The 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest held from June 16-22, 2015, announced its Festival award winners.  CARRY ON (Esel) (pictured above) directed by Rafael Haider, a sublime tale that focuses on an elderly couple who tend to what’s left of their once-thriving farm with the help of an aged donkey on its last legs, won the Best of Festival Award.

“It’s been a spectacular success on all fronts for ShortFest this year, with a uniformly ecstatic response from audience and filmmakers alike for the screenings, the panels and seminars and the special events the Festival mounted,” said Festival Director Darryl Macdonald. “With record numbers of attendees and filmmakers, the Festival lived up to its growing reputation as one of the most important events of its kind in the world.”

The 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest award winners are:

JURY AWARDS

BEST OF FESTIVAL AWARD – Winner received $5,000 cash prize courtesy of the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Final Cut Pro X courtesy of Apple Computer.  The winner of this award may be eligible to submit their film to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar consideration.
Carry On (Esel) (Austria), Rafael Haider
This sublime tale focuses on an elderly couple who tend to what’s left of their once-thriving farm with the help of an aged donkey on its last legs. But when the time comes to face reality, can the farmer do what is called for?

GRAND JURY AWARD – Winner received $2,000 cash prize
Over (UK), Jörn Threlfall
What has happened in this quiet, suburban neighborhood? Has there been a murder, a hit-and-run, an accident? The reality is both profound and deeply unexpected, and unfolds in reverse in this quiet mystery that rewards the patient viewer.

FUTURE FILMMAKER AWARD – Winner received a $2,000 cash prize.
Submarine (Brazil), Rafael Aidar
Love and loneliness waltz in this slow reveal of a man whose connection to his lover keeps him finding new ways to re-ignite his past.

PANAVISION BEST NORTH AMERICAN SHORT – Camera package valued at $60,000 courtesy of Panavision.
Marta Rosa (USA/Mexico), Barbara Cigarroa
In the aftermath of a tragedy, a mother is forced to deal with her own internal grief as well as the harsh realities of the world around her.

BEST STUDENT FILM AWARD (From a US Film School) – $1,000 cash prize courtesy of KQED San Francisco and camera package valued at $10,000 courtesy of Radiant Images
It’s Better in Italian (USA/Italy), Jordan Ledy
A delightful look behind the scenes at the world of dubbing American movie stars in films for the Italian market.

HONORARY MENTIONS
Exceptional Performance by an Actress – Miriam Zohar, Paris on the Water (Paris Al Amayim) (Israel)
Exceptional Cinematography – August (Poland), Tomek Slesicki

AUDIENCE AWARDS
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
The Way of Tea (les frémissements du thé) (France), Marc Fouchard
Set in a small town in northern France, The Way of Tea explores the meeting of Alex, a young skinhead, and Malic, an Arab shopkeeper, who meet one fateful night that tests the mettle of both men. An eloquent statement about prejudice and stereotypes.

Runner-up – Contrapelo (Mexico/USA/UK), Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

Body Team 12 (Liberia),David Darg
A glimpse into the work of a group of courageous people tasked with the removal and disposal of bodies during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia. Both gut wrenching and inspiring, the film focuses on the sole woman on the team, and her perspective on the crisis in her country.

Runner-up – It’s Better in Italian (USA/Italy), Jordan Ledy

BEST ANIMATION SHORT
Bear Story (Historia de un Oso) (Chile), Gabriel Osorio
Through the magical prism of a marionette theater, a world-weary bear tells his life story.

Runner-up – SOAR (USA), Alyce Tzue

SHORTFEST ONLINE AUDIENE AWARD
The Deadman (Peru), Franco Finocchiaro
A young man who everyone assumed was dead reappears at his parent’s house mysteriously after seven years, shortly followed by two detectives with more questions than answers.

JURY CATEGORY AWARDS

Awards in the non-student and student categories were selected by ShortFest jury members David Ansen (Writer), Gregg Kilday (Film Editor at The Hollywood Reporter),Steve Greene (Assistant Editor of Indiewire’s Criticwire Network), Dan Ireland (Writer/Director/Producer), Roberta Munroe(Writer/Director/Producer), Barry Primus (actor),  Kim Waltrip (Independent Film Producer). All first place winners in the non-student categories received a cash award of $2,000.  First place winners in the non-student Animation and Live Action categories may be eligible for Academy Awards consideration.  Second place recipients received a $500 cash prize.

BEST AnimatION short
First Place ($2,000) – Bear Story (Historia De Un Oso)(Chile),Gabriel Osorio
Through the magical prism of a marionette theater, a world-weary bear tells his life story.

Second Place ($500) – The Orchestra (Australia), Mikey Hill

BEST Live Action short over 15 minutes
First Place  ($2,000) – The Good Life-Over There (Det Gode Livet, Der Borte) (Norway), Izer Aliu
Sami, an Albanian immigrant to Norway, spends the day babysitting his boss’ spoiled adolescent son who teaches him a surprising lesson about the sacrifices he’s made for his family back home.

Second Place ($500) – Submarine(Brazil), Rafael Aidar

Special Mention– Brothers(UK), Thordur Palsson

BEST Live Action short 15 MINUTES AND UNDER
First Place ($2,000) – August(Poland), Tomek Slesicki
A teenage boy hangs out with a pretty girl and a young boy and his dog in the fields. Over his shoulder is slung a bag with unknown contents, which will eventually prove the cost of first love.

Second Place ($500) – Over (United Kingdom), Jörn Threlfall

Special Mention – Ave Maria (Palestine/France/Germany), Basil Khalil

BEST Documentary short
First Place ($2,000) – Pink Boy(USA), Eric Rockey
This remarkable documentary introduces us to Jeffrey, a young, ‘gender non-conforming’ boy being raised by his lesbian moms in conservative rural Florida who provide him with exactly the kind of support and guidance he needs to make his way in a potentially hostile world.

Second Place ($500) –Pebbles At Your Door (Denmark), Vibeke Bryld

STUDENT CATEGORIES
All first place winners in these categories received a 1-year download membership to Videoblocks, AudioBlocks or GraphicStock.

BEST STUDENT ANIMATION
First Place – SOAR (USA), Alyce Tuze
A precocious young girl makes a new friend when a tiny boy pilot drops out of the sky on a broken flying machine. Now she must race against time to return him home, before her new friend becomes stranded on Earth forever.

Second Place – After the End (UK), Sam Southward

Honorable Mention – The Present (Germany), Jacob Frey

BEST STUDENT Live Action short over 15 minutes
First Place – Paris on the Water (Paris Al Amayim) (Israel), Hadas Ayalon
Bathya and Michel – both actors – have been married for 50 years, and while Michel has continued to have a successful career in a TV medical drama series, her once-thriving career has gone dormant. Then Bathya finds herself up for a potential key role in a new movie, bringing her hopes for a career revival, but on the morning of her audition, something happens that forces her to reassess her priorities in life.

Second Place – The Little Death (Den Lille Døden) (Norway), Simon Tillaas

BEST STUDENT Live Action short 15 MINUTES AND UNDER
First Place – Marta Rosa (USA/Mexico), Barbara Cigarroa
In the aftermath of a tragedy, a mother is forced to deal with her own internal grief as well as the harsh realities of the world around her.

Second Place – Zelos (USA/Iceland), Thoranna Sigurdardottir

BEST STUDENT DOCUMENTARY short
First Place – It’s Better in Italian (USA/Italy), Jordan Ledy
A delightful look behind the scenes at the world of dubbing American movie stars in films for the Italian market.

Second Place – The Tour Guide (Ha Madricha) (Israel/Germany), Amos Geva

ADDITIONAL PRIZES

ALEXIS AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING STUDENT FILMMAKER – The Alexis Award is selected by the Festival’s programming team and was created in honor of Alexis Echavarria, a young filmmaker, whose talent as a budding filmmaker and gift for inspiring excellence among his fellow students were cut short suddenly in 2005 at age 16.  The recipient received Final Cut Pro X courtesy of Apple Computer.

First Place – Zelos (USA), Thoranna Sigurdardottir
As a modern woman you have an endless to-do list. Between your family, your career, and your hobbies, you want to do it all, and do it all well. With Zelos, YOU CAN…

Second Place – Discipline (Switzerland), Chrisopher M. Saber

HP BRIDGING THE BORDERS AWARD PRESENTED BY CINEMA WITHOUT BORDERS – The winner received the award’s diploma and an HP ZBook Mobile Workstation with a color critical HP DreamColor display and Thunderbolt™ 2, an approximately $3000 value.  The runner received a certificate for an upcoming Method Acting Intensive Workshop provided by The Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute with a value of $2000

First Place – Ave Maria (Palestine/France/Germany), Basil Khalil
A Jewish family’s car breaks down outside a nunnery during Shabat, inadvertently knocking off the head of the Virgin Mary. The driver’s mother and wife are eager to return home. After exhausting all options they turn to the nuns for help.

Special Jury Prize – Rangan 99 (Iran), Tiyam Yabandeh