Editor

16th edition of annual fest bestows awards to conclude a five-day run at Raleigh Studios

The 16th International Family Film Festival wound to a close Sunday night with an awards program including the presentation of the annual “Friz Award” for Excellence in Animation Arts, which this year was bestowed to legendary voice actor Bill Farmer, known for his portrayal of Disney’s Goofy and many other animated characters.

The 2011 IFFF awards celebration was held in the Chaplin Theater at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. The IFFF’s comprehensive program of screenings, panels and special events ran from March 16 through March 20 on the Raleigh lot.

“I’m proud to receive this wonderful award. It has been given to some of our industry’s giants. I’m truly honored,” said Farmer in accepting the award from Ben Hoppe, Creative Director, Disney Character Voices.

Award jurors included festival co-founders Chris & Suzanne Shoemaker, Patte Dee McKee and 15 other film-industry representatives. Entertainment personality Mac Duffy served as host of the awards celebration.

With over 23 countries represented in the films officially selected this year, the IFFF truly added emphasis on its “International” status. For the 2012 fest, we look to even further increase our international outreach with new filmmakers and partnering countries,” said IFFF director, Chris Shoemaker.

The IFFF 2012 dates are set for March 21 – 25, 2012 at Raleigh Studios, Hollywood.

A complete list of the 2011 award recipients follows:

IFFF Spirit Award
48 Below!
Director: Michael Archambo

IFFF Pearl Award
Christmas Bunny
Director/Producer/Writer: Tom Seidman

IFFF Top Applause Award
(To Be Determined by Audience Vote)

2011 FEATURES

Best Feature – Drama
Christmas Angel, SunWorld Pictures

Best Feature - Foreign Drama
Horizon (China), Ruoming Huari

Best Feature – Comedy
Monster Mutt, Illusion Industries, Inc

Best Feature – Foreign Comedy
One Week (China), Onon Choi

Best Feature – Foreign Animation
The Jasmine Birds (Syria)

Best Feature – Documentary
The Young Composer’s Challenge, Lisa Mills
University of Central Florida

Best Feature – Foreign Documentary
The Masters of Chinese Traditional Medicine (China)
Henan Chinese Medicine Institute

Best Feature – Musical
Bright Lights and Promises
Tom Basham, SAP Films

Best Feature – Foreign Musical
The Singer (China)
Juan Luo

Best Child Actor – Sophie Bolen
The Christmas Bunny
Honey Creek Pictures

Best Foreign Child Actor – Zenghui Liu
The Happiness Swan (China)
Henan Hao Tai Culture Co.


SHORTS
Best Short – Drama
Hero
Director: Brent Huff

Best Short - Foreign Drama
My Dad and Spike (UK)
Murat Kebir

Best Short – Comedy
Buddha’s Bracelet
Trentertainment Films


Best Short – Foreign Comedy
Connect (UK)
Frank Morris

Best Short – Animation
El Salon Mexico
Paul Glickman

Best Short – Foreign Animation
20 Anos (Cuba)
Barbaro Joel Ortiz Perez

Best Short – Documentary
Voices of Sculpture
Chris Campbell

Best Short – Educational
The Enemy of A Smile
Hessam Nowzari, DDS

Best Student Short – Drama
Jeremy
Brian Faye, Chapman University

Best Student Short - Foreign Drama
Color and Boots (Brazil)
Juliana Vicente, Preta Porte Filmes

Best Student Short – Comedy
Masquerade
Blake Ponto, Powell River Digital Film School

Best Student Short – Animation
Prayers for Peace
Dustin Grella, School of Visual Arts

Best Student Short – Documentary
A Palette of Possibilities
Angela Hinton, University of North Carolina

Best Student Short – Educational
Perspective
Jon Byron, Chapman University

SCREENPLAYS
Best Feature Screenplay – Drama
Under Pressure
Eric W. Carlson

Best Feature Screenplay – Foreign Drama
The Gist of the Story (China)
Hong Ran

Best Feature Screenplay – Comedy
Redberry Road
William Tyler Mitchell

Best Feature Screenplay – Animation
Sheila, the Gila Monster
Donna Laemmlen

Best Feature Screenplay – Sci-Fi/Fantasy
The Passage
Michael Raymond

Best Short Screenplay – Drama
The Great Sambini
Scott and Paula Merrow

Best Short Screenplay – Comedy
Language of Love
Katarzyna Kochany

Best Short Screenplay – Animation
Grizzly
Chris Hewitt

Best Short Screenplay – Sci-Fi/Fantasy
The Beast on 92nd Street
Bruno Bonugli


YOUTH FEST FILMS

Best Youth Fest Drama
Amanda
Michael T Cusumano

Best Youth Fest Comedy
Contagious (Canada)
Susan and Katherine Procopio

Best Youth Fest Animation
Hungry for Health (UK)
Students at Aidan’s CE High School (UK)

Best Youth Fest Documentary
(Ex) Changed
Angad Singh

Best Youth Fest Musical
Chicken Pox
Kevin Zhai


Best Youth Fest Screenplay
The Farm
Julia Monahan


MOVIES WITH A MESSAGE

Best use of Filmmaking Skills
BEST FRIENDS – THE FRIEND STAND
Hannah Chou, Caitlyn Courtney
“Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You”
Best Friends forgive and share with each other.
BEST FRIENDS – THE PRINCESS DRESS
Hannah Chou, Caitlyn Courtney, Emily Chou
“Reckless words said to each other pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18)

Most Imaginative Film
THE AVERAGE KID - 
In a dream sequence after drinking and snorting cocaine, the world becomes unreal. Ronnie learns his lesson and never does drugs or alcohol again.
Cast & Crew: 2010 Summer Camp at John Anson Ford Theater, sponsored by LAUSD – Office of Migrant Education Program.
ON THE BLOCK - 
Frances Noland
Frances likes to run and dance down the block until the ‘bullies’ chase her and threaten to hurt her. “Bullies” never win!!

Best Representation of Theme
LOVE THY SELF- (Theme - Take Care of Yourself)
 Sophia DiPaola
The mother of 3 children discovers that she has cancer, and she finds comfort in her friend to be able to cope and teach her children to “Take Care of Yourself.”
PYRAMID- (Theme - Try Not to Do Things to Others, That You Would Not Like Them to Do to You) 
Elani Cassero, Kunga Yangzon
If someone starts to bully you, do not respond with violence.