2008 Best of Show
	Apprentice Productions, LLC, All Along, feature film, is a kooky, everyman comedy in which a midlife working stiff descends into daydreams in order to escape his mundane reality. One commonality that exists within all his fantasies is the appearance of a mysterious blond-haired beauty. This is a highly amusing film with outstanding performances by Bill Page and Krista Allen. (2008)
	Dempsey Tillman, Collector, short film, award given to Brad Renfro as leading actor for his portrayal of a man who struggles with mental illness that forces him to separate himself from his son and his very life. Carefully crafted to increase dramatic tension, filmmaker Dempsey Tillman drives the story to reveal the heart of the protagonist’s troubled spirit. best movies are always about character development and storytelling; the Collector excels at both (2008)
	Pac Arias, P3rsona, short film, is the story of a schizophrenic and his different personas. This tightly crafted film excels at portraying the protagonist’s dark side while unveiling his struggle to find love and hope. The highlight of the film is the intense, masterful performance by Gregory Berger-Sobeck. (2008)
	zdfilms, Children of the Amazon, feature documentary, follows Brazilian filmmaker Denise Zmekhol as she travels a modern highway deep into the Amazon to tell the story of what happened to life in the largest rainforest on earth when a road was built straight through its heart. Beautiful footage, indigenous voices, and yet another reminder that we are all interdependent. (2008)
2007 Best of Show
	BlueLantern Films, Lost Crossing, short film (independent), stars a 15 year-old who finds herself stranded in a small town and is cornered by a dangerous situation after she meets an emotionally needy fellow traveler. Shot with a Panasonic HVX200 HD camera and edited in Final Cut, the film has the mood and appeal of a more costly production. Director Eric Blue conveys the feelings of being “trapped” and “confined”. (2007)
	Independent Producer’s Alliance, The Ultimate Gift, feature film, is the story of a young man’s journey to solve the question of the relationship between wealth and happiness. Producer Rick Eldridge of The Film Foundry and Director Michael Sajbel feature an all-star cast including Abigail Breslin, Bill Cobbs, Brian Dennehy, Drew Fuller, and James Garner. It’s a heart-warming, thought-provoking movie, filled with intergenerational themes. (2007)
	Josh Dobson, Running Down West, short film (independent), is a first film by a promising young director. Great films are about character development and storytelling. Dobson treats viewers with unfolding character development as the innocence of the young protagonist is threatened by a troubled vagrant’s desire for revenge. The film is textured with an unusual color pallet and tight shots that heighten the dramatic mood. (2007)
	Julius R. Nasso Productions, The Poet, feature film, portrays the turbulent story of a rabbi’s daughter and a German soldier who steps in to save her life during the midst of World War II. This forbidden love triangle, directed by Damian Lee, is brought to life by a talented cast including Daryl Hannah, Roy Scheider, Zeon Lee and Kim Coates. The ending supplies a twist that few would expect. (2007)
	Mandalay Sports Action Entertainment, For Right Or Wrong, viewer impact, is an action-sports adventure that gives the audience an adrenaline rush while examining the many facets that make up snowboarding. One of the Accolade judges said, “This made a big impact on me, I could not take my eyes off it and wanted more when it was over.” Website
	Sledgehammer With Wings (England), Circumcise This!, short film, is a laugh-out-loud, “cutting-edge” comedy. A young Jewish father convinces his wife that their newborn son should be circumcised by a rabbi that is highly recommended on the internet. But, when the ninety year old rabbi arrives, it’s clear who wrote the recommendation. Fast moving, well-crafted and highly amusing. (2007)
	Von Piglet Productions, Circus Of Infinity, short film – independent, draws a parallel between a circus cannon act and the journey of life. The film’s protagonist, Baby Violet, asks if there will be a net to catch her from her fall. The writer/director of this dreamy, existential film, Sue Corcoran, is an emerging force in filmmaking. Website
	Wilder/Gaz Films, Diamond Zero, feature film, is an offbeat, just-for-fun tale of Dr. Simon Lockbuster who invents a machine that turns people into diamonds to be sold on the Celebrity Diamond Network. It was a marvelous plan until they ran out of corpses. This is a film that doesn’t take itself seriously, is adequately sinister for youthful tastes, and thus, may attract a cultfollowing. Entertaining storyline and well edited. (2007)
2006 Best of Show
	American Film Institute, Auteur, short film, combines classic elements of satire, along with a well-honed character study of its protagonist. It is a humorously barbed look at show business, as well as a sad tale of a man who orchestrates his own undoing. (2006)
	Atomic Audio, Inc. (Canada), Nightmare, sound - overall impact, demonstrates that sound is as important as visuals in creating dramatic suspense. Subtle, yet powerful, use of sound provokes viewers as the man in this film moves through the realms of his mind confronting demons within. (2006)
	Freak Short Film Agency (Spain), Contracuerpo, short film, is a stylized, interpretive portrait of a young, anorexic woman who loses herself within the labyrinth of her obsession to transfer her herself into a mannequin-like body. Psychologically complex and visually compelling. (2006)
	Daytime Pictures, Perspective, student production, is a journey of determination, denial and discovery into love and loss. Winner of a gold metal at the Student Academy Awards, the directors use split screens to allow viewers to see and hear inside the characters’ minds. (2006)
	Julius R. Nasso Productions, One Eyed King, feature film, is set in Hell’s Kitchen and tells the story of the Irish mob and its generations of gangsters. It’s a tale of epic proportions, like The Godfather, with an all-star cast including William Baldwin, Armand Assante and Chazz Palminteri. Fast moving and highly entertaining. (2006)
	Maxim Pictures, Ltd. (Ireland), Ghostwood, feature film, is a thriller that delves into Ireland’s still-living supernatural mythology. The story is told through the eyes of a New Yorker who returns to Ireland for his father’s funeral and becomes absorbed in the mythology and Christanity of a remote village. (2006)
	Out Of The Way Productions, The Joy Cafe, motivational/inspirational, is written and directed by Lis Anna, a powerful new force in filmmaking. This short film is a heart-warming story of a café owner who decides not to sell her business when she discovers that her customers and employees need the big plate of joy she always delivers. (2006)
	Walk On The Beach Productions, Broken, feature film, combines a strong, but dark plot, with excellent character development. Hope (Heather Graham) makes acquaintance with Will (Jeremy Sisto) who is determined to take deadly measures to ensure that he and his true love always remain together - whether in the comforting light of life, or the cold embrace of death. (2006) Website
2005 Best of Show
	Empty Building Production Corporation, The Empty Building, awarded an Accolade for creativity/originality, is Giovanni Sanseviero’s directorial debut. Combining past and present with dreamlike textures, this 42-minute film is sparse in dialogue and heavy with rich and artful imagery. Stretching beyond conventional narrative structures, Sanseviero may be foreshadowing the first inklings of future masterpieces. (2005)
	Sharp Rock Entertainment, Long Night's Reprieve, student production, directed by Damon Kubiak, is a film noir in which a former cop turned private investigator seeks the truth while haunted by his past. It was produced entirely by senior-level students at California State University Northridge’s Department of Cinema and Television Arts. (2005)
2004 Best of Show
	Alan Williams, Kilimanjaro: To The Roof Of Africa, original score/music/composer, the expansive landscape of Mount Kilimanjaro provides the setting around which Alan Williams crafts a complex and beautiful orchestral score. (2004)
	RCN Entertainment, What’s Going On?: Sierra Leone, contemporary issues, Michael Douglas, U.N. Messenger of Peace, explores first-hand the fate of the thousands of children who were stolen from their villages in Sierra Leone to be soldiers. (2004)
	Otnee Boy Productions, String Of The Kite, short film, a heart-warming story of a grandfather’s love and his grandson’s discovery that the truth lies somewhere between the moon and the earth. (2004)
2003 Best of Show
	Devon Chivvis, Dance With Me, college/university, romantic short in which a mysterious stranger causes an aging waiter to chose between youth or love. (2003)
	Wallin-Eddy Inc., The Box, feature length documentary, first-hand accounts of 9/11. (2003)
	Latigo Filmworks, By The Sea, feature length film, an English-language romantic comedy that follows the journey of a Cuban-American woman searching for love. (2003)