary, Social Issues
Road to Forgiveness
in Documentary
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Sheikh Al Tanweer
in Travel/Culture/Arts
Bahrain
BEST OF SHOW 
Since I Been Down
in Documentary, Youth Issues
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Sin Refugio
in Environmental
Mexico 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
I See a Darkness
in Documentary
Ireland 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Skills For Trades
in Documentary
Australia 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Space, Hope and Charity
in Documentary
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Storming Caesars Palace
in Documentary
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Technologies of the Soul: Ancient Wisdom in the Smart Nation
in Documentary
Singapore 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
THE URGENCY OF NOW
in Environmental
United States
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Venizelos: the Struggle for Asia Minor
in Docu-drama Feature
Greece 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
The Water Battle in Ouro Preto
in Docu-drama Short
Brazil 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
We Dare To Dream
in Documentary
United Kingdom 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 




Excellence Award Winners

A 20-Nautical Mile Journey Back to Safety
in Wildlife/Nature/Animals
China 
EXCELLENCE 
AI vs Human: The Creativity Experiment
in Science 
EXCELLENCE 
Amen-Amen-Amen: A Story of Our Times
in Documentary, Religion/Faith, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational (sub-category), Direction (sub-category)
United States 
EXCELLENCE
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Documentary, Religion/Faith
Armenia: A Love Story
in Documentary
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
( Battle of Bridges ) Docudrama Documentary
in Documentary, Docu-drama Feature, Revolution and Reform
Kuwait 
EXCELLENCE
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT:  Docu-drama Feature
Border Crossing Sistas
in Sports
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Breaking the Code
in Biography
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
A Brief History Of Jesus Messiah
in Biography
Netherlands 
EXCELLENCE 
carlos nogueira the house within
in Biography
Portugal 
EXCELLENCE 
Catastrophe Now! The Era of Global Boiling
in Environmental
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Chasing the Cure
in Documentary
United States
EXCELLENCE 
I Ching Master
in Travel/Culture/Arts
Hong Kong 
EXCELLENCE 
The Coal Women
in Documentary
Virgin Islands, U.S. 
EXCELLENCE 
Dariush Mehrjui: Making the Cow
in Documentary
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Esperanza: Hope for Our Cities
in Religion/Faith
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Feast Your Ears
in Documentary
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Free Speech to Cancel Culture; Profiles in Canadian Comedy
in Documentary
Canada 
EXCELLENCE 
In Honor Of (in English)
in Travel/Culture/Arts
Germany 
EXCELLENCE 
Hope for Chronic Fatigue and Long Covid
in Documentary
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
HUMAN WELFARE COMMITTEE
in Social Issues
Nepal 
EXCELLENCE 
I got to go to Juchitán
in Documentary
Germany 
EXCELLENCE 
Journalism at Risk *
in Documentary
United States
EXCELLENCE 
The journey home
in Documentary
South Africa
EXCELLENCE 
JULIAN: a Jiu Jitsu Story
in Documentary
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
KAMIYAMA: The Little Town with Big Ideas
in Social Issues, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational (sub-category)
Japan 
EXCELLENCE 
Lego Oma
in Documentary, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational (sub-category)
Germany 
EXCELLENCE
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Documentary
Look at me now: Stories of Hope
in Documentary
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Miss Basketball
in Sports
United States
EXCELLENCE 
Morningstar
in Religion/Faith
United Kingdom 
EXCELLENCE 
Not My Bag
in Environmental
Ireland 
EXCELLENCE 
Odyssey
in Documentary
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Passing Through
in Documentary, Travel/Culture/Arts, Cinematography (sub-category), Original Score (sub-category), Direction (sub-category)
United States 
EXCELLENCE
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Cinematography (sub-category), Original Score (sub-category), Direction (sub-category)
Run for Noah
in Human Spirit
Canada 
EXCELLENCE 
Searching for Shambhala
in Religion/Faith
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
The Spectacular Absence Of God
in Documentary
Netherlands 
EXCELLENCE 
The Spinster Ball
in Human Spirit
Latvia 
EXCELLENCE 
Still We Rise
in Revolution and Reform
Australia 
EXCELLENCE
Swim Through
in Documentary
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Swim Tuff
in Human Spirit
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Taking the Fight
in Documentary, Sports,
Editing (sub-category),
Original Score (sub-category), Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational (sub-category),
Direction (sub-category) 
United States 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE: Documentary
Their Own Life
in Documentary
Netherlands 
EXCELLENCE 
TRACES, Voices of the Second Generation
in Human Spirit
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Trash 2 Dash
in Sports
New Zealand 
EXCELLENCE 
Troubled Water
in Documentary, Environmental , Cinematography (sub-category)
United States 
EXCELLENCE
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Cinematography (sub-category)
Twin Oaks
in Documentary
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Uncanny Valley: Sauvage
in Documentary
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Unfit to Sit: Spotlight on Judge Matthew Cooper
in Documentary
United States
EXCELLENCE 
The Vazaha (The Stranger)
in Travel/Culture/Arts
United States
EXCELLENCE 
"What if Schools Taught Us to Love"
in Human Spirit
Myanmar
EXCELLENCE 
When Worlds Collide
in Documentary, Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery (sub-category), Direction (sub-category)
United Kingdom 
EXCELLENCE
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Documentary
The White Earth Dragon
in Documentary
Italy 
EXCELLENCE 
With my own hands
in Documentary
Brazil 
EXCELLENCE 
Woiwode - Of Hope and Pain: The Memories of a Survivor
in Documentary
Germany 
EXCELLENCE 
Women and roads. The way to yourself. Ladoga.
in Documentary, Travel
EXCELLENCE
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Travel






Exceptional Merit

Activismo: Art & Dissidence in Cuba
in Documentary
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Bad Ass Women Doing Kick Ass Shit
in Documentary
United States
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
BERLIN
in Documentary
Pakistan 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
A Better Place
in Documentary
United Kingdom 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
THE CURSE EFFECT
in Docu-drama Short
United States
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Distance: Sex Work in the Pandemic
in Social Issues
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Everyday dicks
in Social Issues
Italy 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Fair Seas - The Atlantic Northwest
in Environmental
United Kingdom 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
The Fatal Flight Buzz One Four
in Documentary
United States
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Find My Way
in Human Spirit
Hong Kong 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Going Out With A Bang
in Documentary
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Hendrik Witbooi, God from heaven has now broken the treaty
in Documentary
Namibia 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
An Incomplete Family Portrait
in Social Issues, Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery (sub-category)
Korea, Republic of 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
MERIT: Social Issues
Johannes and His Memorial Site
in Documentary
Switzerland 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
The Keeper of The Jewels Short
in Social Issues
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
The Lens of Memory
in Environmental
Australia 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Long Ago and Far Away
in Docu-drama Short
United States
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Mekong Apocalypse
in Environmental
Canada 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Miracle At Manchester
in Religion/Faith, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational (sub-category)
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Mundo Maya
in Documentary
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Offering Hope: Lessons from Uganda
in Youth Issues
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
On a Knife's Edge
in Documentary, Religion/Faith
Australia 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Paddling the Margins
in Environmental
United Kingdom 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Red Blood - The Cambodian Genocide
in Revolution and Reform
United States
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Revival
in Environmental , Human Spirit
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
MERIT: Human Spirit
Rollout
in Health
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
The Samaritans: A Biblical People
in Religion/Faith
Israel 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Shame On You!
in Animated
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
SOUND and SILENCE
in Documentary
Switzerland 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Story of HER
in Documentary
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
The thousand forms of Pinocchio
in Documentary
Italy 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Three Weeks: The 1960 Winter Olympics and the Civil Rights Movement in Reno, Nevada
in Sports
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Torched
in Sports
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Travels In Schizophrenia
in Documentary
Canada 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
In the Village of Poets
in Documentary
United Kingdom 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
What are we fighting for?
in Documentary, Revolution and Reform
Australia 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
When Hope Breaks Through
in Documentary
Canada 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Wild Forests
in Environmental , Wildlife/Nature/Animals, Cinematography (sub-category), Research (sub-category), Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery (sub-category)
Germany 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
WINGS
in Documentary
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
WITCH, REBORN
in Travel/Culture/Arts
United Kingdom 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT




Merit

44 LIGHTS: Music From Ground Zero
in Documentary
United States 
MERIT
Anything You Lose
in Human Spirit
United States 
MERIT
THE BEAT ( Drummers Gone Wild in the Bible Belt)
in Religion/Faith, Cinematography (sub-category)
United States
MERIT
Bebo
in Documentary
Germany 
MERIT
Color Trilogy
in Revolution and Reform
Brazil 
MERIT
Dance of Death
in Documentary
Australia 
MERIT
Dreams of a dengbej
in Documentary
Sweden 
MERIT
el campo
in Travel/Culture/Arts
United States 
MERIT
Even the Women Must Fight
in Documentary, Editing (sub-category) 
United States 
MERIT
Gimpel the Fool Returns to Poland
in Docu-drama Feature
Israel
MERIT
Hay Day
in Documentary, Human Spirit
United States 
MERIT
Hello Moss Angeles
in Documentary, Editing (sub-category)
Norway 
MERIT
home
in Environmental
United States 
MERIT
I hope for Heaven
in Docu-drama Feature, Human Spirit, Religion/Faith, Social Issues
Italy 
MERIT
Horror Able Women
in Social Issues
United States 
MERIT
Invader and Defender
in Wildlife/Nature/Animals
Hong Kong
MERIT
Justice Where There was Injustice (A life stolen: The Joseph Hardy Story))
in Social Issues
United States 
MERIT
Let's Talk About Love. Again
in Documentary
United States 
MERIT
Longorme
in Documentary
France 
MERIT
Malakoff Man: Picking up the Trail
in Documentary, Research (sub-category)
United States 
MERIT
KUDOS: Documentary
METAMORPHOSIS
in Animated
Italy 
MERIT
One For The Books: The Maupin Marathon
in Documentary
United Kingdom 
MERIT
(Part 5C - Cal Jacox Special) Real Deal Track Journey Featuring Atlantic Coast
in Biography, Research (sub-category
United States 
MERIT
KUDOS: Biography
People Power - Stop Texas Bill Targeting Chinese Immigrants
in Social Issues
United States 
MERIT
Searching For Damian O
in Social Issues
United States 
MERIT
Sikh Interfaith Journey
in Religion/Faith
United States 
MERIT
Soul of the Ocean (Her Heartbeat)
in Environmental
United States 
MERIT
STEPPIN: A Chicago Dance (74 min mixed)
in Travel/Culture/Arts
United States 
MERIT
Translator for Peace
in Documentary
United States 
MERIT




Kudos Endeavor
"Furrsonalities
in Animated
United States "

Sub-Categories
Children Of Conflict-Desolation
in Original Score (sub-category)
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Children Of Conflict-Lost Innocence
in Original Score (sub-category)
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Children Of Conflict-Mother's Lament
in Original Score (sub-category)
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
The Green Vein
in Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery (sub-category)
Portugal 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN and it ain't easy
in Editing (sub-category)
United States 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
JUMP!
in Cinematography (sub-category)
Singapore 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Kombi Man
in Original Score (sub-category)
Australia 
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
A Peace of Science: Diplomacy with North Korea
in Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery (sub-category)
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Reunited
in Direction (sub-category)
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Saturday Morning Live/ Republic of Georgia Episode/ US
in Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery (sub-category)
Ukraine 
MERIT
Tiki Taane in session with CSO
in Original Score (sub-category)
New Zealand 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 

The Unfinished Melody
in Original Score (sub-category)
Canada 
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE 
Where the orchid grows
in Cinematography (sub-category)
United States 
EXCELLENCE 
Water, Star Medicine
in Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational (sub-category)
United States 
MERIT
Zombie
in Original Score (sub-category)
MERIT



Screenplays

The Lambda Factor
Writers Dimple Patel Desai, Antony Guilianti
United States

PLATINUM:

Heroes, Just For One Day (Breaking Thick Ice)
Writer Salvatore Riggio
United States

SILVER: