PART A’
In the Festival’s various film categories the judges include the Greek actor Christos Liakopoulos and the Corinthian director Christina Lekkaki as well as the award-winning producer and director Lawrence David Foldes, member of SAA Executive Committee, Producers Branch, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, Professor Karl Bardosh from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts and co-founder of the Humanitarian Cellphone Award, the sound designer Mélissa Petitjean, member of Collectif 50/50, the artist Rania Mesiskli, George Mehalchick, scriptwriter and entertainment lawyer and two three-member committees from the Greek and Cypriot chapters of the international organization “Women in Film and Television”.
A) Short films awards in different categories
1. Best Mobile film
The Bird Song – Lawrence Chandam, India, 2020, 3’
2. Best short animation
The award is shared to:
1. Recipe In Exile – Chantal Kassarjian, United States/ΗΠΑ, 2019, 4’30”
and
2. Delivery – Kenna Hornibrook & Crissy Peters, United States, 2020, 6’44’’
3. Best Music short film
C.P. Cavafy | The City (Wherever I Turn My Eyes To) – Aristarchos Papadaniel, Panagiotis Kountouras, Greece, 2019, 3’24’’
4. Best Dance short film
A Tango To Remember – Severine Reisp, United States, 2020, 7’
Honorable mention: Her Mother’s Daughter – Alejandra Cadena-Perez, United States, 2019, 13’47’’
5. Nostimon Imar Award concerns directors and producers of Greek origin who live abroad
1. Kefi, the story of FDF, the Greek Orthodox Folk Dance Festival – Patti Testerman produced by Peter Priovolos, United States, 2019, 41’12’’
WIFT GR gives the Bridges’ Festival established “NOSTIMON IMAR” award to the film KEFI, THE STORY OF FDF, GREEK ORTHODOX FOLK DANCE FESTIVAl by Patti Testerman from the United States, for the exciting, fast alternation of dance and verbal-narrative scenes, with dynamic movement and melodicity. Interesting remarks-references to the role of cultural heritage and the function of tradition in multicultural societies, such as the United States in particular. The film preserves the civilization, encourages multiculturalism and the cooperation of generations and shows us the quality side of the Greek Diaspora.
Honorable mention: Shared Balcony – Fay Efrosini Lellios- Greece,2019,15’
6. Best Experimental/Art short film
Τhe award is shared to:
1. As the wave broke– Alexandra Bekiou, Germany, 2020, 22’11’’
2. Eat – Alberto Zúñiga Rodríguez, Mexico, 2019, 3’
B) Documentaries
1. Best short documentary award
Odysseas journey – The art of memory – Marinos Sklavounakis, Greece, 2019, 14’28’’
Honorable Mention: Nakam – Vera Lelouda, Calliope Liadi, Alexandra Stravoravdi, Angeliki Xirokosta, Greece, 2019, 18’
2. Best Cinematography Award in a Feature Documentary
The New Abolitionists – Christopher Barnes & Christina Zorich, United States, 2020, 98’35”
3. Best Feature Documentary
Don’t forget them – Kamaran Karym, United States, 2020, 51’45’’
Honorable Mention: 972 Breakdowns – On The Landway to New York – Daniel von Rüdiger, Germany, 2020, 110’20”
4. Best Documentary by a Female Director – by WIFT GREECE
Three jury member committee from WIFT Greece: Katerina Evangelakou, film director, Dr Sofia Kaitatzi -Witlock, Professor of Politics and Political Communication at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication of Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece and Petra Terzi, film director and producer, director of Bridges International Film Festival.
Never going back – Janette A. López, Mexico, 2019, 65’54’’
The Artistic Excellence WIFT GR (Women in film and Television in Greece) Award is given to the film NEVER GOING BACK, by Janette López from Mexico. The film highlights a global, painful problem. Immigration due to absolute, economic misery. In an extremely cinematic way, with wonderful scenes of silence and observation, follows the journey of a family of four, from Honduras to the USA, through Mexico. Without emotions, without the conveniences of speculation and explanation, in an abstract and simple way, it reduces family members to dramatic, if not tragic, world symbols of our time.
Honorable Mention A’ : We are visible – Karina Sturm, United States/ΗΠΑ, 2019, 69’6’’
WIFT GR awards with a special mention of Artwork the film WE ARE VISIBLE by Karina Sturm from the United States. The director, who suffers from EDS, records many women suffering from this invisible syndrome with her camera. The film itself is a task for Karina, who travels everywhere with pain and long periods of physical weakness. With tremendous mental strength she manages in using her camera as a weapon in the strange struggle that patients give: to make their disease visible to all of us who do not know it, but also to the doctors around the world who cannot diagnose it, because the symptoms are almost invisible.
Honorable Mention B’: Milestones – MuFei Xu, China / Κίνα, 2019, 88’55’’
WIFT GR awards with a special mention of Artistic Approach the film MILESTONES, by MuFei Xu, from China. MuFei Xu manages in turning the cold time of building a large public project in Djibouti, from a Chinese construction giant, into a revealing anthropological documentary. With perseverance, dedication, penetration and courage she achieves to reveal the deeper background of a closed and cautious people, the Chinese. While project completion time is torturously slow for the workers who are away from their families, conflicts between the cultures of the two people lead to a startling revelation: both indigenous Djiboutian customers and visitors Chinese manufactures, share a deep desire for westernization. This fact unites them and the largest port in the country that is being built slowly during the film, symbolizes that belief.
C) Best “We Can Do” This award concerns persons with special needs/tasks
Áine – Alexandria Cree & Kristen Hilkert ,United States, 2020, 4’45’’
D) Short Films Awards
1. Best Greek short film award
Dark 85% – Haris Pantelidakis, Greece, 2020, 16′
Honorable mention: Off for some Beers! – Haris Gioulatos, Greece, 2020, 20’
Honorable mention for the Cinematography: Buddy -Thanos Tsakopoulos/ Director: Nikos Deligeorgidis,Greece, 2020, 9’
2. Best Short Film in the international competition
The award is shared to:
1. Music box – Yerasimos Papachristopoulos, Greece, 2020, 20’
2. A girl at the fence – Mina Poe, France, 2020, 14’40’’
Special Jury Prize Above the borders – Sokratis Romilios, Greece, 2020, 11’18”
Honorable mention: Alina – Rami Kodeih, United States, 2019, 24’51’’
3. Best female director in a medium length film by WIFT CYPRUS (Women in Film and Television in Cyprus)
Τhree jury member committee from WIFT Cyprus: Bejay Browne, journalist and filmmaker, Maria Palmer, film critic and Anna Christofini, photographer.
Ala Kachuu: Take and Run – Maria Brendle, Switzerland, 2020, 38’26’
4. Best Pilot for a Feature Film by WIFT CYPRUS
The gesture and the word – Helen Alexis Yonov, United States, 2020, 22’48’’
PART B’
GOLDEN PEGASUS AWARDS
The jury for the feature films in the category “Golden Pegasus” consists of distinguished personalities in the film industry such as: Bill Butler – Director of Photography (Oscar nominee for “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”; other films include Jaws, The Godfather, Grease and Rocky), Vivek Singhania – Indian producer, Tiffany Boyle – producer (“After Midnight”, “Line of Duty” starring Aaron Eckhart; “Arkansas” starring Liam Hemsworth, “Chick Fight” starring Malin Akerman, Alec Baldwin and Bella Thorn), and Brian Trenchard-Smith- director and producer (“BMX Bandits” starring Nicole Kidman, “Happy Face Murders” starring Ann-Margret, “DC 9/11: Time of Crisis” starring Timothy Bottoms).
Thirteen feature films compete for the «Golden Pegasos» award.
1. Sarmako: A Tale of the North- Marco Papadopoulos, Germany, 2020, 115’
2. Iris – Diana Rodriguez, United States, 2020, 104’
3. Just A Fling – Gorune Aprikian, France, 2016, 85′
4. Being Mortal – Liu Ze, China, 2020, 98’11’’
5. Grey Fish – He Sheng, China, 2020, 79’24’’
6. Woman of the Photographs – Takeshi Kushida, Japan, 2020, 88’48’’
7. Love is not love – Stephen Keep Mills, United States, 2020, 94’41’’
8. Steppe man – Shamil Aliyev, Azerbaijan, 2012, 79’18’’
9. Daytime nightmare – Katrina Grey, United Kingdom, 2020, 85’
10. Gutter boy (a journey to Hell) – Anupam Khanna Baswal, India, 2020, 61’32’’
11. Come come rain – Ms Shafaq Khan, India, 2019, 93’55’’
12. Our own – Jeanne Leblanc , Canada, 2019, 103’
13. Sweet taste of souls – Terry Ross, United States, 2020, 98’50’’
1. Best cinematography in a feature film
Nominations
1. Our own – Tobie Marie Robitaille, Canada
2. Just A Fling – Gorune Aprikian, France
3. Being Mortal – Liu Ze, China
Winner: Our own – Tobie Marie Robitaille, Canada
2.Best actor in a supporting role in a feature film
Nominations
1. Our own – Paul Doucet, Canada
2. Sarmako – A Tale of the North – Dimitris Krikos, Germany
Winner: Our own – Paul Doucet, Canada
3. Best actor in a leading role in a feature film
Nominations
1. Just A Fling – Amaury de Crayencour, France
2. Sarmako: A Tale of the North- Alexandros Nikolaides, Germany
3. Woman of the photographs – Hideki Nagai, Japan
Winner: Just A Fling – Amaury de Crayencour, France
5. Best actress in a supporting role in a feature film
Nominations
1. Our own – Marianne Farley, Canada
2. Love is not love – Tonya Cornelisse, United States
3. Sweet taste of souls – Terry Ross, United States
Winner: Our own – Marianne Farley, Canada
4. Best actress in a leading role in a feature film
Nominations
1. Just a Fling – Fanny Valette, France
2. Iris – Alice Kremelberg, United States
3. Our Own – Émilie Bierre, Canada
Winner: Our own – Émilie Bierre , Canada
6.Best editing in a feature film
Nominations
1. Love is not love – Karen Glienke, United States
2. Just a fling – Annick Raoul, France
3. Our Own – Aube Foglia, Canada
Winner: Just a fling – Annick Raoul, France
7. Best script in a feature film
Nominations
1. Our own – Judith Baribeau & Jeanne Leblanc, Canada
2. Sarmako: A Tale of the North – Marco Papadopoulos, Germany
3. Just A Fling – Gorune Aprikian, France
Winner: Our own – Judith Baribeau & Jeanne Leblanc, Canada
8. Best production design in a feature film
Nominations
1. Iris – Rocio Gimenez, United States
2. Steppe Man – Rafig Nasirov, Azerbaizan
3. Our Own – Eric Barbeau, Canada
Winner: Our Own – Eric Barbeau, Canada
9. Best Sets/Locations in a feature film
Nominations
1. Woman of the Photographs – Takeshi Kushida, Japan
2. Steppe Man – Rafig Nasirov, Azerbaijan
3. Our Own – Sergine Brouillette, Canada
Winner: Steppe Man – Rafig Nasirov, Azerbaijan
10. Best sets/costumes in a feature film
Nominations
1. Sarmako: A Tale of the North – Elena Koutsou, Germany
2. Iris – Celeste Montalvo, United States
3. Gutter Boy – Anupam Khanna Baswal, India
Winner: Sarmako: A Tale of the North – Elena Koutsou, Germany
11. Best original score in a feature film
Nominations
1. Just A fling – Emmanuel d’Orlando, France
2. Iris – Jeff Allyn Szwast, United States
3. Gray Fish – Ding Ke(丁可) and Wu Peini (吴沛妮), China
Winner: Just A fling – Emmanuel d’Orlando, France
12. Best sound design in a feature film
Nominations
1. Our own – Marie-Hélène Delorme, Canada
2. Steppe Man – Rauf Aliyev, Azerbaijan
3. Just A Fling – Sandy Notarianni, France
Winner: Our own – Marie-Hélène Delorme, Canada
13. Best director in a feature film
Nominations
1. Just A Fling – Gorune Aprikian, France
2. Being Mortal – Liu Ze, China
3. Our own – Jeanne Leblanc, Canada
Winner: Our own – Jeanne Leblanc, Canada
14. Τhe GOLDEN PEGASUS award goes to the feature film
Our own – Jeanne Leblanc, Canada, 2019, 103’