From the Hood to the Holler directed by Pat McGee won the Audience Choice Award for Best Film at the 2022 Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF46).The documentary follows Democratic candidate Charles Booker as he runs for Senate in Kentucky, and works to unite people of all colors across Kentucky, while fighting against big money in politics, voter suppression, and systemic corruption in a historically deeply red state.

CIFF46 presented its fourth DReam Maker Award to international award-winning filmmaker Chase Joynt and recognized Brooke Pepion Swaney, the director and producer of Daughter of a Lost Bird, as its CIFF46 Groundbreaker Award recipient.

FEATURE FILM AWARD WINNERS

Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award for Best Film
FROM THE HOOD TO THE HOLLER, directed by Pat McGee (USA)

Reel Women Direct Award for Excellence in Directing by a Woman
Emma Pildes and Tia Lessin (for THE JANES; USA)

George Gund III Memorial Central and Eastern European Competition
GENTLE, directed by László Csuja and Anna Nemes (Hungary)

Nesnadny + Schwartz Portrait Documentary Competition
MAY THE SCHWARTZ BE WITH YOU Director’s Award
NAVALNY, directed by Daniel Roher (USA)

New Direction Competition
NUDO MIXTECO, directed by Ángeles Cruz (Mexico)

Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Competition
REFUGE, directed by Erin Bernhardt, Din Blankenship (USA)

Global Health Competition
THE ERIE SITUATION, directed by David J. Ruck (USA)

American Independents Competition
892, directed by Abi Damaris Corbin (USA)

Local Heroes Competition
MAMA BEARS, directed by Daresha Kyi (USA)

Ad Hoc Docs Competition
MISSION: JOY – FINDING HAPPINESS IN TROUBLED TIMES, directed by Louie Psihoyos (USA)

International Narrative Competition
BEAUTIFUL MINDS, directed by Bernard Campan and Alexandre Jollien (France, Switzerland)

FilmSlam Student Choice Award for Best Feature Film
MESSWOOD, directed by Emily Kuester and Brad Lichtenstein (USA)

SHORT FILM AWARD WINNERS

Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film Overall
The Treatment, directed by Álvaro Carmona (Spain)

Best Animated Short Award*
Mr. Spam Gets A New Hat, directed by William Joyce (United Kingdom)

Best Documentary Short Award*
More Than I Remember, directed by Amy Bench (USA)

Best Live Action Short Award*
Nakam, directed by Andreas Kessler (Germany)

FilmSlam Student Choice Award for Best Short Film
Candidato 34 Directed by Ryan Marley (Canada)

*These award winners will qualify for consideration in the Short Films category of the annual Academy Awards.®