Here are the winners for the 17th Annual Hollyshorts Film Festival

The 17th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival winners have been announced and three films are moving on to be qualified for Oscar gold in 2022. The films moving on to be Oscar qualified include Aneil Karia’s Grand Prix-winning short THE LONG GOODBYE starring Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), Best Live Action short LITTLE BEAR from director Nicolas Birkenstock, and Best Animation short I AM A PEBBLE from Berteraut Mélanie, Bresson Yasmine, Coulombier Léo, Grondin Nicolas, le Chapelain Maxime, and Massé Louise.

The festival took place this week in-person at the TCL Chinese Theatres, Japan House LA and various locations throughout Hollywood.

The organizers behind the Academy Awards qualifying festival presented over 35 awards at the Harmony Gold Theater in Hollywood, CA. Hosted by Kevin Winston, founder and CEO of Digital LA, and internationally-recognized influencer Lizza Monet Morales, the annual awards gala recognized excellence from all over the world. The online edition of the festival is still currently available on Bitpix TV, the festival’s digital platform.

The winners list includes:

Best Action: Maximus directed by Richard Prendergast

Best Animation: I Am A Pebble from Berteraut Mélanie, Bresson Yasmine, Coulombier Léo, Grondin Nicolas, le Chapelain Maxime, Massé Louise

Prizes: Qualified for Oscars 2022 and management meeting with Alta Global Media

Best Cinematography: Lasse Ulvedal Tolboll for Under the Heavens

Prize: Color correction from Color Space Finishing

Best Comedy: The Deep End directed by Sean Pettis

Prize: Trip to Augusta, GA from Film Augusta

Best Commercial: Widen The Screen directed by Kevin Wilson Jr.

Best Composer: Brian Hall & Jonah Ramey for The Night I Left America

Prize: Meeting with Defiant Talent

Best Director: Jayil Pak for Georgia

Prize: Management meeting with Alta Global Media

Best Documentary: Don't Go Tellin' Your Momma directed by Topaz Jones & rubberband

Best Drama: I Would Never directed by Kiran Deol

Prize: Trip to Augusta, GA from Film Augusta

Best Editing: David Marks for Electromagnetic

Best Horror: Lilias Adie directed by Elize du Toit

Prize: Distribution by ALTER

Best International: Fabiu directed by Stefan Langthaler

Best LGBTQIA+: Bracha directed by Mickey Triest & Aaron Geva

Best Live Action: Little Bear directed by Nicolas Birkenstock

Prizes: Qualified for Oscars 2022 and management meeting with Alta Global Media

Best Midnight Madness: M*therfucker directed by Adam Long & Adam Peterson

Best Music Video: Tell Me A Story directed by Sasha Solodukhina

Best Podcast: Carcerem by Shane Salk

Best Producer: Henry Tumwesigye for The Night I Left America

Best SciFi: Jack and Jo Don't Want To Die directed by Kantú Lentz

Prize: Distribution by DUST, meeting with Circle of Confusion

Best Screenplay: Dummy written by Andrew Kaberline

Prizes: Seattle Film Summit & 88th Street/HollyShorts grant of $25,000, and Final Draft software. Finished film will screen at HollyShorts 2022.

Best Student Film: Team Meryland directed by Gabriel Gaurano

Best Student Film: Team Meryland directed by Gabriel Gaurano

Best Thriller: Reklaw directed by Polaris Banks

Prize: Meeting with Circle of Confusion

Best TV Series: Cronos directed by Michael Middelkoop

Best TV Screenplay: Half-Assed written by Tracie Laymon

Prize: 88th Street option and Final Draft software.

Best VFX: Untitled Earth Sim 64 directed by Jonathan Wilhelmsson

Best Web Series: Best Before directed by Laura Bergeron & Maxime Robin

Grand Prix Best Short: The Long Goodbye directed by Aneil Karia

Prizes: Qualified for Oscars® 2022, $15,000 camera package from Panavision, a sales deal from Eroin Films, and management meeting with Alta Global Media.

Hawk Films Screenplay Award: Glaciers written by Frank Berry & Matthew Bates

Prizes: $20,000 production package from Hawk Films UK and Final Draft software. Finished film screens at HollyShorts 2022.

HollyShorts Honorable Mention: Koreatown Ghost Story directed by Minsun Park & Teddy Tenenbaum

HollyShorts 3rd Place Screenplay: David written by Jacob Mittlestadt-Raab

Prize: Final Draft software

Latinx Award: Nuevo Rico directed by Kristian Mercado Figueroa

SAG Indie Award: Some Still Search directed by Nesaru Tchaas

Shot on Film Award: The Archivists directed by Igor Drljača

Prize: $1,000 for Kodak free film stock

Shot on Film Honorable Mention: Beity directed by Isabelle Mecattaf

Prize: $500 for Kodak free film stock

Shot on Film Award - Super 8MM: Strong Son directed by Ian Bawa

Prize: $1,000 for Kodak free film stock

Social Impact Award: Under The Heavens directed by Gustavo Milan

Prize: $10,000 camera rental package from The Camera Division

Special Jury Mention: Staff Pick by Mitchell deQuilettes

Women in Film Award: Dọlápọ̀ Is Fine directed by Ethosheia Hylton

Women in Film Screenplay Award: Sara written by Jessica L. Hinkson

Prizes: $1,000 from HollyShorts, BECiNE camera gear rental, and Final Draft software. Finished film screens at HollyShorts 2022.

The 18th Annual Oscar qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival will take place August 11-20, 2022.