A spectacular awards program recognizing the best talent in independent cinema from around the globe.
The Best of NFMLA Awards will honor 125 nominees across 16 Award categories including narrative, documentary, animation, new media, direction, screenplay, performance, sound design, score, cinematography and editing. The nominees are comprised of the content that screened as part of the NFMLA Monthly Film Festival 2021 season which ran from January 1st, 2021 and December 31st, 2021.

Winners

Best New Filmmaker

Gabriela Ortega

Best Feature Film

Beans
Directed by Tracey Deer and Produced by Anne-Marie Gélinas

Best Documentary Feature Film

A La Calle
Directed by Nelson G. Navarrete, Maxx Caicedo and Produced by Shawna Brakefield-Haase, Marcus Cheek, Maxx Caicedo, Nelson G. Navarrete

Best Short Film, Documentary

This Is the Way We Rise
Directed by Ciara Lacy and Produced by Chapin Hall

Honorable Mention
Neurodivergent
Directed by Afton Quast Saler and Produced by Reagan Shea & Rachel Priebe

Best Short Film

Comedy Date Nite
Directed by JJ Shpall and Produced by Thomas Hartmann

Best Short Film, Drama

Yellow Girl and Me
Directed by Isabella Issa and Produced by Paul V Fishback

Best International Short Film, Comedy

The Birth of Valerie Venus
Directed by Sarah Clift and Produced by Pietro Greppi & Serena Armitage

Best International Short Film, Drama

Under the Heavens (Seiva Bruta)
Directed by Gustavo Milan and Produced by Gustavo Morozini

Honorable Mention
The Tongues (Njoukcamat)
Directed by Marja Bål Nango & Ingir Bål Nango and Produced by Elisa Fernanda Pirir

Best Short Film, Animated

Souvenir Souvenir
Directed by Bastien Dubois and Produced by Amiel Tenenbaum

Best New Media & Experimental

Last Black Man
Directed by Devone X. King and Produced by Wooyeon Cho

Best Screenplay

Taliya
Written by Arnold Mwanjila

Honorable Mention
Nervosa
Written by Thessa Meijer

Best Performance Comedy

Russell Goldman
I Make Good Sounds at Parties

Best Performance Drama

Dior Wilson
Yellow Girl and Me

Best Cinematography

Luke Sargent
Sweet Potatoes

Best Film Editing

Christina Antonakos-Wallace & Aletta Von Vietinghoff
From Here

Best Sound Design

Jose Pablo Ramirez
The Fire Next Time

Best Score

Onry
Livin’ in the Light

Feature

Documentary feature

documentary short

new media & experimental

animation

international comedy

international drama

drama short

comedy short

screenplay

performance drama

performance comedy

cinematography

film editing

sound design

score

jury

sponsors

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323-521-7385
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score

Ola Kostet
Composer
Onry
Original Music
Daniel Norman, Sholto Kynoch & Brodsky Quartet (Gina McCormack, Ian Belton, Paul Cassidy & Jacqueline Thomas)
Tenor, Piano, Quartet
Fred Silveira
Original Soundtrack
Kevin Sargent
Composer

sound design

Marc Cartwright
Sound Designer
Sam Fan
Sound Designer
Dan Golden
Sound & Music
Vasily Lebedev
Sound
Jose Pablo Ramirez
Sound Designer

film editing

Ramiel Petros
Editor
Isao Furugori
Editor
Christina Antonakos-Wallace & Aletta Von Vietinghoff
Editor
Adithya Sambamurthy & Nathan Caswell
Editor
Richelle Van Loon
Editor

Cinematography

Matt Edwards
Cinematographer
Bruno Gaeta
Director of Photography
Dewun Owusu
Director of Photography
Benjamin Schindler
Cinematographer
Luke Sargent
Director of Photography

performance comedy

Alex Urbom
They Fly By Night
Alejandro Santoni
Alberto and the Concrete Jungle
Jaime Lyn Beatty
Designated Rider
Ahya Simone
Femme Queen Chronicles - Episode One: The Clock
Amanda McQueen
Becca
Russell Goldman
I Make Good Sounds At Parties
Dominic Best
Litany for Mr. President
Josh Brener
Date Nite
Jane Guernier
The Birth of Valerie Venus
Bill Tangradi
They Fly By Night

performance drama

Dior Wilson
Yellow Girl and Me
Richard Walters
An Uninvited Guest
Ayinde Howell
Augustus
Jericho Rosales
Basurero
Kazem Hashem Zadeh
Elders
Shakira Barrera
Huella
Ari Damasco
In France Michelle is a Man's Name
Reise Alexander
Juliet
Nora El Koussour
Nervosa
Marcelia Cartaxo
Pacarrete

screenplay

Federico Torrado Tobon
Yoruga
Richard Gretsky
A Blossom In the Night
Eric Brewster & JJ Shpall
Date Nite
Em Weinstein
In France Michelle is a Man's Name
Alex Greenlee
Intrepidus
Roberto Saieh
La Ruta
Ashunda Norris
Mino: A Diasporic Myth
Thessa Meijer
Nervosa
Rommel Villa Barriga
Sweet Potatoes
Arnold Mwanjila
Taliya

jury

Dinh Thai
Award-Winning Commercial Writer/Director
Kim Williams
Walt Disney Television
Kristi Shuton
Walt Disney Television
Mark Hartogsohn
The Gersh Agency
Mike Wheet
Samsung TV
Mona Xia
Netflix
Nic Cha Kim
PBS SoCal / KCET
Bettina Fisher
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Rachel Jones
Starz
Bronwen Carter
HBO
Ryan Bernstein
Endeavor Content
Caellum Allan
TriStar Pictures
Sandino Moya-Smith
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Christine Davila
Ojala Productions at Universal Content Productions (UCP)
Sean Barclay
The Gersh Agency
Elyse Findley
Disney Television Animation
Hajnal Molnar-Szakacs
Sundance Institute
Hany Abu-Assad
Oscar Nominated Filmmaker
Helen Hoehne
Journalist / HFPA President
Jazz Tangcay
Variety Magazine
Jessica Zou
Verve
Ozi Menakaya
CAA
Alex Villalta
TriStar Television
Tamika Lamison
Commercial Directors Diversity Program (CDDP), PhilmCO
Cameron Cubbison
Zero Gravity Management
Chris Gray
Freestyle Digital Media
Janne Barklis
Gersh
Ivonne Cotorruelo
Cleveland International Film Festival
Casey Meurer
HBO Max
Antonio D’Intino
Circle of Confusion
Emily Cohen Ibañez
Director, Fruits of Labor
Daniela Gonzalez
Circle of Confusion
Anthony Sparks
NACCP Image Award Nominated Writer/Producer
Charnay Mather
Anonymous Content
Charlotte Lichtman
CAA
Caleb Ward
Highland Film Group

feature

Alberto and the Concrete Jungle
USA
//
99 Mins
Dir. Chris Shimojima, Writ. Chris Shimojima & Prod. Chris Shimojima, Paull Cho, Hill Harper
White Elephant
Canada
//
61 Mins
Dir. Andrew Chung, Writ. Andrew Chung & Prod. Christopher Nguyen, Andrew Chung
Beans
Canada
//
90 Mins
Dir. Tracey Deer, Writ. Tracey Deer, Meredith Vuchnich & Prod.Anne-Marie Gélinas
Pacarrete
Brazil
//
98 Mins
Dir. Allan Deberton
iGilbert
USA
//
89 Mins
Dir. Adrian Martinez
Fall Back Down
Canada
//
104 Mins
Dir. Sara Beth (SB) Edwards

Documentary Feature

One Pint at a Time
USA
//
89 Mins
Dir. Aaron Hose & Prod. Aaron Hose, Brigitte Hose
Another Day in Paradise
Israel
//
62 Mins
Dir. Tomer Halfon & Prod. Tomer Halfon
A La Calle
USA
//
110 Mins
Dir. Nelson G. Navarrete, Maxx Caicedo & Prod. Shawna Brakefield-Haase, Marcus Cheek, Maxx Caicedo, Nelson G. Navarrete
From Here
USA
//
89 Mins
Dir. Christina Antonakos-Wallace
Playland USA
Germany
//
88 Mins
Dir. Benjamin Schindler

documentary short

Why Didn’t You Stay For Me?
Netherlands
//
25 Mins
Dir. Milou Gevers
They Keep Quiet So We Make Noise
USA
//
12 Mins
Dir. Marlena Skrobe & Prod. Marlena Skrobe
This Is the Way We Rise
USA
//
12 Mins
Dir. Ciara Lacy & Prod. Chapin Hall, Adithiya Sambamurthy, Matthew Cushing
Neurodivergent
USA
//
25 Mins
Dir. Afton Quast Saler & Prod. Rachel Priebe, Reagan Shea
Miss Curvy
UK
//
25 Mins
Dir. Ghada Eldemellawy & Prod. Ghada Eldemellawy
Kite
USA
//
30 Mins
Dir. Yumeng He
A Syrian Woman
Jordan
//
11 Mins
Dir. Khawla Al Hammouri, Louis Karim Sayad DeCaprio
Women of the Earth
USA
//
18 Mins
Dir. Chiara Hollender
Journey to Justice
USA
//
14 Mins
Dir. Kelley Manley
Lockdown Lunch Club
South Africa
//
23 Mins
Dir. Dewun Owusu

animated short

Camouflage
Netherlands, Belgium
//
20 Mins
Dir. Remco Polman, Writ. Jantiene de Kroon & Prod. Jantien de Kroon, Annemie Degryse
Creatures in My House
USA
//
11 Mins
Dir. Ilena Finocchi
Kapaemahu
USA
//
8 Mins
Dir. Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu
Misery Loves Company
South Korea
//
3 Mins
Dir. Sasha Lee
The Fire Next Time
UK
//
8 Mins
Dir. Renaldho Pelle
Umbilical
USA
//
7 Mins
Dir. Danski Tang
After a Storm
China
//
11 Mins
Dir. Ge Jing
Souvenir Souvenir
France
//
15 Mins
Dir. Bastien Dubois
Little Miss Fate
Switzerland
//
8 Mins
Dir. Joder von Rotz

new media & experimental

Sophie in Hollywood (Episodes 1, 2 & 4)
USA
//
14 Mins
Dir. Marya Mazor, Writ. Noreen Lee, Kazumi Kusano & Prod. Noreen Lee, Kimberli Wong
The Grief Cube
USA
//
27 Mins
Dir. Adam Cox, Writ. Adam Cox & Prod. Johnny Mandaville
The Lights Are On, No One’s Home
USA
//
10 Mins
Dir. Faye Ruiz & Prod. Ramani Menjugas
Zeta Project
Canada
//
10 Mins
Dir. Emmanuel Sochima Nwakaeze, Eben Odonkor, Writ. Emmanuel Nwakaeze, Eben Odonkor, Brian aether & Prod. Emmanuel Sochima Nwakaeze, Eben Odonkor
The Ugliest
USA
//
4 Mins
Dir. Victor Ridaura
Hijos Del Sol
Mexico
//
8 Mins
Dir. Fernando Guisa
Last Black Man
USA
//
5 Mins
Dir. Devone X. King, Writ. Wooyeon Cho, Devone X. King & Prod. Wooyeon Cho
A Machine For Boredom
USA
//
3 Mins
Dir. Marc Cartwright
Livin’ in the Light
USA
//
4 Mins
Dir. Hannah Hefner & Emmanuel Henreid
Sarah Mary Chadwick “Full Mood”
USA
//
4 Mins
Dir. Tristan Scott-Behrends
Femme Queen Chronicles – Episode One: The Clock
USA
//
11 Mins
Dir. Ahya Simone

international comedy

Mustachio
Netherlands
//
11 Mins
Dir. Victoria Warmerdam
Egg Rebelled
Saudi Arabia
//
5 Mins
Dir. Sultan Rabea, Writ. Sultan Rabea, Majed AL Turki & Prod. Sultan Rabea
Becca
Canada
//
12 Mins
Dir. Nancy Webb, Writ. Nancy Webb, Amanda McQueen, Emelia Hellman & Prod.
Trashed
Canada
//
10 Mins
Dir. Alyson Richards, Writ. Alyson Richards & Prod. Mike MacMillan
At the Back
Canada
//
9 Mins
Dir. Gia Milani, Writ. Gia Milani & Prod. Gia Milani
First
Japan
//
20 Mins
Dir. Isao Furugori
The Birth of Valerie Venus
UK
//
15 Mins
Dir. Sarah Clift
Friends Online
UK, France
//
5 Mins
Dir. Samantha White
Down
UK
//
12 Mins
Dir. Garry Crystal

international drama

Nervosa
Netherlands
//
13 Mins
Dir. Thessa Meijer, Writ. Thessa Meijer & Prod. Julia Rombout, Reinier Selen
Marlon Brando
Netherlands
//
20 Mins
Dir. Vincent Tilanus, Writ. Vincent Tilanus
The Departure
Morocco
//
25 Mins
Dir. Said Hamich
The Tongues (Njoukcamat)
Norway
//
15 Mins
Dir. Marja Bål Nango, Writ. Marja Bål Nango, Ingir Bål Nango & Prod. Elisa Fernanda Pirir
Under the Heavens (Seiva Bruta)
Brazil
//
17 Mins
Dir. Gustavo Milan
Under Pressure
Canada
//
8 Mins
Dir. David Labrecque, Writ. David Labrecque & Prod. David Labrecque, Frangin
Wytch Craft
Canada
//
16 Mins
Dir. Polly Pierce, Writ. Polly Pierce & Prod. Polly Pierce, Laura Geluch, Adrian Neblett
An Uninvited Guest
Canada
//
3 Mins
Dir. Richard B. Pierre, Writ. Richard B. Pierre & Prod. Richard B. Pierre
The Fans
Russia
//
26 Mins
Dir. Seva Galkin
In Orbit
Ireland
//
17 Mins
Dir. Katie McNeice
In This Land We’re Briefly Ghosts
Taiwan
//
16 Mins
Dir. Chen-Wen Lo
Basurero
Philippines
//
17 Mins
Dir. Eileen Cabiling

comedy short

Must Love Pie
USA
//
13 Mins
Dir. Patrick Clement, Writ. Patrick Clement & Prod. Patrick Clement, Ridghaus
My First Native American Boyfriend
USA
//
5 Mins
Dir. Joey Clift, Writ. Joey Clift & Prod. Matt Mazany
The Occult Son
USA
//
13 Mins
Dir. Patrick Murphy, Writ. Patrick Murphy & Prod. Chace McGuire
They Fly By Night
USA
//
30 Mins
Dir. Ross Kolton, Bill Tangradi, Writ. Ross Kolton, Bill Tangradi & Prod. Ross Kolton, Bill Tangradi
Litany for Mr. President
USA
//
20 Mins
Dir. Christopher Meyers
I Make Good Sounds At Parties
USA
//
8 Mins
Dir. Amanda Prager
Designated Rider
USA
//
12 Mins
Dir. Ilana Gordon
Two Weeks Notice
USA
//
9 Mins
Dir. Melanie Thompson
Friends Like That
USA
//
8 Mins
Dir. Francesca de Fusco
Date Nite
USA
//
16 Mins
Dir. JJ Shpall

sponsors

drama short

Aziz
USA
//
14 Mins
Dir. Ramiel Petros
TwoBears
USA
//
18 Mins
Dir. Anthony Florez, Writ. Anthony Florez & Prod. Annika Dawson
Huella
USA
//
14 Mins
Dir. Gabriela Ortega
At Last
USA
//
13 Mins
Dir. Lorena Gordon
In France Michelle is a Man’s Name
USA
//
13 Mins
Dir. Em A Weinstein
Mino: A Diasporic Myth
USA
//
19 Mins
Dir. Ashunda Norris
Adrift in Sunset
USA
//
20 Mins
Dir. Narissa Lee
Yellow Girl and Me
USA
//
19 Mins
Dir. Isabella Issa
Augustus
USA
//
18 Mins
Dir. Jon Alston

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1438 N. Gower St. Box 83
Hollywood, CA 90028
323-521-7385

info@nfmla.org

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