PRESS RELEASE: International Shorts Film Festival Announces Winners

International Shorts Film Festival Announces Winners

MEDIA RELEASE: In its most successful year, the International Shorts Film Festival saw a record 523 short films from 54 countries submitted for judging in 2019. 440 films were chosen to be in the festival’s ‘Official Selection’ throughout the year, with 26 short films being chosen as either finalists or category winners.

“We’re wrapped with the response from around the world, and amazed and inspired by the quality of work from these filmmakers,” said Founder and Festival Director, Vanessa Abbott.

David O’Reilly’s Kubrick by Candlelight was chosen as ‘Best Short Film’, a light-hearted romantic comedy set behind the scenes of the filming of Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon. “A great start to the week here in a very, very cold London,” said the Director upon hearing the news.

Category winners announced as follows:

Best Short Film
– WINNER: Kubrick by Candlelight (Ireland), Dir. David O’Reilly
– FINALIST: Startshot (Switzerland/Germany), Dir Samuel Perriard
– FINALIST: Nemisis (Iran), Dir. Behzad Jafarimazhab Haghighi

Best Documentary Short Film
– WINNER: A Passion of Gold and Fire (Belgium), Dir. Sébastien Pins
– FINALIST: Soldier of Comedy (Australia), Dir. Duke Howard
– FINALIST: Gaza: Still Alive (UK/Palestine), Dir. Harry Fear

Best Comedy Short Film
– WINNER: Instant Crush (Mexico), Dir. Einar Brodden
– FINALIST: A Low-Budget Film (Brazil), Dir. Paulo Leierer
– FINALIST: Lady Parts (United States), Dir. Erin Rye and Jessica Sherif

Best Horror Short Film
– WINNER: A Triste Figura (Brazil), Dir. Calebe Lopes
– FINALIST: Territory (Malta), Dir. Cedric Vella
– FINALIST: Stand (United States), Dir. Chris Daniels

Best Animated Short Film
– WINNER: A Poem (France), Dir. Clément Fréchein
– FINALIST: Passage (United States), Dir. Asavari Kumar
– FINALIST: Siggy Brat (Czech Republic), Dir. Tomáš Svašek

Best LGBTIQ Short Film
– WINNER: Kiko’s Saints (France), Dir. Manuel Marmier
– FINALIST: Because Your Mine (France), Dir. Jean-Baptiste Huong
– FINALIST: Artemio’s Lonliness Vol. 1 (Mexico), Dir. Juan Carlos R. Larrondo
– FINALIST: Bunny (United States), Dir. Hunter Ray Barker and Tucker Tripp
– FINALIST: Parking (Iran), Dir. Ahmad Seyfipour

Best Adult/Erotic Short Film
– WINNER: Piss Off (United States), Dir. Henry Baker
– FINALIST: Adorn (United States), Dir. Jennifer Lyon Bell
– FINALIST: Alla Prima (United States), Dir. Angie Rowntree

Best Performance
– WINNER: Etienne Baret in Hollow Tooth (France)
– FINALIST: Igor Lewicki in Ghosts in the Ink (United States)
– FINALIST: Hugo Luna and Baruch Valdés in Salt Bodies (Mexico)

Best Director
– WINNER: Igor Lewicki for Ghosts in the Ink (United States)
– FINALIST: Samuel Kaperski for Hollow Tooth (France)
– FINALIST: Samuel Perriard for Starshot (Switzerland/Germany)

Best Cinematography
– WINNER: J. Daniel Zúñiga for Artemio’s Lonliness Vol. 1 (Mexico)
– FINALIST: Stil Williams for Kubrick by Candlelight (Ireland)
– FINALIST: Keshav Srinivasan for Living in Anger (United States)

The International Shorts Film Festival (ISFF) is a not-for-profit festival promoting short films along with the filmmakers who make them. Inaugurated in 2018, we are dedicated to the celebration of short films. After the inaugural festival screenings in Melbourne, Australia, in 2018 the concept of the ISFF is to offer additional screenings of winning films in cities around the world.

James Cunningham, Program Director, added: “The whole team have really brought our International Shorts Film Festival from a good space to an incredibly professional, very successful program that really gives back to the international filmmaking community as well as entertains them. We cannot thank them enough for this wonderful program for filmmakers around the world and we look forward to carrying on their great work”.

The concept of the International Shorts Film Festival is to grow. As well as accepting submissions from all of the world, the festival plans to offer screenings of winning films in multiple cities in 2020 and beyond making this a truly ‘international film festival’. International venues wanting to hold collaborative screenings are encouraged to jump on the website and get in touch with International Shorts Film Festival team.

International Shorts Film Festival wishes to thank all those incredible filmmakers around the word as well as congratulate all winners and finalists. Submissions for the next International Shorts Film Festival will open in early 2020, with new festival dates being announced.

Media Enquiries:
Vanessa Abbott
Founder and Festival Director
International Shorts Film Festival
[email protected]

WEBSITE:
http://www.internationalshorts.org

TWITTER: