Award Nominees & Winners 

Award winners will be announced Sunday, March 26th, 2023. 

VIFF 2023 AWARD NOMINEES

Best International Documentary Short

Nerea’s Way Directed by Mercedes Aranguren

Ekai Directed by Arantza Ibarra Basañez

The Dark Horse of Suffragettes Directed by Nina Bhalla and Swati Chugh

A Better Place Directed by Jennifer Fearnley

Women on a Roll Directed by Alma Tabernero

 

Best Experimental Short

You Don’t Have to Take Orders from the Moon Directed by Jaina Cipriano

Resurrection Day Directed by Sabrina Peña Young

A Psychogeography of Mourning Directed by Shayna Connelly

The Aftermath Directed by LaChelle Joy Hunt

 

Best Student Film

La Colectiva: Immigrant Diaries Directed by Leigh-Anna Nielsen

The Color Grey Directed by Bella C. Sonen

Max & Taco (Get Their Sh*t Together) Directed by Caitlin Ferrell

Your Move Directed by May Suri

Fish Out of Water Directed by Sasha Nelson

 

Best Narrative Feature

Unpacking Directed by Alexandra Clayton and Michal Sinnott

Mother of Color Directed Dawn Jones Redstone

 

Best WNY Short

Simulacrum Directed by Taylor Martin

The Last Option Directed by Victoria Hutton

Infatuation Directed by Kristen Skeet

Give the Gate Directed by Taylor Martin

Resurrection Day Directed by Sabrina Peña Young

 

Best Documentary Short

All in the Water Directed by Judy Larson

The Gnardashians Directed by Julieana Rusnak

True Believers at the Insurrection: Road to the Capitol Directed by Sandi Bachom

 

Best Documentary Feature

A Woman on the Outside Directed by Lisa Riordan Seville and Zara Katz

Las Abogadas: Attorneys on the Front Lines of the Migrant Crisis Directed by Victoria Bruce

The Photographer of the Volcano Directed by Mar Navarro Llombart

 

Best Horror Short

Kickstart My Heart Directed by Kelsey Bollig

MissUnderstood Monster Directed by Lindsay Serrano

Billy Must Live Directed by Taylor Martin

You Don't Have to Take Orders from the Moon Directed by Jaina Cipriano

 

Best Drama Short

I Think It’s Broken Directed by Kimberlee Peterson

Shadowed Reflections Directed by Emma Mackenzie

The Aftermath Directed by LaChelle Joy Hunt

Shut the Box Directed by Brittany Benedict

Fortune Teller Directed by Julia Tutko-Balena

 

Best International Horror Short

112 Directed by Mireia Bote

Popcorn Directed by Monica Dolado

No Clickbait Directed by Carla Gobe

 

Social Impact Award

Mother of Color Directed by Dawn Jones Redstone

Tell Me About Orange Directed by Robin Noonan-Price

Opprobrium Directed by Missy Bell

I Think It’s Broken Directed by Kimberlee Peterson

La Colectiva: Immigrant Diaries Directed by Leigh-Anna Nielsen

Las Abogadas: Attorneys on the Front Lines of the Migrant Crisis Directed by Victoria Bruce

 

Global Awareness Award

Luz Directed by Cristina Urgel

A Better Place Directed by Jennifer Fearnley

Ekai Directed by Arantza Ibarra Basañez

Forgotten Song Directed by Monika Grzybowska

Titi Directed by Marzieh Fakhar

 

Best Comedy Short

MissUnderstood Monster Directed by Lindsay Serrano

Dark Energy Directed by Christy Summerhays

Impression Directed by Dinah Rokhinson

 

Best International Short

The Gladiators Directed by Maryam Rahimi

Put Away Directed by A.D. Cooper

Pregnant Directed by Golnaz Jamsheed

Trapped Directed by Sheri Van Geest

Made of Flesh Directed by Florence Rochat and Serena Robin


Best of the Fest

Las Abogadas: Attorneys on the Front Lines of the Migrant Crisis Directed by Victoria Bruce

A Woman on the Outside Directed by Lisa Riordan Seville and Zara Katz

Mother of Color Directed by Dawn Jones Redstone

Unpacking Directed by Alexandra Clayton and Michal Sinnott

The Gnardashians Directed by Julieana Rusnak


Valkyrie Spirit Award

TBA at the Award Ceremony.