23rd Annual SLIFF | July 21-30, 2023

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22nd Annual Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase

The Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, an annual presentation of the nonprofit Cinema St. Louis (CSL), serves as the area’s primary venue for films made by local artists. The Showcase screened works that were shot in the St. Louis region or were written, directed, or produced by St. Louis-area residents or by filmmakers with strong local ties who are now working elsewhere. The Showcase’s 14 film programs ranged from narrative and documentary features to multi-film compilations of fiction, experimental, and documentary shorts.

The closing-night awards presentation took place in the Duck Room at Blueberry Hill on Sunday, July 24. Announced were nearly two dozen Showcase jury awards — including a $500 prize to the overall Best Showcase Film. Cinema St. Louis staff also announced the films that will move on to the 31st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival in November. Below are the winners.

Narrative jury awards:

1. Best Costumes - “All Gone Wrong”
2. Best Makeup/Hairstyling -  Shaina Paulson & Jose Carlos Guillen, “Viral”
3. Best Use of Music - Lupe Medina, “Paragon”
4. Best Sound - Sean Kilker, “Hungry Dog Blues”
5. Best Production Design/Art Direction - Cameron McCarthy, “All Gone Wrong”
6. Best Special/Visual Effects - Shane Dioneda, “Space Race”
7. Best Editing - Bret Hoy, “All Gone Wrong”
8. Best Cinematography - Levi Kirby, “All Gone Wrong”
9. Best Screenplay - Jason Millner, “Hungry Dog Blues”
10. Best Actor - Jake Kaufman, “All Gone Wrong”
11. Best Actress - Amy Hargreaves, “Hungry Dog Blues”
12.  Best Ensemble Cast - “Un-resolved
13. Best Direction - Jason Millner, “Hungry Dog Blues”
14. Best Animated Film - Michael Long, “Island Hopping”
15. Best Comedy - Rick Petty, “Bird Bullies”
16. Best Drama - Jason Millner, “Hungry Dog Blues”
17. Best Narrative Film under 20 minutes - Adrian Todd Zuniga, “Hold Me, Don’t Touch Me”
18. Best Narrative Feature over 20 minutes - Josh Guffey, “All Gone Wrong”

Documentary & Experimental jury awards:

1. Best Animated Documentary or Experimental Film - Van McElwee, “World Skin”
2. Best Use of Music - Dana Christian & Lyah LeFlore-Ituen, “Poetry in Motion: St. Louis Poets Take the Mic”
3. Best Sound - Alvin Zamudio & Steve Cakouros, “A New Home”
4. Best Editing - Seth Ferranti, “Night Life”
5. Best Cinematography - Gabe Sheets, “Who is Syd?”
6. Best Direction - Gabe Sheets, “Who is Syd?”
7. Best Documentary under 20 minutes - Gabe Sheets, “Who is Syd?”
8. Best Documentary Feature over 20 minutes - Joe Puleo, “A New Home”
9. Best Experimental Film - Pier Marton, “(a human) being”

Films invited to SLIFF:

1. Bird Bullies directed by Rick Petty
2. Ethan and Edna directed by Andy Compton
3. (a human) being directed by Pier Marton
4. Hold Me, Don’t Touch Me directed by Adrian Todd Zuniga
5. Hungry Dog Blues directed by Jason Millner
6. Interstellar Gunslinger directed by Nate Carroll
7. Island Hopping directed by Michael Long
8. A love letter to Brian, Lesley, and Michelle directed by Hettie Barnhill
9. The Lungs directed by Zlatko Cosic
10. A New Home directed by Joe Puleo
11. Night Life directed by Seth Ferranti
12. Poetry in Motion: St. Louis Poets Take the Mic directed by Dana Christian
13. Space Race directed by Shane Dioneda
14. Un-Resolved directed by Bruce Carlton Cunningham
15. Viral directed by Michael Rich
16. Who is Syd? directed by Gabe Sheets
17. World Skin directed by Van McElwee

Chellapa-Vedavalli Foundation Best of Fest Essy Award $500 cash prize: 

Josh Guffey, All Gone Wrong