Aspen Film Shortsfest Awards Announced

More than 80 films showed on two screens over five days, and the winners have been announced after the 22nd Aspen Shortsfest wrapped up Sunday. Representing more than 30 countries, the films ranged from two to 40 minutes in length and covered drama, comedy, animation and documentary.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION JURY AWARDS

*Academy Award® qualifying category

BEST ANIMATION* $2,500
NIGHT OF THE BEAR
(Samuel Guillaume & Frédéric Guillaume, Switzerland)
An astonishing tale of social activism with incredibly rich characters.

BEST COMEDY* $2,500
DO I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING?
(Selma Vilhunen, Finland)
Warm, human portrait of a family – and fall on the floor funny.

BEST DOCUMENTARY $2,500
GRANDPA AND ME AND A HELICOPTER TO HEAVEN
(Johan Palmgren & Åsa Blanck, Sweden)
Tender, intimate embrace of the natural passage of life.

BEST DRAMA* $2,500
CALCUTTA TAXI
(Vikram Dasgupta, Canada/India)
Unconventional, multilayered storytelling with great emotional impact.

BEST STUDENT FILM $2,000
Sponsored by Film School Shorts
A WORLD FOR RAUL
(Mauro Mueller, Mexico/Switzerland/USA)
A devastating tale of class, power, and the loss of innocence.

BEST SHORT SHORT* $1,000
GIRL WITH CHILD
(Maria Abraham, USA/Ecuador)
A profound look at a deeply troubled mind.

SPECIAL JURY RECOGNITION
CICADA PRINCESS
(Mauricio Baiocchi, USA)
Moving meditation on mortality, with cute bugs.

EDMOND WAS A DONKEY
(Franck Dion, Canada/France)
Haunting, unusual story of transcendence.

IRISH FOLK FURNITURE
(Tony Donoghue, Ireland)
A delightful and original look at – of all things – furniture.

KALI THE LITTLE VAMPIRE
(Regina Pessoa, France/Portugal/Canada/Switzerland)
A poignant examination of the outsider using striking animation.

PIECES
(Xacio Baño, Spain)
Tremendously affecting tale of dementia.

SATURDAY GIRLS
(Emilie Cherpitel, France)
Beautiful story telling with multiple surprises.