The 29th LA Shorts International Film Festival announced its winners at last night’s award ceremony in Echo Park. The festival is accredited by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences OSCAR®, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts BAFTA and the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (ACCT) presenters of the Canadian Screen Awards and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Spain (Goya Awards). Categories that Oscar Qualify are Best in Fest, Best International Film, Best Documentary and Best Animation Film. Daood Alabdulaa (Photo Above) was awarded Best in Fest for German-Syrian co-production WALUD, and the Polish drama PEOPLE & THINGS directed by Damian Kosowski, won Best International Film. .Classroom 4 directed by Eden Wurmfeld – winner of Best Documentary at Aspen Shortsfest won Best Documentary and Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado, directed by Natalia León, an animated short that won the jury award at the Sundance Film Festival won Best Animation Film.
The full winners list:
Best of Fest
Walud by Daood Alabdulaa
Best International
People & Things by Damian Kosowski
Best Drama
A King’s Curtain by Grant M Johnson
Best Comedy
The Lot by Raffaele Vesco
Best Animation
Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado by Natalia León
Best Experimental
Memoir by Aiden Keltner
Best Documentary
Classroom 4 by Eden Wurmfeld
Best Sci-Fi
Dream Machine by Dan Egan
Best Horror
Mermaid by Ginger Gonzaga
Best Music Video
Dominant. by Nik Kleverov
Best Web Series
Samson’s Hammer by Vahan Bedelian
Best Vertical
Undercover Prison King by ReelShort
Best A.I.
Torment by Sijia Zheng
Best High School Film
Why Can’t We Just Be Ghosts? by Patrick Jang
Best Actor
Caley Versfelt in Believe
Immaculate Heart Community Filmmaker Award
Walud by Daood Alabdulaa
Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado by Natalia León
Classroom 4 by Eden Wurmfeld
The Window on Death Row by Linda Freund
Seeds from Kivu by Néstor López, Carlos Valle
A City That Cares by Aaron Hosé
On Healing Land, Birds Perch by Julian Cautherley
Exodus by Bob Miller
Fenice by Sterling Hampton
The Immaculate Heart Community awards $5000 in cash prizes for its winners.
LA Shorts International Film Festival ranks among the most prestigious and largest international short film festivals in the world. The festival is accredited by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences OSCAR®, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts BAFTA, and the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television ACCT Canadian Screen Awards and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Spain GOYA AWARDS. 66 LA Shorts filmmakers have earned Academy Award® nominations, with 17 taking home the Oscar.
Now in its 29th year, LA Shorts is the longest-running short film festival in Los Angeles. The festival screens over 300 films and attracts 10,000 attendees each year, including Hollywood industry professionals and emerging undiscovered independent filmmakers. For more information visit www.LAshortsFest.com
