California Film Awards

2011 Winners

Grand Winners

Grand Jury Award: The Italian Key - Rosa Karo (United Kingdom)

Special Jury Prize: Boxed Up - Sean McCarthy (USA)
Special Jury Prize: Flat Tire - Machua Koinange (USA)
Special Jury Prize: Marathon Boy - Gemma Atwal (United Kingdom)
Special Jury Prize: Baer - Bryce Hirschberg (USA)
Special Jury Prize: Compulsion - Jon Myers (USA)

Best Animated Film: Dead Technology - Adam Tinius (USA)
Best California Film: Stage Left: A Story of Theater in San Francisco - Austin Forbord (USA)
Best California Short: The Glitter Emergency - Paul Festa & Kevin Clarke (USA)
Best Comedy: MILF Money - Aaron Preist (USA)
Best Commercial: Poker Face - Marc Morgenstern (Canada)
Best Director: Menschenliebe - Alexander Tuschinski (Germany)
Best Action Sports Film: Winter - Steve Bellamy (USA)
Best Documentary Film: Women in the Dirt: Landscape Architects Shaping Our World - Carolann Stoney (USA)
Best Drama: Jalopy - Libby Blood (USA)
Best Dramatic Short: Kissed by the Devil - M. Legend Brown (USA)
Best Experimental Film: 6 for 7 - Michel Massicotte (Canada)
Best Family Film: Smartie Pants - Michael Kontaxis (USA)
Best First-Time Director: Zombie - Thomas Caruso (USA)
Best First-Time Documentary: Nefarious: Merchant of Souls - Benjamin Nolot(USA)
Best Foreign Film: Meherjaan - Rubaiyat Hossain (Bangladesh)
Best Foreign Short: Common Ground - Hollie Fifer (Australia)
Best Humanitarian Film: National AIDS Memorial Grove Tribute - Andrew Ehrenfeld (USA )
Best Music Video: Oh Luv - Magz Magda Sztompka (USA)
Best Narrative Film: Teenagers - Paul Verhoeven (France)
Best Narrative Short: Half Empty - Jessica Manherz (USA)
Best Screenplay: The Diner - Adam Smith (USA)
Best Student Film: The King's Garden - Phoebe Fronista (USA)
Best Television Pilot: Stardust and the Bandit - Sarah Sher & Dick Fisher (USA)

Orson Welles Awards

Animated Film: Hoggie & Snip - Magnus Hjerpe
California Film: Double Truth - Daniel Watson & Rafael Cortina
Documentary Film: Last Stand of Nymboida - Jeff Bird
Music Video: Falling - Nic Weinfeld
Narrative Film: Life! Camera Action… - Rohit Gupta
Screenplay Competition: Serene - Nick Zerance
Short Film: Terms Of Employment - Glynn Turner
Student Film: Break - Ray Pang
Television Pilot: Millie's 101 Things - Claire Wasmund

Screenplay Competition

1st Place: Jupiter written by Richard Moon
2nd Place: Select Society written by Barbara Nicolosi
3rd Place: The Watermelon Project written by Jennifer Bouani
4th Place: Burning Ice written by N.A. Bevins
5th Place: Pot Shop written by Judah Ray Neiditch

Official Finalists

A Man of His Word written by Jennifer Martin
Abomination written by Ross Raffin
Amber Waves written by Cicely Wynne
Complications written by Richard Moon
Dierdan written by Peter Dimako
My Mermaid written by Adam Roberts
Shadowboxing the Mob written by Lou Buttino
The Chinese Disco written by John Harris
The Journal written by Braide Keyland
The Road to Atonement written by John J. Maffucci

Honorable Mentions

Chasing Bugs written by Debbra J. Jansen
Cutthroat written by James Hsiao
Dirty Business written by Haik Hakobian
Expiration Date written by Ferran Masip-Valls
If Planes Were Shooting Stars written by Randy Hatch
The Legend of McCoy Mountain & The Gold 45 Revolver written by Elliot McGucken
Through Laura's Eyes written by Donna Adams
West Texas written by Andrea Voight
Without the Boys written by Joey Kent
Zombie Games written by Emily Thorne

Short Script Competition

1st Place: Dribbling Sibling written by Therese Gibbons
2nd Place: End Year's Eve written by Matt Panfil
3rd Place: Embrace the Suck: A Fish Out of Marbles written by Celeste Chan Wolfe
4th Place: Roommates written by Alec Montano & Jason Ricker
5th Place: No Way Home written by Joseph Mancini

Official Finalists

Funhouse written by Paul Ellington
It Rains on Everyone written by Bryan Kelsey
Only Us written by Joseph Brettillo
Two of a Kind written by Daniel Börjesson

Honorable Mentions

A Mile in Her Shoes written by Donna Adams
Hitting a Wall written by Todd Koenitz
Sunset Fire written by A. Wayne Carter

Diamond Award Winners

 

Animated Film Competition

5 Minutes Each - Vojin Vasovic
8 Second Dance - Trey Moya & Howard Cook
Heart - Erick Oh

California Film Competition

Assisted Fishing - Joe Crouch
Paper Drama - Steven M. Hirohama

Commercial Competition

Nerf Nuke - Victor Masters

Documentary Film Competition

Beaverbrook - Matthew Callahan
Ciao Cirella - Berthaud Christophe
Haterolgy - Danny Singleton
Living River - Vinit Parmar
Simurgh - Ruhi Karadag

Music Video Competition

Anutha Time - David Padadac
Don't Wake Me Up - Lydia Galeno
H2O - Jean-Marie Marbach
Hunger - Daniel Chisholm
Mutant Calculator - Alexander Tuschinski

Narrative Film Competition

40 West - Dana Packard
Beach Spike - Tony Tang
Hamesima X - Yuval Ovadia & Or Yashar
Princess - Shane Rodgers

Screenplay Competition

10 Minutes From Paradise written by Janyce Lapore
Bare Knuckle Days written by Neil Chase
Dana Landing written by Barbara Wolcott
District Tenderloin written by K. Carlton Mayfield
Hell's Amish written by John Muzii
Lucky, Lucky Me written by Dan Geraci
Selling the Fantasy written by Stacey Ford
Spirit of the Rain written by John Tupper
Te Amo written by Renee Westbrook
The Caterpillar's Skin written by Raffaele Passerini

Short Film Competition

2 Kings - Jon Alex
All In - Cristian Plesh
Bugbaby - Rebecca Lorenne
Chasing a Pargon - Catherine Andre
Cleopatra Gotta Gun - Christopher Dockens
Come Sit Stay - Jody Oberfelder
Diminished Chords - Kristina Harris
Fatal - Fernando Chien
Mary and Bill - Andrew Napier

Student Film Competition

Ad & Subtract - Laura Stephens
At the Cafe - Hong Kim, Jae Heon Lee & Micheal Choi
Father's Day - Maj-Britt La Cour
He Must Die - Oswald Gschliesser
My Mother - Sandra Seeling
Poetic Justice Project - Matthew Evans
Sex, Drugs, & Student Loans - Meg Smaker
Stuck - Martin W. Andersen
The Face Shop - Noella Borie
The Fountain - Callie Shanafelt

Television Productions Competition

Day Zero - Cal Nguyen
The World's Tallest Man: Still Growing - Stuart Clarke

Gold Award Winners

 

Animated Film Competition

Lot - Clemens Knieper
Nuts for Pizza - David Andrade
The Wanna-Be Oddie - Jun Bin Lam

California Film Competition

English - Jesus Santillan
The Gadfly - Stev Elam

Commercial Competition

Quicken Loans - Thanks A Million - Marc Ruiz

Documentary Film Competition

Freedom Fighter - Chris Atkins
Keepers of the Light - Adrian Carr
Sixty in 60 - Ronnie Cramer
The Power Of Two - Marc Smolowitz
The Rescuer - Leo Grillo

Music Video Competition

Liz' Song - Margo Toombs
Love is in the Air - Roberto Marrero
We Own This City - Marc Ruiz
Winter - Leyla Modirzadeh
XO - Cole Walliser

Narrative Film Competition

Beautiful Silence - Jorge A. Jimenez
Psycho Killer Bloodbath - Carlo Rodriguez
Suicider - Rustam Shoazimov
The Precinct - Ilgar Safat
True Bromance - Sebastian Doggart

Screenplay Competition Competition

Assist Me written by Mark Siroonian
Bet The House written by Mark Filardi
Friday's Kin Folk written by Alfreda Love
Held written by Suzanne Kelman
Listen Hear, Mug written by William L. Whitley Jr.
Screaming My Heart Out written by Janyce Lapore
Silence written by John Edward Flynt
Special written by Daniel Garrett & Rosalyne King
The Road to Will Smith written by Renee Westbrook
Veiled written by Robbi D'Allessandro

Short Film Competition

As He Likes It - Jihun Ahn
Breathe - Josh Levine
Brotherly Love - Choice Skinner
Cut Out - Nick Kozakis
I'm a Rockstar - Stefano Bertelli
Isabella - Donald Graham
It's a Terrible Life - James Beacham
Manic - Damian Perkins
Rebirth - Vicky Dreharo
Sacrament - David Sander

Student Film Competition

Down the Wrong Path - LeAndre Thomas
Earthship - David Wilson
Johnny Lost His Gun - Shahar Amit
Look - Ryan Pickett
The Secret of Backstage - Yatao Li
The Weeping Woman - Juan Guardado
Thicker Than Water - Anissa Folley
Thief - Blake Brewer
Untouchable - Kristin Hansen
War Paint - Marcus Liberski

Television Pilot Competition

Here Comes Cuco - Roberto Marrero

Gold Award Winners

 

Animated Film Competition

Lot - Clemens Knieper
Nuts for Pizza - David Andrade
The Wanna-Be Oddie - Jun Bin Lam

California Film Competition

English - Jesus Santillan
The Gadfly - Stev Elam

Commercial Competition

Quicken Loans - Thanks A Million - Marc Ruiz

Documentary Film Competition

Freedom Fighter - Chris Atkins
Keepers of the Light - Adrian Carr
Sixty in 60 - Ronnie Cramer
The Power Of Two - Marc Smolowitz
The Rescuer - Leo Grillo

Music Video Competition

Liz' Song - Margo Toombs
Love is in the Air - Roberto Marrero
We Own This City - Marc Ruiz
Winter - Leyla Modirzadeh
XO - Cole Walliser

Narrative Film Competition

Beautiful Silence - Jorge A. Jimenez
Psycho Killer Bloodbath - Carlo Rodriguez
Suicider - Rustam Shoazimov
The Precinct - Ilgar Safat
True Bromance - Sebastian Doggart

Screenplay Competition Competition

Assist Me written by Mark Siroonian
Bet The House written by Mark Filardi
Friday's Kin Folk written by Alfreda Love
Held written by Suzanne Kelman
Listen Hear, Mug written by William L. Whitley Jr.
Screaming My Heart Out written by Janyce Lapore
Silence written by John Edward Flynt
Special written by Daniel Garrett & Rosalyne King
The Road to Will Smith written by Renee Westbrook
Veiled written by Robbi D'Allessandro

Short Film Competition

As He Likes It - Jihun Ahn
Breathe - Josh Levine
Brotherly Love - Choice Skinner
Cut Out - Nick Kozakis
I'm a Rockstar - Stefano Bertelli
Isabella - Donald Graham
It's a Terrible Life - James Beacham
Manic - Damian Perkins
Rebirth - Vicky Dreharo
Sacrament - David Sander

Student Film Competition

Down the Wrong Path - LeAndre Thomas
Earthship - David Wilson
Johnny Lost His Gun - Shahar Amit
Look - Ryan Pickett
The Secret of Backstage - Yatao Li
The Weeping Woman - Juan Guardado
Thicker Than Water - Anissa Folley
Thief - Blake Brewer
Untouchable - Kristin Hansen
War Paint - Marcus Liberski

Television Pilot Competition

Here Comes Cuco - Roberto Marrero

Silver Award Winners

 

Animated Film Competition

Daisy Cutter - Enrique Garcia & Ruben Salazar
Desperate Crossing - MinSeok Jeon
Live Outside the Box - Shu-Hsuan Lin

California Film Competition


Landing - Derek Deems
Love Captured - Jennifer Chiu & Genet Berhane
Veronica - Heran Hao

Commercial Competition

No Pizza - Kenneth Kim

Documentary Film Competition

Death By Medicine - Gary Null & Richie Williamson
From Nomad to Nobody - Michael Buckley
How I Became An Elephant - Tim Gorski & Synthian Sharp
Iranium - Alex Traiman
Knocking on the Devil's Door - Gary Null & Valerie Van Cleve

Music Video Competition

Cassandra's Run - Thomas Kanschat
House on Normandy - Marco Bottiglieri
Ima Robot: Greenback Boogie - Frank Jerky
The Particles: Taken Away - Fred Khoshtinat
When I Get Home - Andrius Mazeika

Narrative Film Competition

A Pornstar is Born - Corey Bishop
American Seagull - Michael Guinzburg
Backlight - Fernando Fragata
R(evolution) - Mustafa Zaveri
Skyler - Clenét Verdi-Rose

Screenplay Competition Competition

Dirty Old Business written by Haik Hakobian
Double Take written by John J. Maffucci
I Should Have Stayed Home written by Michael Angelella
Miss Mystery written by Michael Siegel
Stand Down, Soldier written by Jeryl Sales
The Executioner written by Danielle Barros
The Grave Digger written by Tom Smolko
The Hunatics written by Jennifer Martin
The Terrible Turk written by Emine Dursun
You're Sick written by Donn Warr Lewis

Short Film Competition

In the Name of the Son - Sharif Abdunnur
Interview - Hyun-won Kim
Killer Bonus - Reza Riazi
Kim the Waitress - Scott Eriksson
Smoke and Mirrors - Theresa Wu
Stained Glass - Sun Kim
Swing It - Darrin Fletcher & Chet Thomas
The Actor - Oliver Wergers
The Crossing - Cristian Plesh
The Grudge - Garrick Duckler

Student Film Competition

Controlled Burn - Dan Van Wert
Derek & Lucas - Raymond Yeung
DreamGiver - Tyler Carter
Jobyna - Leah Castle
Made in China - Kellen Moore
Remission of Sins - Venkat Krishnan
Tanglewood - Sara Newens
The Return of Elise - Aleeya McGuid
The Unforgettable Proposal - Mohammad Alkazemi
The Way Back - Ehab Hegazi

Television Pilot Competition

Chord - Ryan Atimoyoo
Miami 3 oh 5 - Marc Durso & Barbie Castro