Tacoma Film Festival Winners
2022 Winners
Audience Choice, Feature Film : Butterfly in the Sky by Bradford Thomason & Brett Whitcomb
Audience Choice, Short Film : Dana by LucÃa Forner Segarra
Audience Choice, Pacific Northwest Narrative Film : Know Your Place by Zia Mohajerjasbi
Audience Choice, Pacific Northwest Documentary : Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts by Dru Holley
Best Narrative Feature : Utama by Alejandro Loayza Grisi
Best Documentary Feature : After Sherman by Jon-Sesrie Goff
Best Documentary Feature (Honorable Mention) : Freedom from Everything by Mike Hoolboom
Best Documentary Feature (Honorable Mention) : What We Leave Behind by Iliana Sosa
Best Narrative Short Film : asi en la tierra como en el cielo by Mireya Martinez
Best Narrative Short Film (Honorable Mention) : Enloquecer by Hector Prats
Best Narrative Short Film (Honorable Mention) : Bag of Hats by Jacob Sheppard
Best Documentary Short Film : Kicking the Clouds by Sky Hopinka
Best Documentary Short Film (Honorable Mention) : Blue Room by Merete Mueller
Best Documentary Short Film (Honorable Mention) : Strangers by Rajee Samarasinghe
Best Animation : No Leaders Please by Joan C. Gratz
Best Animation, Honorable Mention : Phase II by Kelly Sears
Best Music Video : June by Magdalena Zielinska
Jurors’ Award - Best Experimental Film: El Gran Movimiento by Kiro Russo
Best Late Night Film : The Timekeepers of Eternity by Aristotelis Maragkos
Best Late Night Film (Honorable Mention) : Wild Card by Tipper Newton
Best Pacific Northwest Late Night Film : Sojurn by Nesib Shamah
Best Pacific Northwest Late Night Film (Honorable Mention) : Death in a Box by Simeon Gregory
Best Pacific Northwest Narrative Film : The Diaper Cake by Anastasia Babenko
Best Pacific Northwest Narrative Film (Honorable Mention) : No Spectators Allowed by Kanani Koster
Best Pacific Northwest Narrative Film (Honorable Mention) : Rachels Don't Run by Joanny Causse
Best Pacific Northwest Documentary : Up on the Mountain by Olivier Matthon and Michael Reis
Best Pacific Northwest Documentary (Honorable Mention) : Sentinels by Derek Knowles and Lawrence Lerew
Best Pacific Northwest Documentary (Honorable Mention) : Life is a Gift by Gloria Joy Kazuko Muhammad and Mu Knowles
Best Performance, Narrative Feature : Matthew Jeffers in Unidentified Objects
Best Screenplay, Narrative Feature : Zia Mohajerjasbi for Know Your Place
Best Cinematography, Narrative Feature : Silvan Hillman for Unrest (Unrueh)
Best Performance, Narrative Short Film : Gil Fishman in Glow Stick
Best Screenplay, Narrative Short Film : Some Vile Beast by Brian Imakura
Best Cinematography, Narrative Short Film : Ray Huang, little trumpet
Best Cinematography, Documentary Feature : Melisa Cardona, Powerlands
Best Cinematography, Documentary Short Film : Remaining Silent by Yanbin Zhao
Best Sound Design, Documentary Feature : Gods of Mexico by Helmut Dosantos
Best Sound Design, Documentary Short Film: Home When You Return by Carl Elsaesser
2021
Best Narrative Feature : POTATO DREAMS OF AMERICA by Wes Hurley
Best Direction, Narrative Feature : Charles Mudede, THIN SKIN
Best Cinematography, Narrative Feature : Alex Grigoras, WOOD AND WATER
Best Performance, Narrative Feature : Nikohl Boosheri, ALIA’S BIRTH
Best Screenplay, Narrative Feature : FIRSTNESS by Brielle Brilliant
Best Documentary Feature : ACTS OF LOVE by Isidore Bethel and Francis Leplay
Best Direction, Documentary Feature : Jessica Kingdon, ASCENSION 登楼å¹
Best Cinematography, Documentary Feature : Goga Devdariani, Salomé Jashi, TAMING THE GARDEN
Best Documentary Short Film : SURVIVING YOU, ALWAYS by Morgan Quaintance
Best Direction, Documentary Short Film: Adam Khalil and Adam Piron, HALPATE
Best Cinematography, Documentary Short Film : THE WHELMING SEA by Sean Hanley
Best Documentary Short Film, Honorable Mention : ORBITA by Udval Altangerel
Best Documentary Short Film, Honorable Mention : LUCES DEL DESIERTO by Félix Blume
Best Narrative Short Film : THE UNSEEN RIVER by Phạm Ngá»c Lân
Best Direction, Narrative Short Film : Affonso Uchôa, SEVEN YEARS IN MAY
Best Cinematography, Narrative Short Film : Giorgos Valsamis, I AM AFRAID TO FORGET YOUR FACE
Best Performance, Narrative Short Film : Nadir Saribacak, LEYLAK
Best Screenplay, Narrative Short Film : THE UNSEEN RIVER by Phạm Ngá»c Lân
Best Animation : OUR BED IS GREEN by Maggie Brennan
Best Music Video : KREIS by Kilian Immervoll & Anna Sophia Rußmann
Best Late Night Film : THE FOLLOWING YEAR by Miguel Campaña
Best Pacific Northwest Feature : A BLACK RIFT BEGINS TO YAWN by Matthew Wade
Best Pacific Northwest Short Film : SEE ME by Dawn Jones Redstone
Audience Choice, Feature
THIN SKIN by Charles Mudede
MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY by Lisa Molomot, Jeff Bemiss
Audience Choice, Short Film
UNDERCUT by Kelly Pike
Audience Choice, Pacific Northwest Feature
700 FEET DOWN by Carly Vester, Peter Bortel
Audience Choice, Pacific Northwest Short Film
NOW IS THE TIME by Christopher Auchter
A DINNER PARTY FROM HELL by Derek Schneider
2019
2019 program
2019 winners
Regional
Honorable Mention – Pacific Northwest Short Film: Cold Holy Water dir. Vanessa Renwick
Honorable Mention – Pacific Northwest Short Film: All on a Mardi Gras Day dir. Michal Pietrzyk
Best Pacific Northwest Short Film: RESPEK dir. Kamari Bright
Best Pierce County Short or Feature Film: #StopErasingBlackPeople dir. Tacoma Action Collective (Christopher Paul Jordan, Cana Marie, Jamika Scott, Jaleesa Trapp)
Best Pacific Northwest Feature: Where the House Was dir. Ryan Adams
TRACK 04
Best Music Video: Shambles dir. Jonathan Salmon
Animation
Best Animated Film: KIDS dir. Michael Frei
Documentary Shorts
Honorable Mention – Documentary Short Film: Alejandro & Miguel dir. Joie Estrella Horwitz
Honorable Mention – Documentary Short Film: Prisoner of Society dir. Rati Tsiteladze
Best Cinematography – Documentary Short Film: Juanita Onzaga (Our Song to War)
Best Director – Documentary Short Film: Darius Clark Monroe (Black 14)
Best Documentary Short Film: La Flaca dir. Adriana Barbosa and Thiago Zanato
Documentary Features
Best Cinematography – Documentary Feature: Jim Hickcox (Caballerango)
Best Director – Documentary Feature: Kavich Neang (Last Night I Saw You Smiling)
Best Documentary Feature: Caballerango dir. Juan Pablo González
Narrative Shorts
Honorable Mention – Narrative Short Film: ដីážáŸ’មីផ្លូវážáž¼áž… (New Land Broken Road) dir. Kavich Neang
Honorable Mention – Narrative Short Film: 饺å (Dumpling) dir. Xiaolu Wang
Best Screenplay – Narrative Short Film: Halayla (Tonight) dir. Emily Shir Segal
Best Cinematography – Narrative Short Film: Adric Watson (All These Creatures)
Best Performance – Narrative Short Film: Tamar Amit–Joseph (Halayla [Tonight])
Best Director – Narrative Short Film: Barbara Cigarroa (Dios Nunca Muere)
Best Narrative Short Film: Dios Nunca Muere dir. Barbara Cigarroa
Narrative Features
Best Screenplay – Narrative Feature: The Plagiarists dir. James N. Kienitz Wilkins and Robin Schavoir
Best Cinematography – Narrative Feature: Christopher Rejano (Knives and Skin)
Best Performance – Narrative Feature: Zoé Audet (Mad Dog Labine)
Best Director – Narrative Feature: Peter Parlow (The Plagiarists)
Best Narrative Feature: Mad Dog Labine dir. Jonathan Beaulieu–Cyr and Renaud Lessard
Audience Choice
Best Feature Film – Audience Choice: The Infiltrators dir. Cristina Ibarra and Alex Rivera
Best Short Film – Audience Choice: Kamali dir. Sasha Rainbow
Best Pacific Northwest Feature Films – Audience Choice:
Stories of Us: Camp Second Chance dir. Melinda Raebyne
My Mother Was Here dir. Rustin Thompson
Best Pacific Northwest Short Film – Audience Choice: Sepulcher dir. Stephen Takashima
2018
2018 program
2018 winners
Narrative Features
Best Narrative Feature: Drift dir. Helena Wittman
Best Director – Narrative Feature: Adam Khalil, Bayley Sweitzer (Empty Metal)
Best Cinematography – Narrative Feature: Ashley Connor (Mountain Rest)
Best Screenplay – Narrative Feature: Bryce Richardson (I Want More, I Want Less)
Best Performance – Narrative Feature: Sophia Mitri Schloss (Sadie)
Narrative Shorts
Best Narrative Short Film: Nettles dir. Raven Jackson
Best Director – Narrative Short Film: Faren Humes (Macho)
Best Cinematography – Narrative Short Film: Shawn Peters (Piu Piu)
Best Performance – Narrative Short Film: Dymond Veve (Kira Burning)
Best Screenplay – Narrative Short Film: Mariama Diallo (Hair Wolf)
Documentary Features
Best Documentary Feature: Distant Constellation dir. Shevaun Mizrahi
Best Director – Documentary Feature: Daniel Patrick Carbone (Phantom Cowboys)
Best Cinematography – Documentary Feature: Erick Stoll (América)
Documentary Shorts
Best Documentary Short: Silica dir. Pia Borg
Best Director – Documentary Short: Adam Khalil, Zack Khalil, Jackson Polys (The Violence of a Civilization Without Secrets)
Best Cinematography – Documentary Short: Luis Gutiérrez Arias, John Henry Theisen (It's Going to Be Beautiful)
Regional
Best Pacific Northwest Film: Civil dir. Stephen Takashima
Best Pierce County Film: Medieval Martha Stewart directed by Taylor Hawkins
Audience Choice
Best Short Film: The Burden (Min börda) dir. Niki Lindroth von Bahr
Best Feature: Dawnland dir. Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip
Best Regional Short: Medieval Martha Stewart dir. Taylor Hawkins
Best Regional Feature: Boom! A film about The Sonics dir. Jordan Albertsen
Virtual Reality
Best Virtual Reality Films:
Swampscapes dir. Liz Miller, Juan Carlos ZaldÃvar and Kim Grinfeder
Biidaaban: First Light dir. Lisa Jackson
2017
2017 Program
2017 WINNERS
Narrative Features
Best Narrative Feature: Izzy Gets The F*ck Across Town
Best Director: Pete Ohs and Andrea Sisson, Everything Beautiful is Far Away
Best Cinematography: Christian Sorensen Hansen and Pete Ohs, Everything Beautiful is Far Away
Best Performance: Jun Zhao, King of Peking
Best Performance: Mackenzie Davis, Izzy Gets The F*ck Across Town
Best Screenplay: Sam Voutas, King of Peking
Narrative Shorts
Best Cinematography: Christian Houge Laursen, Forever Now
Best Performance: Max Jenkins, The Mess He Made
Best Performance: Nicole Williams, Game
Best Screenplay: Kristian HÃ¥skjold and Trille Cecilie Uldall-Spanner, Forever Now
Best Narrative Short: Import
Best Director: Ena Sendijarevic, Import
Best Regional
Best Regional Film: Little Potato
Audience Choice
Best Local Short: Richard Twice
Best Local Feature: Semi-Iconic: The Ballad of Dick Rossetti
Best Short: Game
Best Feature: A Shot in the Dark
Best Documentary Features
Best Director: Mike Day, The Islands and the Whales
Best Cinematography: Mike Day, The Islands and the Whales
Best Documentary Feature: For Ahkeem
Best Documentary Shorts
Best Director: Lauren Frohne, The Legacy of Linc's Tackle
Best Cinematography: John Pope, The Wizard Oz
Best Documentary Short: Wildland
2016
2016 program
2016 WINNERS
Best Regional Film: Ernie - dir. Hadley Hillel
Best Narrative Short: Home - dir. Daniel Mulloy
Best Actor (Narrative): Out of the Village - Abraham Attah
Best Actress (Narrative): Hold On - Charlie Chan Dagelet
Best Screenplay (Narrative): Discipline - Christophe M. Saber
Best Cinematography (Narrative): Home - Paul MacKay, Victor Seguin
Best Director (Narrative): And Nothing Happened - dir. Naima Ramos-Chapman
Best Documentary Short: The Carousel - dir.Jonathan Napolitano
Best Cinematography (Documentary): I am Yup’ik - Nathan Golon
Best Director (Documentary): The Tricks List - dir. Brian Bolster
Local Audience Choice Short: Phil’s Camino - dir. Annie O'Neil
Local Audience Choice Feature: As You Are - dir. Miles Joris-Peyrafitte
Audience Choice Short: Out Of The Village - dir. Jonathan Stein
Audience Choice Feature: Score: A Film Music Documentary - dir. Matt Schrader
2015
2015 program
2015 WINNERS
Best Regional Film: Even the Walls - dir. Sarah Kuck & Saman MaydaniBest Narrative Short: The Chicken - dir. Una Gunjack
Best Doc Short: Live Fast Draw Yung - dir. Stacey Lee & Anthony Mathile
Best Director: Una Gunjack, The Chicken
Best Cinematography: Mathias Pilz, The Chicken
Best Screenplay: Eric Fallen & Moon Molson, The Bravest, the Boldest
Best Actress: Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris, The Bravest, the Boldest
Best Actor: Joseph Smith, Hagereseb
Audience Choice Feature: Landfill Harmonic - dir. Brad Allgood & Graham Townsley
Audience Choice Short: Birthday - dir. Chris King
Local Audience Choice Feature: The Glamour & the Squalor - dir. Marq Evans
Local Audience Choice Short: Big Boy - dir. Bryan Campbell
2014
2014 Schedule Grid
2014 WINNERS
Best Regional Film: Koinonia - dir. Andrew FinniganBest Narrative Short: What Cheer? - dir. Michael Slavens
Best Doc Short: David Hockney in the NOW - dir. Lucy Walker
Best Animated Film: Yearbook - dir. Bernardo Britto
Best Feature Doc: The Immortalists - dir. David Alvarado & Jason Sussberg
Best Narrative Feature: Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter - dir. David Zellner
Audience Choice: Life Partners - dir. Susanna Fogel
Local Audience Choice: Laggies - dir. Lynn Shelton
2013
2013 Program
2013 Schedule Grid
2013 WINNERS
Best Regional Film: Improvement Club - dir. Dayna HansonBest Narrative Short: The Telegram Man - dir. James Francis Khehtie
Best Animated Film: Woody - dir. Stuart Bowen
Best Feature Doc: A River Changes Course - dir. Kalyanee Mam
Best Narrative Feature: Euphonia - dir. Danny Madden
Audience Choice: Her Aim is True - dir. Karen Whitehead
2012
2012 Winners
Best Narrative Short: Curfew - dir. Shawn ChristensenBest Doc Short: Odysseus' Gambit - dir. Alex Lora
Best Animated Film: Thumb Snatchers from the Moon Cocoon - dir. Brad Schaffer
Best Feature Doc: Lemon - dir. Laura Brownson & Beth Levison
Best Narrative Feature: Dead Man's Burden - dir. Jared Moshe
Audience Choice: The Magic Life - dir. Nelson Cheng
Local Audience Choice: Shadowed - dir. Joey Johnson
2011
2011 Schedule
2011 WINNERS
Best Regional Film: Connect To - dir. Sam NuttmannBest Narrative Short: Thief - dir. Julian Higgins
Best Animated Film: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore - dir. William Joyce & Brandon Oldenburg
Best Feature Doc: The Two Escobars - dir. Jeff & Michael Zimbalist
Best Narrative Feature: This Narrow Place - dir. Sooney Kadouh
Audience Choice: Fort McCoy - dir. Kate Connor & Michael Worth
Local Audience Choice: Half Empty (Fantastic Confabulations) - dir. Andrew Finnigan
2010
2010 Winners
Best Regional Film: Shuffle - dir. Garrett BennettBest Narrative Short: Ana's Playground - dir. Eric D. Howell
Best Animated Film: A Complex Villainelle - dir. Nathan Billington, Howard Cook, Rebecca Forth, Bart Ovaitt, & Ryan Porter
Best Feature Doc: Back to the Garden - dir. Kevin Tomlinson
Best Narrative Feature: Earthwork - dir. Chris Ordal
Audience Choice: Wheedle's Groove - dir. Jennifer Maas
2009
2009 Winners
Best Regional Film: Otis v. Monster - dir. Patrick NearyBest Narrative Short: Sebastian's Voodoo - dir. Joaquin Baldwin
Best Feature Doc: Freeing Silvia Baraldini - Margo Pelletier & Lisa Thomas
Best Narrative Feature: White on Rice - dir. Dave Boyle
Audience Choice: The Stairwell - dir. Andrew Finnigan
2007
2007 Winners
Best Narrative Short: Full Disclosure - dir. Douglas HornBest Feature Doc: Spitfire 944 - dir. William Lorton
Best Narrative Feature: Rain in the Mountains - dir. Joel Metlen & Christine Sullivan
Best Local Film: GPS - The Movie - dir. Eric Colley
Audience Choice: My Left Hand, dir. Joshua Isaac
