2023 SELECTIONS

Accepted Films: 62

International Films: 18

U.S. Films: 44

Narrative Features

Mother of Color (U.S.) Directed by Dawn Jones Redstone

Unpacking (U.S.) Directed by Alexandra Clayton, Michal Sinnott

International Narrative Shorts

112 (Spain) Directed by Mireia Boté

Forgotten Song (Poland) Directed by Monika Grzybowska

Luz (Spain) Directed by Cristina Urgel

Made of Flesh (France) Directed by Florence Rochat, Séréna Robin

No Clickbait (Spain) Directed by Carla Gobe

Popcorn (Spain) Directed by Monica Dolado

Pregnant (Iran) Directed by Golnaz Jamsheed

Put Away (U.K.) Directed by A.D. Cooper

Roads Not Taken (Austria) Directed by Kat Rohrer

The Gladiators (Iran) Directed by Maryam Rahimi

Titi (Iran) Directed by Marzieh Fakhar

Trapped (Australia) Directed by Sheri Van Geest

U.S. Narrative Shorts

Beach Day (U.S.) Directed by Robin Johnson

Birdhouse (U.S.) Directed by Jessica Prudencio

Dark Energy (U.S.) Directed by Christy Summerhays

Fish Out of Water (U.S.) Directed by Sasha Nelson

Fortune Teller (U.S.) Directed by Julia Tutko-Balena

Guidance (U.S.) Directed by Julia Tutko-Balena

I Think It's Broken (U.S.) Directed by Kimberlee Peterson

Impression (U.S.) Directed by Dinah Rokhinson

Kickstart My Heart (U.S.) Directed by Kelsey Bollig

Letter of Truth (U.S.) Directed by Brittany Severance

MissUnderstood Monster (U.S.) Directed by Lindsay Serrano

Opprobrium (U.S.) Directed by Missy Bell

Shadowed Reflections (U.S.) Directed by Emma Mackenzie

Shut The Box (U.S.) Directed by Brittany Benedict

Subscribed (U.S.) Directed by Diana Porter

Tell Me About Orange (U.S.) Directed by Robin Noonan-Price

The Aftermath (U.S.) Directed by LaChelle Joy Hunt

Student Films

La Colectiva: Immigrant Diaries (U.S.) Directed by Leigh-Anna Nielsen

Max & Taco (Get Their Shit Together) (U.S.) Directed by Caitlin Ferrell

Places That Are Mine (U.S.) Directed by Johanna Ziegler

The Color Grey (U.S.) Directed by Bella C. Sonen 

Your Move (U.S.) Directed by May Suri

WNY Shorts

Alone Directed by Kristen Skeet

Billy Must Live Directed by Taylor Martin

Give the Gate Directed by Taylor Martin

Infatuation Directed by Kristen Skeet

Resurrection Day Directed by Sabrina Peña Young

Rusalka Directed by Victoria Hutton

Simulacrum Directed by Taylor Martin

Sister Kelly's Glass Journey Directed by Gayle Petri

The Last Option Directed by Victoria Hutton

Turning The Pages Directed by Sami Carol

Documentary Features

A Woman on the Outside (U.S.) Directed by Lisa Riordan Seville & Zara Katz

Las Abogadas: Attorneys on the Front Lines of the Migrant Crisis (U.S.) Directed by Victoria Bruce

The Photographer of the Volcano (Portugal) Directed by Mar Navarro Llombart

Documentary Shorts

A Better Place (U.K.) Directed by Jennifer Fearnley

All in the Water (U.S.) Directed by Judy Larson

CityTREES (U.S.) Directed by Kristin Reiber Harris

Ekai (Spain) Directed by Arantza Ibarra Basañez

Nerea's Way/El Camino de Nerea (Spain) Directed by Mercedes Aranguren

The Dark Horse of Suffragettes (U.K.) Directed by Nina Bhalla & Swati Chugh

The Gnardashians (U.S.) Directed by Julieana Rusnak

True Believers At The Insurrection: Road to the Capitol (U.S.) Directed by Sandi Bachom

Women On a Roll (Netherlands) Directed by Alma Tabernero

Experimental Shorts

A Psychogeography of Mourning (U.S.) Directed by Shayna Connelly

Illuminated (U.S.) Directed by Brittany Severance

Night Owls (U.S.) Directed by Gabrielle Rosson

You Don't Have to Take Orders From The Moon (U.S.) Directed by Jaina Cipriano

VIFF 2023 AWARD NOMINEES & WINNERS

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

Winners

Best International Documentary Short

Nerea’s Way Directed by Mercedes Aranguren

Best Experimental Short

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

Best Student Film

La Colectiva: Immigrant Diaries Directed by Leigh-Anna Nielsen

Best Narrative Feature

Unpacking Directed by Alexandra Clayton and Michal Sinnott

Best WNY Short

Simulacrum Directed by Taylor Martin

Best Documentary Short

All in the Water Directed by Judy Larson

Best Documentary Feature

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

Best Horror Short

Kickstart My Heart Directed by Kelsey Bollig

Best Drama Short

Shadowed Reflections Directed by Emma Mackenzie

Best International Horror Short

112 Directed by Mireia Boté 

Social Impact Award

Mother of Color Directed by Dawn Jones Redstone

Global Awareness Award

Luz Directed by Cristina Urgel

Best Comedy Short

Impression Directed by Dinah Rokhinson

Best International Short

The Gladiators Directed by Maryam Rahimi

Best of the Fest

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

Valkyrie Spirit Award

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

Best Horror-Comedy

MissUnderstood Monster Directed by Lindsay Serrano

Empowerment Award

Opprobrium Directed by Missy Bell