The 21st Annual Oxford Film Festival announced the winners at an awards ceremony and afterparty on Saturday night, March 23rd, at Powerhouse Community Arts Center. Read on for the full list of honorable mentions and winners in each category.
Foreign Language
Foreign Language Short Winner: Specter of Innocence (France)–“For its excellent musical score, creative storytelling using flashbacks, and original story idea.”
LGBTQ and Student Shorts
LGBTQ ShortHonorable Mention: Lee Baby
LGBTQ Short Winner: Panic Attack—“God, it was so good. Everyone should watch this.” The film is vulnerable, brave, triumphant, and much needed in our current political landscape.
Student Short Film Honorable Mention: Corndog
Student Short Film Winner: Knead—“A passionate journey of self-discovery. The film was creative, raw, and gives the viewer a peak into how a person’s craft can imitate the process of life.”
Doc Shorts, Fest Forward & Music Videos
Music Video Honorable Mention: The Odyssey of Cleve and Mike
Music Video Winner: Comfort Zone—“Awakening, eruption, transformation, and a climax, robotic, this reminds me of the 90s cult movie Hardware set to music.
Animated Shorts Honorable Mention: Balthazar’s Dream
Animated Shorts Winner: Slower Animals–“This movie is beautiful, sad and full of nostalgia. When animation really works it brings together creative moving images and immersive sound and a powerful concept. Slower Animals forces us to think about the places we’ve been and the people we’ve left behind, and it does so with intricate hand drawn animation, transportive full audioscapes and a thoughtful introspective narration.”
Experimental Shorts Honorable Mention: Another Sinking Sun
Experimental Shorts Winner: Living Reality—“This experimental narrative faithfully recreates the setting and tone of a 90’s era sitcom, only to turn it on its head with a character who, like most of us would, feels out of place in sitcom-land. The result is unsettling but also inspires empathy and self-reflection.”
Documentary Shorts Honorable Mentions: Here, Hopefully and I’m Not Your Negroni
Documentary Shorts Winner: Please Ask for It—“A colorful portrait of a man who spent his life shining a light on other artists and using his success to give back to his community, this intimate documentary aptly turns the the spotlight on living but unsung Mississippi legend, Fox Caldwell and his shrine to the blues in Holly Springs.”
Narrative Shorts
Narrative Short Honorable Mention: Infraction
Narrative Short Winner: The Old Young Crow—“The Old Young Crow’s calm narration of a childhood memory was captivating. The creative and seamless blend of animation, cinematography and storytelling helped elevate this short to award-winning status.”
Sci-fi/Horror Short Honorable Mention: Tooth
Sci-Fi/Horror Winner: Marbles—“Watching Marbles is like watching an acting masterclass. You are drawn in by every character’s story. You grieve, laugh, and cry alongside everyone in this support group.”
Family Friendly Short Honorable Mention: Lost in the Sky
Family Friendly Short Winner: Wider than the Sky–“Storytelling through the use of cardboard cut out animation was very imaginative. The power to believe, to love, to hope is wider than the sky.”
Comedy Short Honorable Mention: One Happy Customer
Comedy Short Winner: Barely Breathing—“Who would have thought that an auto erotic asphyxiation support group could become the best of friends. The camaraderie and honesty through embarrassing episodes earns this short, the best comedy award.”
Mississippi Made
Mississippi Music Video Winner: Black Boy Cry–“A young rapper tries to come to grips with his tumultuous reality. With engaging storytelling, one can still feel and understand the underlying context of the story, asking “why can’t this black boy cry,” without the substance being lost. The language is harsh, but not out of place for edgier rap styles.”
Mississippi Narrative Short Winner: The Chair at the Edge of the Woods–“A smartly done, well-paced short that maintains a fresh level of suspense. The authentic and understated performance from the lead actor accents a subtlety found throughout the film. Who knew moving a chair could be so suspenseful?”
Mississippi Documentary Feature Winner: Rising Hope–“An elegant tapestry of human experience, giving new context to so much of the baggage associated with the Deep South. With beautiful cinematography, it is a moving exploration of what can be from the people who believe it will be.
Mississippi Documentary Short Winner: Please Ask For It–“A fresh and vivacious exploration of a landmark character. We are thankful that someone took the time to introduce us to Mr. Caldwell in such a raw and revealing portrait. It is always refreshing to see a story like this from filmmakers who know how to stay out of its way.”
Documentary Features
Documentary Features Honorable Mention: Nobody Asked You
Documentary Features Winner: The Blues Society–“The Blues Society is an evocative reintroduction to the important contributions of Memphis Country Blues to the fabric of American music. Using priceless archival footage and engaging interviews to provide depth and context, it transports the audience to 1960s Memphis, reflecting on the blurred lines between appreciation and appropriation and examining how we weigh intent against impact at the crossroads of race, culture and economics.”
Narrative Features
Narrative Feature Honorable Mention: Hello Dankness
Narrative Feature Winner: A Song forImogene—“A Song for Imogene is a compelling story that cannot be denied. The acting, the cinematography, and the passion behind the story make this project one that everyone should see.”
