2022 Awards

Grand Jury Award Winners

Best Feature Film – Comedy – RE-OPENING: A Lockdown Mockumentary
Best Feature Film – Documentary – Conversion
Best Feature Film – Drama – Strangers
Best Feature Film – Experimental/Arthouse – Hallucinations
Best Featurette – Experimental/Arthouse – Spiritual Avail
Best Featurette – Thriller – Jon Law
Best Featurette – SciFi – SUPERNORMAL

Best Short Film – Animation – BomPaPa
Best Short Film – Comedy – The Last marriage
Best Short Film – Documentary – Lydia Emily’s Last Mural
Best Short Film – Drama – The Phoenix
Best Short Film – Experimental/Arthouse – if I go
Best Short Film – Horror – Last Orders
Best Short Film – SciFi – Fieldtrip
Best Music Video – Stress Dreams
Best Pilot/Web Series – How to Hack Birth Control

Best Screenplay – Feature – High School Lullaby
Best Screenplay – Short  – Two Anxious Bisexuals
Best Screenplay – Pilot/Web Series – The Last Comedian On Earth
Best Screenplay – Animation – Dave’s Lucky Day

Best Director(s), Feature Film – Chris Guerra & Matthew John Koppin, RE-OPENING: A Lockdown Mockumentary
Best Director – Pasquale Marrazzo, Te lo dico Pianissimo
Best Actress in a Lead Role – Sarah Cugini, Bitter Taste of Ginger
Best Actor in a Lead Role – Wyatt Bunce, Killer Whales
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Amanda Lehan, RE-OPENING: A Lockdown Mockumentary
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Andrew Robinson, SUPERNORMAL
Best Performance by a Full Cast – RE-OPENING: A Lockdown Mockumentary
Best Screenplay – Rudy Cimic, Cyber Underground
Best Cinematography, Feature Film – M. Wild, Hallucinations
Best Cinematography, Featurette – Bryant Jansen, SUPERNORMAL
Best Cinematography, Short Film – Soren Bendt & Paul Arion, Fieldtrip
Best Visual Effects – JM Marbach – Sophie Villy, Another Existence

Audience Award Winners

Feature Film – Comedy – Killer Whales
Feature Film – Documentary – Luminous
Feature Film – Drama – Roman Candle
Short Film – Comedy – My Friends The Plants
Short Film – Documentary – Logout of IT
Short Film – Drama – Blue Moon
Short Film – Experimental/Arthouse – if I go
Short Film – Horror – Sorry
Short Film – SciFi – Empiricism
Music Video – Syzygy
Pilot/Web Series – How to Hack Birth Control

Screenplay – Feature – The Passage of Sun
Screenplay – Pilot/Web Series – Nutt To Butt
Screenplay – Short  – Happy Birthday

Filmmakers Award Winners

Outstanding Music Video – Jeff Hilliard – Consensual
Outstanding Director(s) – Music Video – Jeff Hilliard & Joey Danger, Consensual
Outstanding Director(s) – Music Video – Grant Kolton, Stress Dreams
Outstanding Screenplay – Music Video – Grant Kolton, Stress Dreams
Outstanding Performance – Music Video – Jeff Hilliard, Consensual

Outstanding Short Film – Comedy – Just A Ghoul
Outstanding Short Film – Comedy – Mutiny!
Outstanding Director(s) – Comedy – Johan Tappert & Gustav Egerstedt, The Last marriage
Outstanding Screenplay – Comedy – Jameson DeSantis, Just A Ghoul
Outstanding Performance, Cast – Comedy – The Last marriage
Outstanding Performance, Individual – Comedy – JJ Nolan, Just A Ghoul

Outstanding Short Film – Documentary – Greg is Here
Outstanding Director – Documentary – Christoph Green, Lydia Emily’s Last Mural

Outstanding Short Film – Drama – Hedgehog
Outstanding Short Film – Drama – Sons of Toledo
Outstanding Director – Drama – Regina Pigsley, The Phoenix
Outstanding Screenplay – Drama – Regina Pigsley, The Phoenix
Outstanding Performance, Cast – Drama – Sons of Toledo
Outstanding Performance, Individual – Drama – Scarlett Leigh Cowan, Angel

Outstanding Short Film – Experimental/Arthouse – DON-O-MITE
Outstanding Short Film – Experimental/Arthouse – The Poet
Outstanding Director – Experimental/Arthouse – Daniel Fries, DON-O-MITE
Outstanding Screenplay – Experimental/Arthouse – Sean Mogridge, if I go
Outstanding Performance, Cast – Experimental/Arthouse – DON-O-MITE
Outstanding Performance, Individual – Experimental/Arthouse – Daniel Amerman, The Poet

Outstanding Short Film – Horror – Best to Share
Outstanding Short Film – Horror – Escalation
Outstanding Director – Horror – Jon James Smith, Last Orders
Outstanding Screenplay – Horror – Jon James Smith, Last Orders
Outstanding Performance, Cast – Horror – Last Orders
Outstanding Performance, Individual – Horror – Christian Bachini, Escalation

Outstanding Short Film – SciFi – Black Hole
Outstanding Director(s) – SciFi – Soren Bendt & Paul Arion, Fieldtrip
Outstanding Screenplay – SciFi – Jamie Parslow, Black Hole
Outstanding Performance, Cast – SciFi – Empiricism
Outstanding Performance, Individual – SciFi – Aaron Moorhead, Black Hole

Outstanding Pilot/Web Series – How to Hack Birth Control
Outstanding Director – Pilot/Web Series – Sassy Mohen, How to Hack Birth Control
Outstanding Screenplay – Pilot/Web Series – Sassy Mohen, How to Hack Birth Control
Outstanding Performance, Cast – Pilot/Web Series – How to Hack Birth Control
Outstanding Performance, Individual – Pilot/Web Series – Xanthe Paige, How to Hack Birth Control

Programmer’s Prize for Uniquely Excellent Filmmaking

Adonai
do you have cigarettes?
Le Winner
The Desire To Live
The Monologue
Two Weeks to 29
We Are All In This Together

Award Definitions/Explanations

Grand Jury Awards – determined by the festival’s official selection committee.
Audience Awards – determined by highly scientific instruments placed throughout the theater to determine audience satisfaction.
Filmmakers Awards – given only to short films, these are determined by the Filmmakers Board, a panel of filmmakers whose films have been Official Selections previous years.
Programmer’s Prize – given to film(s) by festival programmer Jeff Howard, who watches thousands of films every year and might enjoy ‘off the beaten path’ films more than the rest of the jury members. This award was created so that Jeff will never be tempted to override an award jury.

FILA makes Top 100 Best Reviewed on FilmFreeway

We love getting this email on the first of the month!

Congratulations! Your festival has ranked as one of the Top 100 Best Reviewed Festivals on FilmFreeway for the month of February!

According to reviews from real FilmFreeway users, your festival ranks in the top 1% of more than 10,000 film festivals and creative contests around the world. No doubt, this ranking is a testament to the countless hours of hard work and care that you and your staff have devoted to creating such a wonderful event.

We’re especially proud to be partnered with amazing events like yours that help independent film continue to thrive.

Thank you FilmFreeway!

2021 Awards

Grand Jury Prize Winners

Best Feature Film – Comedy – Hawk and Rev: Vampire Slayers
Best Feature Film – Drama – The Imaginary State
Best Feature Film – Documentary – Another Child
Best SciFi FIlm – Elipsis
Best Short Film – Comedy – Sous Pression (Under Pressure)
Best Short Film – Documentary – The Kids Are Still Here
Best Short Film – Drama – Six Nights
Best Short Film – Arthouse – Acknowledgements
Best Short Film – Experimental – Cinema
Best Short Film – Horror – Koreatown Ghost Story
Best Music Video – ODDKO D4TM
Best Director – SB Edwards, Fall Back Down
Best Actress in a Lead Role – Co-Leads: Lyndsey Frank & Bree Helders, Bree and Lyndsey are Actors
Best Actor in a Lead Role – Benny Elledge, Kringle Time
Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Aadila Dosani, Fall Back Down
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Vernon Wells, Kringle Time
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Ari Schneider, Hawk and Rev: Vampire Slayers
Best Performance by a Cast – Drama – The Imaginary State
Best Performance by a Cast – Comedy – Hawk and Rev: Vampire Slayers
Best Performance by a Voice Actor – Iggy Pop, Squirrel Mountain ‘Iggy To The Rescue’
Best Screenplay – SB Edwards, Fall Back Down
Best Cinematography – Henrik Jensen, The Imaginary State
Best Visual Effects – Christian Klein, Sweet Nothings
Best Production Design – In the Company of Crows
Best Screenplay – Feature (Unproduced) – go-LOVE-go John Griffin
Best Screenplay – Feature (Unproduced) – Splicer
Best Screenplay – Pilot (Unproduced) – She Creature Maria Krovatin & Chris Krovatin
Best Screenplay – Pilot (Unproduced) – Rennies Daniel Roche

Audience Award Winners

Documentary – A Perfect Vintage
Feature Film – Fall Back Down
Short Films – Comedy – “Screwball Short Film Program” – Coco and Colby, Bree and Lyndsey are Actors & Lizard Brain
Short Film – Drama -“Authenticity Short Film Program” –  Break, Delivery & Six Nights
Short Film – Experimental – “Poetic Short Film Program” – Acknowledgements, Telling Time, Liberate & It Doesn’t Matter
Short Film – Horror – “Horror Spotlight Program” – Clean Cut Clean Cut & The Strong Box

Filmmakers Award Winners

Outstanding Short Film – Documentary  – Woman of Courage

Outstanding Short Film – Comedy – Achan and Ezra
Outstanding Short Film – Comedy – Kia Summer Sales Event
Outstanding Director – Comedy – David Labrecque, Sous Pression (Under Pressure)
Outstanding Screenplay – Comedy – Omri Rose, Achan and Ezra
Outstanding Acting, Cast – Comedy – Achan and Ezra
Outstanding Acting, Individual – Comedy – Jon Ebeling, Lizard Brain
Outstanding Acting, Comedy Duo – Gerald B. Fillmore & Vanessa Benavente, Hold For Applause
Outstanding Cinematography – Comedy – Eric Bader, Kia Summer Sales Event

Outstanding Short Film – Drama – 11-95
Outstanding Short Film – Drama – She Used to Laugh
Outstanding Director – Drama – Robert Brogden, Six Nights
Outstanding Screenplay – Drama – Greg Berman, She Used to Laugh
Outstanding Acting, Cast – Drama – 11-95
Outstanding Acting, Individual – Drama -Kelly Frye,  A Call Above the Clouds
Outstanding Cinematography – Drama – Ino Yang Popper, A Call Above the Clouds

Outstanding Short Film – Experimental – When Snow Falls
Outstanding Director – Experimental – Theodore Knighton, Cinema
Outstanding Screenplay – Experimental – Zack Browne, It Doesn’t Matter
Outstanding Performance, Cast – Experimental – Ted Louis Levy & Barbara Duffy, When Snow Falls
Outstanding Performance, Individual – Experimental – Ingrid Rogers, Liberate
Outstanding Cinematography – Experimental – Theodore Knighton & Co, Cinema

Outstanding Short Film – Horror – Clean Cut
Outstanding Directors – Horror – Minsun Park & Teddy Tenenbaum, Koreatown Ghost Story
Outstanding Screenplay – Horror – Minsun Park & Teddy Tenenbaum, Koreatown Ghost Story
Outstanding Acting, Cast – Horror – Koreatown Ghost Story
Outstanding Acting, Individual – Horror – Joseph Fox, The Strong Box
Outstanding Cinematography – Horror – Jon Keng, Koreatown Ghost Story

Outstanding Short Film – SciFi – Anomaly
Outstanding Director – SciFi – Michael Jeanpert, Anomaly
Outstanding Screenplay – SciFi – Christian Klein, Sweet Nothings
Outstanding Acting, Cast – SciFi – Anomaly
Outstanding Acting, Individual – SciFi – Roberto Calvet, Anomaly
Outstanding Cinematography – SciFi – Victor Ingles, Sweet Nothings

Outstanding Music Video – I Don’t Need A Sledgehammer To Start A Fire

Programmer’s Award Winners

Exceptional Filmmaking – Execution
Exceptional Filmmaking – Home By 11
Exceptional Filmmaking – In A Strange Room
Exceptional Filmmaking – Jiyan
Exceptional Filmmaking – Squirrel Mountain ‘Iggy To The Rescue’
Exceptional Filmmaking – The Sword That Waits

Prize Definitions/Explanations

Grand Jury Prizes – determined by the festival’s official selection committee.
Audience Awards – determined by highly scientific instruments placed throughout the theater to determine audience satisfaction.
Filmmakers Awards – given only to short films, these are determined by a panel of fifteen filmmakers whose films have been Official Selections previous years.
Programmer’s Prize – given to film(s) that festival programmer Jeff Howard cannot bear to see go without an award. These films are generally off the beaten path and break conventions of format and genre.

Top 100 Best Reviewed Festival

Film Invasion Los Angeles is proud to announce that we have achieved Top 100 Best Reviewed status!  We received this message from FilmFreeway:

“According to reviews from real FilmFreeway users, your festival ranks in the top 1% of more than 10,000 film festivals and creative contests around the world. No doubt, this ranking is a testament to the countless hours of hard work and care that you and your staff have devoted to creating such a wonderful event.”

 

New Prize – Best Visual Effects!

Film Invasion Los Angeles is proud to announce that aescripts + aeplugins is sponsoring FILA’s new Best Visual Effects prize.  Open to feature films, short films and music videos, the winner of FILA’s Best Visual Effects prize will receive a $1,000 Gift Card redeemable at the aescripts + aeplugins online store. The winner will be selected by the aescripts + aeplugins team!

FILA 2020 Wrap Up – Over 5,000 Views

FILA 2020’s online Screening Room closed after Monday, June 29 and we are amazed to share that our 2020 Official Selections racked up 5,616 views by 3,999 unique viewers!  We could not be more proud of the nine feature films, thirty-five short films, two music videos, and ten screenplays that made this year’s festival a great one.

We want to thank every filmmaker, screenwriter, performer, producer, cinematographer, production designer, and every other contributor who helped make wonderful films.  We look forward to seeing what everyone does next!

Our sister-festival is the Sherman Oaks FIlm Festival (@shermanoaksff) that is held in November.  Fingers crossed we get to see everyone in person then.  And if not, hopefully at FILA 2021!