AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2023 JURY AND AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS
The 30th Anniversary Festival highlights jury & audience selections from the film and script competitions.
AUSTIN, TX (November 7, 2023) — Going on 30 years, Austin Film Festival (AFF) is the premier Festival to recognize the writer’s contribution to film, television, theatre, and new media, is thrilled to announce the 2023 Film Competition Jury and Audience Award winners alongside the Screenplay Competition winners. This year, there were 11 Jury Award winners, 11 Audience Award winners, and 17 Script Competition winners. The competitions received over 6,000 film submissions and over 11,500 script submissions.
THE FOLLOWING FILM JURY AWARDS WERE SELECTED BY CATEGORY
Narrative Feature
Sunlight, written by Ailbhe Keogan, directed by Claire Dix
Documentary Feature
First We Bombed New Mexico, written by Lois Lipman and Joel Marcus, directed by Lois Lipman
Comedy Vanguard Feature
Egghead & Twinkie, written/directed by Sarah Kambe Holland
Dark Matters Feature presented by Vertigo Entertainment
Inhabitants, written/directed by Matt McClung
Narrative Short
Arman & Elisa, written/directed by Kiyan Agadjani
Student Short
Seraphim, written by Joanna Fernandez, directed by Oscar Ramos
Documentary Short
Safe Place, directed by Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian
Animated Short
Curiosa, written by Matthew Dicky and Tessa Moult-Milewska, directed by Tessa Moult-Milewska
Produced Digital Series
Thanatos, written/directed by Andrew C. Fisher
Enderby Entertainment Filmmaking Fellowship Award
English Tutor, written/directed by Jaho Koo
Texas Short Filmmaker Award presented by Aduro Studios
40Hands, written/directed by Craig Robert Elrod
Film Jury winners were selected by jurors including Roy Lee (Barbarian, It, The Ring), Katie Silberman (Booksmart, Set it Up), Ashley Lyle (Yellowjackets), Jade-Addon Hall (20th Century), and Kemp Powers (Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse).
Following each screening, audience members cast their votes for the Audience Awards, recognizing the audience’s Festival favorites among the 2023 film slate.
THE FOLLOWING FILM AUDIENCE AWARDS WERE SELECTED BY CATEGORY
Marquee Film
American Fiction, written/directed by Cord Jefferson
Narrative Feature
Autumn, written/directed by António Sequeira
Documentary Feature
Born To Fly, directed by Brennan Robideaux
Dark Matters Feature
Wild Eyed and Wicked, written/directed by Gordon Shoemaker Foxwood
Comedy Feature
For When You Get Lost, written by Jennifer Sorenson, directed by Michelle Steffes
Texas Independent Feature
I’ll Be There, written by Cindy McCreery, directed by Andrew Shea
Narrative Short
Barely Breathing, written by Neal Reddy, directed by Derek Evans
Narrative Student Short
A Conspiracy Man, written by Valerio Ferrara, Alessandro Logli, Matteo Petecca, directed by Valerio Ferrara
Documentary Short
Safe Place, directed by Samuel-Ali Mirporian
Animated Short
Starling, written/directed by Mitra Shahidi
Produced Digital Series
Restorage, created by Caleb Davis, E’an Verdugo, directed by E’an Verdugo
The 2023 Script Competition winners were chosen from a record field of 11,500 scripts entered in the Screenplay, Digital Series, Playwriting, and Fiction Podcast Competitions. The winners were selected by a distinguished panel of industry judges including, Tatiana Suarez-Pico (Hunters, Penny Dreadful, Iron Fist, Snowfall), Christina Hodson (Bumblebee, Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, The Flash), Tripper Clancy (Stuber, I Am Not Okay With This, Die Hart), & Herschel Weingrod (Trading Places, Kindergarten Cop).
THE FOLLOWING SCREENPLAY AWARDS WERE SELECTED BY CATEGORY
Drama Feature Screenplay Award presented by The Writers Guild of America, East
T-Minus Zero by Troy Anthony Miller and J.R Smith
Drama Teleplay Pilot Award
State of the Art by Austin Elliott
Drama Teleplay Spec Award
The Great: “Death Becomes Him” by Marguerite Spellman
Comedy Feature Screenplay Award
A Forest Through The Trees By Ryan Ederer
Comedy Teleplay Pilot Award
Arthur and Lancelot by Victoria Zeutzius
Comedy Teleplay Spec Award
What We Do in the Shadows: “The Chupacabra” by Jordan Obey
Scripted Digital Series Award
Psychic by Aiden Moretti
Fiction Podcast Award
The Crime at Camp Ashwood by Laura Hunter Drago
Short Screenplay Award
Good Evening, Marshall (Good Evening, Geraldine) by Jessica Mosher
Playwriting Award
The Housing Situation on Neptune by Nijae Draine
Horror Screenplay Award presented by Vertigo Entertainment
Paradise by Daniel Byers
Sci-Fi Screenplay Award
ROY G. BIV by Sebastian Davis
Rooster Teeth Fellowship Awards, BIPOC category
Turn the Heat Up by Helen K Thomas
Rooster Teeth Fellowship Awards, Women & Animation category
Ulster by Allison Mick
Enderby Entertainment Award
Black Mouth Cur by Kai Kido
AMC One-Hour Pilot Award
Blind Mice by Aaron Milus
Josephson Entertainment Screenwriting Fellowships
Black Waters by Kate Imy (Feature Film) and The Hellmouth by Francesco Staluppi (TV)
The Austin Film Festival ran from October 26 to November 2, 2023 offering Film Festival and Writers Conference programming in-person at various venues around Austin. Next year’s Austin Film Festival and Writers Conference will be held from October 24 to 31, 2024. For more information about the Austin Film Festival and its programming, please visit www.austinfilmfestival.com.
ABOUT AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL & WRITERS CONFERENCE:
Now in its thirtieth year, Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft and business of writers and filmmakers and recognizing their contributions to film, television, theater, and new media. AFF champions the work of aspiring and established storytellers by providing unique cultural events and services, enhancing public awareness and participation, and encouraging dynamic and long-lasting community partnerships. AFF is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department and the Texas Commission on the Arts.