ShortFest 2023
Awards & Jury
Best of the Festival Award
The Old Young Crow (Japan/USA), Directed by Liam LoPinto
Special Mention: 48 Hours (Iran), Directed by Azadeh Moussavi
Special Mention: Away (Hungary/Belgium/Portugal), Directed by Ruslan Fedotow
Best Animated Short
Way Better (Lithuania), Directed by Skirmanta Jakaitė
Special Mention: Ashkasha (Spain/Argentina), Directed by Lara Maltz
Special Mention: Eeva (Croatia/Estonia), Directed by Lucija Mrzljak and Morten Tšinakov
Best Documentary Short
Will You Look At Me (China), Directed by Shuli Huang
Special Mention: Birdsong (UK/Laos), Directed by Omi Zola Gupta and Sparsh Ahuja
Best Live-Action Short Over 15 Minutes
Sèt Lam (France), Directed by Vincent Fontano
Special Mention for Performance: Brenda Cullerton in Endless Sea (USA), Directed by Sam Shainberg
Special Mention: The Newt Congress (Switzerland/Germany), Directed by Matthias Sahil and Immanuel Esser
Best Live-Action Short 15 Minutes and Under
Mystic Tiger (Spain), Directed by Marc Martínez
Special Mentions: I Have No Legs, and I Must Run (China), Directed by Yue Li
Best International Short
Soleil de nuit (Canada), Directed by Fernando López and Maria Camila Arias
Special Mention: Infantry (Brazil), Directed by Laís Santos Araújo
Special Mention: Nocturnal Burger (India/USA), Directed by Reema Maya
Best U.S. Short
Closing Dynasty (USA), Directed by Lloyd Lee Choi
Local Jury Award
Under G-d (USA), Directed by Paula Eiselt
Special Mention: Teacups (Australia/Ireland), Directed by Alec Green and Finbar Watson
Young Cineastes Award
We Were Meant To (USA), Directed by Tari Wariebi
Special Mention: Amara and Ry’Shauna (USA), Directed by Kate Cohen and A.D. Freese
Special Mention: Ivalu (Greenland/Denmark), Directed by Anders Walter and Pipaluk K Jørgensen
Kids’ Choice Award
Canary (Canada), Directed by Pierre-Hugues Dallaire and Benoit Therriault
Mushka (USA), Directed by Andreas Deja
Best Student Animated Short
The Rainbow Dung Beetle (USA), Directed by Ellen Moway and Cole Dupzyk
Best Student Documentary Short
Kaamoksen Valossa (Finland), Directed by Niko Väistö
Special Mention: Still Waters (USA), Directed by Aurora Brachman
Best Student International Short
A Dead Marriage (Poland), Directed by Michel Toczek
Special Mention: Between Her (Israel), Directed by Bar Cohen
Best Student U.S. Short
SULAM (Ladder) (USA), Directed by Noam Argov
Special Mention: Invasive Species (USA), Directed by Annie Ning
Best Comedy Short
Flail (USA), Directed by Ben Gauthier
Special Mention: Pennies From Heaven (USA), Directed by Sandy Hong
Best LGBTQ+ Short
Blond Night (Canada), Directed by Gabrielle Demers
Burial of Life as a Young Girl (France), Directed by Maïté Sonnet
Special Mention: An Avocado Pit (Portugal), Directed by Ary Zara
Best Midnight Short
Nian (USA), Directed by Michelle Krusiec
Special Mention: Animal Transport (Argentina), Directed by Iván Bustinduy
Special Mention for Performance: Raphaël Quenard in Meantime (France), Directed by Guillaume Scaillet
MOZAIK Bridging the Borders Award
Fata Morgana (Germany/Syria), Directed by Daood Alabdulaa
Special Mention: Border Conversations (Germany), Directed by Jonathan Brunner
Special Mention: I See Them Bloom (Spain), Directed by Nikita Gibalenko
Special Mention: The Kidnapping of the Bride (Germany), Directed by Sophia Mocorrea
Audience Award: Best Animated Short
Ice Merchants (Portugal), Directed by João Gonzalez
Audience Award: Best Documentary Short
Eco-Hack! (USA), Directed by Josh Izenberg and Brett Marty
Audience Award: Best Live-Action Short
Death to the Bikini! (Canada), Directed by Justine Gauthier
Audience Award: Best Student Short
Ricky (USA), Directed by Rashad Frett