The American Film Institute (AFI) unveiled the recipients of the AFI FEST 2023 Grand Jury Awards, along with Special Mentions.
These award-winning films in the Live Action Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short categories will qualify for consideration in the 2023 Academy Awards for Best Live Action Short, Best Documentary Short, and Best Animated Short.
The esteemed jury panel included director and writer Sindha Agha, renowned film critic Ryan Swen, and writer, producer, and film programmer Imani Davis, who have left their marks in the industry with BAFTA awards and Emmy nominations.
Commenting on the festival’s success, Bob Gazzale, AFI President, and CEO, expressed, “By smashing attendance records this year, AFI FEST proves the power of cinema to bring us together in difficult times. For 37 years, AFI has been proud to bring the very best of world cinema to the heart of Hollywood, and we look forward to welcoming even more people to the movies next year.”
Winners and Special Mentions:
Grand Jury Prize – Live Action Short Film: Closing Dynasty (Directed by Lloyd Lee Choi) Jury Statement: “Absorbed us completely in a very different New York City – told through the perspective of an enterprising little girl. The expert blend of humor and pain in the writing paired with stunning cinematography blew us away.”
Grand Jury Prize – Documentary Short Film: Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó(Grandma & Grandma) (奶奶跟外婆) (Directed by Sean Wang) Jury Statement: “A tender, comedic portrait of an unconventional family dynamic told with a pronounced sensitivity to quotidian rhythms and the wry perspectives of elders.”
Grand Jury Prize – Animated Short Film: Chutes (Directed by Kenzie Sutton) Jury Statement: “A delightful, bizarre rollercoaster of clever visual metaphors that deftly captures the interplay between social relationships and wanton materialism.”
REELated:
Special Mentions:
- Special Jury Mention for Editing – Live Action Short Film: Set Lam (Directed by Vincent Fontana) Jury Statement: “A lyrical, deeply affecting edit that transported us into a trance-like state with its rhythmic evocations of dance and community.”
- Special Jury Mention for Experimentation – Documentary Short Film: Quiet as it’s Kept (Directed by Ja’Tovia M. Gary) Jury Statement: “Continually expands its exploration of Black femininity via the works of Toni Morrison and TikTok, burrowing into myriad historical and cultural associations with hypnotic manipulations of sound and image.”
- Special Jury Mention for Social Commentary – Documentary Short Film: Alpha Kings (Directed by Enrique Pedráza Botero, Faye Tsakas) Jury Statement: “A striking, observational character portrait of a fascinating, typically invisible world captured with a refreshingly nonjudgmental yet incisive eye.”
- Special Jury Mention for Stop Motion – Animated Short Film: The Miracle (Directed by Nienke Deutz) Jury Statement: “Vivid construction of a unique, hilarious and unsettling world – this animation felt unlike anything we’d seen before and stuck with us.”
- Special Jury Mention for 2D Animation – Animated Short Film: Misufy (Directed by Liisi Grünberg) Jury Statement: “It comes out of the gate swinging with its unique and distinct illustrations – it took us through a journey in its world.”
- Special Jury Mention for Cinematography – Live Action Short Film: Basri & Salma in a Neverending Comedy(Directed by Khozy Rizal) Jury Statement: “The unforgettable cinematography added a layer of humor and vibrancy to heavy emotional material, making the most of wide-open landscapes and bright carnivalesque lights and colors.”
- Special Jury Mention for Lead Acting – Live Action Short Film: Madden (Directed by Malin Ingrid Johansson) Jury Statement: “A beautifully tender and subtle performance from the lead actor that had us entirely invested in her world.”
- Special Jury Mention for Hybrid Storytelling – Documentary Short Film: Dildotectonics (Directed by Tomás Paula Marques) Jury Statement: “Blending two separate sexual explorations (one documentary, one quasi-fanciful reenactment) across the years, this delves into physical and political alternatives to heteronormativity with an offhand, fluid brilliance.”
AFI FEST 2023 featured over 140 films across various genres and themes, providing a captivating experience for the audience during its five-day run.
The lineup included Red Carpet Premieres, Special Screenings, Luminaries, Discovery films, World Cinema, Documentary features, and a Short Film Competition with 42 entries. The AFI Conservatory Showcase, presented by AMC Networks, showcased 30 films, and there were five selections introduced by Guest Artistic Director Greta Gerwig.
Among the official selections, 43% were directed by women, 36% were directed by BIPOC filmmakers, and 17% were directed by LGBTQIA+ filmmakers. The program featured four World Premieres, three North American Premieres, and four U.S. Premieres, representing 49 countries and including 20 Best International Feature Oscar submissions.
The festival kicked off with the world premiere of Leave the World Behind directed by Sam Esmail, and closed with Bradley Cooper’s Maestro, a love story depicting the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. Greta Gerwig, as the Guest Artistic Director, introduced five films, enriching this year’s festival.
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