FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NOVEMBER 13, 2023
CONTACT: JILL RAY 703-408-5310 | JANDJRAY@AOL.COM
Alexandria Film Festival Announces 2023 Award Winning Films
ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Alexandria Film Festival concluded its three-day program yesterday with the announcement of 12 films that received festival awards.
Filmmakers celebrate their awards at closing ceremony with Festival Chair Dara Sanders.
Best of Festival Award - Art Thief, Arthur Egeli, director
Special Jury Award - Two Lives in Pittsburgh, Brian Silverman, director
The Joe Cantwell Award for Documentary Excellence - We Rise, Michael Afendakis, director
Best Foreign Language Feature Award - Temporaries, Pier-Philippe Chevigny, director
The Audience Award - The Fake ID, Halle Kaufax, director
Best Achievement in Innovative Filmmaking Award - Eat Flowers, River Finlay, director
Best Narrative Short Award - Apple Pie, Erin Borg, director
Best Documentary Short Award - Witch Hunt, Anthony Sherin, director
Best Foreign Language Short Award - Dos Bros Force, Jyothi Sura, director
Best Regional Film Award - True North: Honest Stories of Finding Home, Suzie Galler, director
Best Service to Humanity Achievement in Filmmaking Award - By My Side, Vicki Topaz, director
Best Animated Film Award - The Old Young Crow, Liam LoPionto, director
“Based on the extraordinary quality of the nearly 60 films selected for this year’s festival, we expanded our awards slate to recognize and elevate those stories that were particularly impactful,” said Dara Sanders, festival chair. “The passion and artistry demonstrated through these award-winning films are second to none. We applaud all the films represented in the festival and wish our filmmakers success with their future projects.”
About the films:
Art Thief
After stealing a painting from a local museum, a passionate but untalented artist is thrust into the midst of an even bigger robbery. Inspired by true events.
Two Lives in Pittsburgh
A blue-collar Pittsburgher struggles to open his heart and mind as his child explores their gender identity amid their mother’s final days.
We Rise
Sofia, Jessica, Sammi, Angela, Celia and Lucas, the rising stars of a high school mock trial team, navigate the defense and prosecution positions of a murder case, gaining the skills and confidence that help them navigate their own personal challenges and crises on their road to adulthood.
Temporaries
A French-to-Spanish interpreter working for a food processing plant that hires seasonal workers from Guatemala is, at first, determined to obey the sometimes excessive directives of her boss, but befriends the workers and tries to defend them against the exploitation they suffer.
The Fake ID
Two 20-year-old college friends in the big Apple attempt to use their Fake IDs to get into a bar for happy hour. One makes a new friend with their phony identity while the other has to fight to hold on to her cherished fake ID.
Eat Flowers
Photographer and writer Cig Harvey deals with her best friend Mary's cancer diagnosis by creating a beautiful homage of flowers and love letters to her dear friend.
Apple Pie
A satirical commentary on denying women choices regarding their bodies, in this care, what food they eat and when they eat it.
Witch Hunt
Conrad Bromberg tells the story of his father, actor J. Edward Bromberg, and his fight against communist claims against him that ultimately ended his Hollywood career.
Dos Bros Force
In a struggling immigrant household, a little girl’s birthday wish, and her brother’s well-intentioned mistake teach their workaholic father that being present for their family is as important as working for their future.
True North: Honest Stories of Finding Home
A group of distressed war veterans who, feeling alienated from society upon their return from duty, find healing and connection on the Chesapeake Bay.
By My Side
A story of journey and return, of veterans and their families rescued by their service dogs from the pitfalls of PTSD to a promising sense of hope and restoration.
The Old Young Crow
An Iranian boy befriends an old Japanese woman at a graveyard in Tokyo.
The 17th Alexandria Film Festival was made possible with the generous support of individual donors and these grant makers and sponsors: Alexandria Commission for the Arts and the City of Alexandria; Alexandria Gazette Packet; Alexandria Hyundai; Alexandria Living Magazine; Alexandria Times; Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii; Benchmark at Alexandria; Burke & Herbert Bank; Cheesetique; Hotel AKA Alexandria; Jim Connolly/Long & Foster Real Estate; Misha’s Coffee; Old Town Crier; Ted’s Montana Grill; Trident Athletics; Virginia’s Darling; Weisser Glass Studio; and The Zebra.
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About the Alexandria Film Festival
Now in its 17th year, the Alexandria Film Festival brings high-quality independent, short and feature-length films of every genre, to the city of Alexandria each November and intermittently throughout the year. The festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported by a grant from the Alexandria Commission for the Arts, as well as the generosity of volunteers, numerous individuals, and corporate sponsors including Burke and Herbert Bank, Visit Alexandria, Old Town Hilton Hotel, Connection Newspapers, Alexandria Hyundai, Cheesetique, Misha’s Coffee, Jim Connolly realtor, West End Business Association, Alexandria Living Magazine, Alexandria TImes, Zebra, Trident Athletics and Ted’s Montana Grill.