Best of the Festival Award

The Golden West dirs. Tom Berkeley & Ross White

It’s November 1849. Having fled the Great Famine, two warring Irish sisters seek their fortunes in the gold rush. But with winter fast approaching, their feud soon threatens to become deadly.

Best Advertising Award

RNIB | See Differently dir. Jesse Lewis-Reece

See Differently shows us an accurate journey of sight loss. Moving away from stereotypes and misconceptions, we follow semi-blind actor Eli London. Their strength, resilience and willpower is key.

Best Animation Award

Letter to a Pig dir. Tal Kantor

A man reads a letter he wrote to the pig who saved his life. A young school girl hears his testimony in class and sinks into a dream where she confronts questions of identity and humanity.

Best Artists’ Film Award

The Song dir. Bani Abidi

An elderly refugee, who has recently arrived in an unfamiliar European city, confronts the isolation of his apartment by creating soundscapes to draw up a sense of assurance and familiarity.

Best Comedy Award

Festival of Slap dir. Abdou Cissé

An action packed tale from the palms of a Nigerian mother, full of twists and turns. One fateful night, a woman serves her son a set of slaps so powerful that it will crucially change his life forever.

Best Dance Award

Spicy Pink Tea dir. Aqsa Arif

In reverence to the British paintings that watch over her from inside a desolate stately home, a young Pakistani girl aspires to become the perfect upper-class lady as she embroiders her sari.

Best Documentary Award

Nai Năi & Wài Pó (Grandma & Grandma) dir. Sean Wang

Nai Năi is my grandma. Wài Pó is also my grandma. Together, they are a grandma super team that dances, farts and stretches their sorrows away. This short expands the bonds that unite us.

Best Documentary Feature

After the Bridge dirs. Davide Rizzo & Marzia Toscano

After the London Bridge attack on 3 June 2017, TV crews swarm to the hills of Bologna, Italy, and the small house of mother, Valeria Collina. Her son, Youssef, was one of the attackers. In the aftermath of the tragedy, she struggles to find peace.

Best Drama Award

The Golden West dirs. Tom Berkeley & Ross White

It’s November 1849. Having fled the Great Famine, two warring Irish sisters seek their fortunes in the gold rush. But with winter fast approaching, their feud soon threatens to become deadly.

Best Experimental Award

Thieves dir. Michelle Williams Gamaker

This fantasy adventure reclaims the role of marginalised stories by retelling two versions of The Thief of Bagdad, the silent black- and-white film from 1924, and the colour version from 1940.

Best Fashion Award

An Ode to Procrastination dir. Aleksandra Kingo

In An Ode to Procrastination, we follow the thought process of a young artist named Sarah. She tries to create the project of her lifetime, but procrastinates as she struggles to actually start.

Best Music Video Award

Debbie Feat. Berwyn – Cousin’s Car dir. Relta

In attempt to block out her overwhelming surroundings, Debbie dreams of driving away in her cousin’s car. In this video, silky vocals accompany retro visuals that transport us back in time.

Best Narrative Feature

Black Moon dir. Tonatiuh García

Black Moon follows the story of three siblings who spark a rebellion in their home town in order to defend their beloved river Jalcomulco. One day, unexpected news of intentions to build a dam initiates a series of events that will change their destinies forever. Centred on strong bonds, courage and folklore.

Best Thriller Award

Hide Your Crazy dir. Austin Kase

Iris is hiding a supernatural secret from her boyfriend. When he surprises her for her birthday, they have to face it together as a couple. A horror rom-com about the fear of being truly seen.

Best VR & 360 Award

From the Main Square dir. Pedro Harres

A new town emerges, encircling a central square. Witness the rise and fall of a divided society. Learn how civilization blossoms, with all its contradictions, only to become a real danger to itself.

Best Game Award

Paper Trail, Newfangled Games

Paper Trail is a top-down puzzle adventure about leaving home that is set in a totally foldable, paper world. You play as Paige, who leaves her home for the first time in pursuit of her studies.

Best Cinematography Award

The Red Suitcase dir. Cyrus Neshvad

In this Oscar-nominated short, an Iranian girl decides to take off her Hijab in a life changing situation. The Red Suitcase is an essential story of choice, womanhood and what it is to be free.

Best Director Award

Safe dir. Debbie Howard

A short about the repeated experience of harassment and danger in public spaces. Anne, an office cleaner, finishes work late one evening to be pursued and harassed by a man at the bus stop.

Best Editing Award

Outlets dir. Duncan Cowles

Unable to move on from the death of his granny, a filmmaker desperately searches for the right film idea to finally allow him to seek true acceptance. Outlets asks: how can we finally let go?

Best Screenplay Award

Safe dir. Debbie Howard

A short about the repeated experience of harassment and danger in public spaces. Anne, an office cleaner, finishes work late one evening to be pursued and harassed by a man at the bus stop.