Congratulations to all the winners

The 21st International Family Film Festival wrapped up in Hollywood over the weekend, culminating in an awards ceremony guided by multiple award-winning voice actor Bill Farmer, who plays “Goofy” and “Pluto” for Disney and last year took home an Annie Award for his work on Mickey Mouse. Actor-producer Diane Baker was also on hand to present the jury awards during the event, which featured live entertainment by EJ and The Katz.

Of special note was was the 2016 Friz Award for Animation, which was bestowed on voice and casting director Andrea Romano in recognition of her 30 years of dedication to the world of animation. The award was presented by colleagues Kevin Conroy, who voices Batman in most animated projects, and Rob Paulsen, voice of Pinky from Animaniacs.

Congratulations to Andrea Romano,

IFFF 2016 "Friz Award" Honoree!

2016 IFFF Feature Film Awards

BEST DRAMA

WINNER
Another Day in Paradise
Director: Jeffery Patterson
Once Upon A Dream Productions

FINALIST
Hot Bath, Stiff Drink an’ a Close Shave
Director: Matthew Gratzner
Once Upon A Dream Productions

BEST DRAMA - FOREIGN

WINNER
Sabina K. (Bosnia)
Director/Writer: Cristobal Krusen
Messenger Films

FINALIST
(Aurelie Laflamme) Somewhat Grounded (Canada)
Director: Nicholas Monette
Ubisoft Entertainment/Telefiction Distribution

 
BEST COMEDY

WINNER
Can I Get A Witness Protection?
Director/Writer: Robert G. Lee
WitPro Productions LLC

FINALIST
Spent
Director/Writer/Producer: Lisa Mikitarian
Rump Roast Productions

 
BEST COMEDY - FOREIGN

WINNER
Undercover Grandpa (Canada)
Director: Erik Canuel
Grandpa Productions Ltd
Taji Film Distribution, Inc

 
BEST ANIMATION - FOREIGN

WINNER
El Americano: The Movie (Mexico)
Directors: Ricardo Arnaiz, Mike Kunkel, Raul Garcia
Animex Productions

 
BEST DOCUMENTARY

WINNER
Get In The Way – The Journey of John Lewis
Director/Producer/Writer: Kathleen Dowdey
Early Light Productions

 
BEST DOCUMENTARY - FOREIGN

WINNER
Little Gandhi (Syria)
Director/Producer: Sam Kadi
SamK Productions

FINALIST
Hearken! Our Voice (Hong Kong)
Director: Yau Kwan Ho
Media Evangelism LTD

 
BEST MIXED MEDIA

WINNER
Time Toys
Director:/Writer: Mark Rosman
Snowfall Productions, Madelyn Productions, LLC

 
PEARL AWARD WINNER

Fourth World
Director/Producer: David Bolt
Bring Me Hope Foundation

 
TOP APPLAUSE AWARD WINNER

Ridge Runners
Director: Hunter West
Flydog Productions

 
BEST CHILD ACTOR

WINNER
Dylan Everett
Undercover Grandpa
Grandpa Productions, Ltd

FINALISTS
Autumn Patterson, & Madeline Paige Patterson
Another Day in Paradise
Once Upon A Dream Productions

2016 IFFF Short Film Awards

BEST DRAMA

Winner
Someone Good Will Find You
Director: Leelila Strogov
Brattle Street Films

Finalist
My Darling
Director: Tim Gray
Ascending Films

BEST DRAMA - FOREIGN

Winner
Love, Worth It (Amore Vale) (Spain)
Director/Producer: Annette Reid
JACK Productions, Fasha Films,
Intangible Productions, LLC

Finalist
Soft Landing (South Africa)
Director: Linsen Loots
Wyrd Films & Distribution

 
BEST COMEDY

Winner
Charming
Director/Producer/Writer: Tom Albanese
Pocket Man Entertainment

Finalist
Blackmail
Director: Stephen Burhoe
Wire Ride Productions

 
BEST COMEDY - FOREIGN

Winner
The Double Cross (UK)
Director/Writer/Producer: Mark Brocking
Mark Brocking Films

 
BEST ANIMATION

Winner
Erin, Owen, and the Loch Ness Monster
Director/Producer: Nicholas Julius
Longway Home Productions

Finalist
The Story of Christmas
Directors/Animators: Josh Stifter, Jeremy Wanek
Spark Story Bible Adventures

 
BEST ANIMATION - FOREIGN

Winner
Agrinoui (Cyprus)
Director/Animator/Writer/Producer: Alexis Chaviaras
Chaviaras Productions

Finalist
Violet (Ireland)
Director/Animator/Editor: Maurice Joyce
Tidy Toys Pictures

 
BEST DOCUMENTARY

Winner
The Whimsical Imagineer
Director/Producer: Kenneth Kebow
Kenbow Productions

Finalist
The Edge of Impossible
Director/Writer: Connor Toumarkine
High Fives Foundation

 
BEST DOCUMENTARY - FOREIGN

Winner
Rock n’ Roll Island (UK)
Directors: Cheryl Robson, Helen Walker
Aurora Metro

BEST MIXED MEDIA

Winner
Muggs & Toast
Director/Producer/Animator: Ron Schildknecht
Germantown Films

Finalist
Force Full Imagination Part 2
Director: James Eimmerman
Still Point Films

BEST MUSICAL

Winner
Light
Director/DP/Editor: Norman Bosworth
Empath Media LLC

2016 IFFF Student Shorts Awards

BEST STUDENT DRAMA

Winner
Isa and the Frog Prince
Director: Yingxiang Huang
Florida State University

Finalist
The King of Trickery
Director: Thea Naerdal
Academy of Art University

BEST  STUDENT COMEDY

Winner
Fanny Pack
Director/Writer: Uttera Singh
University of Southern California

Finalist
Inventing A Laugh
Director/Writer: Carolina M. Lartilleux
New York Film Academy

BEST STUDENT ANIMATION

Winner
Adija
Director/Animator: Apollonia Thomaier
Digipen Institute of Technology

Finalist
Steadfast Stanley
Director/Writer/Animator: John Kim
CalArts

BEST STUDENT DOCUMENTARY

Winner
A Wealthy Diagnosis
Director/Editor: Araceli Haslam
Spyhop – Youth Media Matters

Finalist
By the Hour
Director: Sophie Turok
Spyhop – Youth Media Matters

BEST STUDENT DOCUMENTARY - FOREIGN

Winner
Leaving Greece (Germany)
Director/DP: Anna Brass
University of TV & Film Munich

BEST STUDENT MUSICAL

Winner
The Lottery
Director: Han Rui Wang
Academy of Art

MIXED MEDIA

Winner
Repaired
Director/Editor: Marcelo Barbosa
New York Film Academy

Finalist
Super Chef
Director/Writer: Rochelle Rose
Florida State University 

2016 IFFF Youth Fest! Awards

BEST DRAMA

Winner
Attached At the Soul
Director/Producer: William Leon
Thru the Window Productions, CA

Finalist
Pull the Pin
Director: Parker Queenan
Vanishing Point Pictures, CA

BEST DRAMA - CLASS

Winner
Dangerous Games
Director/Editor/DP/Music: Anthony Mendoza
Rosemary Clark Middle School, NV

BEST COMEDY – AGES 8-13

Winner
Space Kids
Director/Producer: Gabriella Papera
Manhattan Beach Middle School, CA

Finalist
Fashion Feline: The Movie
Director: Jessie Finch
Home School, Glendale, CA

BEST COMEDY – AGES 8-13 FOREIGN

Winner
The Candy Girl (Canada)
Director: Joshua Costea
Handworth Secondary School

BEST DOCUMENTARY - AGES 14-17

Winner
Poet Against Prejudice
Director/DP: Faiza Almontaser
Brooklyn International High School, NY

Winner
Skin
Director/Writer: Nina Milligan
Harvard Westlake High School, CA

Finalist
Running for Her Life
Director/Writer: Kinley McCaffrey
Harvard Westlake High School, CA

BEST DOCUMENTARY– AGES 8-13

Winner
Friendship
Director/Writer/Producer: Cameron S. Bontrager
Morningside Elementary School, GA

BEST DOCUMENTARY - CLASS, AGES 14-17

Winner
Cambodia – The Next Generation
Directors: Emilia Holt, Marina Weidmann
Harvard Westlake High School, CA

Winner
The Daughters of Cambodia
Directors: Maya Hinkin, Nicole Kim, Tarin North, William Park
Harvard Westlake High School, CA

Finalist
Us & Us
Directors: Trey Carlisle, Cole Kawana, Sebastian Ko, Jordan Seibel
Harvard Westlake High School, CA

BEST MIXED MEDIA - CLASS 

Winner
The Story of the Three Rings
Directors/Animators: Juli Freedman, Sun Seo Choi, Carolina Martinez, Dora Schoenberg
Harvard Westlake High School, CA

Finalist
Peace by Piece: The Story of Harry Davids
Directors/Animators: Xenia Bernal, Becca Frischling, Cooper Licha, Kyle Reims, Dora Schoenberg, Nicole Sousana, Benji Tucker, Carina Yiu
Harvard Westlake High School, CA

BEST MIXED MEDIA - FOREIGN

Winner
Lee’s Choice (Canada)
Director: Joshua Costea
Wee Gamers.com

The IFFF Screenplay Winners and Finalists

2016 FEATURE SCREENPLAYS   

DRAMA                                                 AUTHOR

Winner        Reach for the Sky            Eric Carlson

Finalist            The Oscar                     Julia Liberman

COMEDY                                              AUTHOR

Winner             Picture Taker               Shauna Hagan

Finalist         Sadie Hawkins Day         Melissa L. White

ANIMATION                                           AUTHOR

Winner              The Mythfitz –             Nicholas Julius
                 Quest for the Golden Horn

Finalist                   Farkle                      Robert Shill

SCI/FI FANTASY                                    AUTHOR

 Winner          A Playground Miracle   Clyde Santana,
                                                              Gail E. Davis

Finalist                     F.R.ED.I.               Johnny Remo,
                                                              Kat Olson,
                                                              Sean Olson,
                                                              Lee Schneller

MUSICAL                                              AUTHOR

Winner               Helen on 86th St       Nicole Kempskie

Finalist           Maggie: Never Bitter    Taj Shotwell

2016 SHORT SCREENPLAYS

DRAMA                                              AUTHOR

Winner     A Bridge to Christmas     Dennis Cravens

Finalist              A Pier                        Manny Rey

COMEDY                                          AUTHOR

Winner         Lobster Date               Jimmy Limb,
                                                         Katarzyna Kochany

2016 SHORT YOUTH FEST! SCREENPLAYS

COMEDY                                          AUTHOR

Winner     Bargain Mart Madness   Jonah Calhoun

ANIMATION                                      AUTHOR

Winner                    Fly                      Dave Chan