Jim Buchholz
Best Feature Nominee - My Name is Myeisha
Jim Buchholz
Best Screenplay Nominee - Rickerby Hinds
Jim Buchholz
Best Director Nominee - Gus Krieger
Jim Buchholz
Best Actress Nominee - Rhaechyl Walker
Jim Buchholz
Best Editing Nominee - A Sniper's War

Best Screenplay Nominee - Fredrick Johnson

After Hours Trading

Year: 2017 | Country: United States | Duration: 102 minutes

Filmmaker: Fredrick Johnson

Fredrick Johnson is an award-winning filmmaker who has made short films,
documentaries, commercials and music videos. The Crimes of Pittsburgh is his first feature film as a writer/director. His films have won many awards, including the CINE Eagle and the Coca-Cola
Refreshing Filmmaker’s Award, and his work has screened at festivals around the world, including
the South-by- Southwest Film Festival; the Deauville Festival of American Film; the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival; the Atlanta Film Festival; CineAsia Hong Kong; ShoWest Las Vegas; the One World Human Rights Film Festival (Prague, Czech Republic); and the Pan-African Film Festival (Los Angeles). Fred was born in Pittsburgh and earned an MFA from the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. Miraj Grbic is a film, TV, and Theatre actor born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and herzegovina, Yugoslavia. Best known for his roles in Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, Hailma’s Path, and The Hunting Party.

Synopsis: "Desperate for cash, a twenty-something college dropout teams up with a shady Eastern European con artist. But when he discovers his new partner-in-crime is on a mission to rescue a human trafficking victim, he must decide if he's in or out."

Best Cinematography Nominee - Santiago Garcia

A Sniper's War

Year: 2018 | Country: Ukraine & Russia | Duration: 80 minutes

Filmmaker: Olya Schechter

Santiago Garcia was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia. At age 22, after obtaining a B.S in
Economics, he moved to pursue a career in film. After 4 years of study and work, he moved to New York to study Documentary. He has worked as a Producer, Director, Assistant Director and Cinematographer on various fictional and documentary feature films and shorts. At the moment he works as a Video Producer for the Gizmodo Media Group.

Synopsis: “The story of a sniper whose anti-U.S. views lead him to join the pro-Russian rebels in the ongoing Ukrainian conflict- a primary source of political tension between the United States and Russia. When social media becomes a communication platform to schedule sniper duels, the film’s focus, Deki finds his life in jeopardy.”

Best Director Nominee - "The Best of All Worlds"

The Best of All World

Year: 2017 | Country: Germany | Duration: 103 minutes

Filmmaker: Adrian Goiginger

In 2012 Adrian Goiginger founded the film production company “2010 Entertainment”.
As director and script writer he was responsible for many short cuts, commercials, image films
and music videos. In 2013 he started his studies in directing at the Filmakademie Baden-
Württemberg. His debut movie THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS (with the financial support of
ORF, SWR, ÖFI, MFG amongst others) has had its premiere at
the Berlinale 2017

Synopsis: The heart-wrenching true story of a boy and his mom, and how their love for each other rescued them from the relentless grasp of heroin addiction.

Best Short Nominee - Bullies

Bullies

Year: 2017 | Country: United States | Duration: 27 Minutes, 40 Seconds

Filmmaker: Daniel Bydlowski

Daniel is an award winning filmmaker and virtual reality artist. Daniel was
internationally recognized after his undergraduate short animation "Ticket for
Success" received awards and was selected by several festivals in 2008, such
as Comic Con's San Diego’s International Children’s Film Festival and
AnimaMundi. The success of the film led to his master degree at the University
of Southern California, where he had the opportunity to work with great directors
and researchers such as Mark Jonathan Harris and Marsha Kinder, developing
projects that were not only shown on the big screen, but also in museums. He
also writes about film for important newspapers and magazines in Brazil. Always
attempting to bring awareness to social issues such as those connected to
health, bullying and the so-called digital revolution, Daniel is currently doing his
PhD at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he focuses on new
media and virtual reality as the future of cinema.

 

Synopsis: Wanting to escape his bullies at school, young Eugene falls into a world where the bullied have remained hidden in the shadows, for decades at a time. But this new reality free of bullies is not as pleasant as it seems and Eugene must find his way back to those he loves.

Best Student Film Nominee - Goes Without Saying

Goes Without Saying

"ÇA VA SANS DIRE"

Year: 2017 | Country: Italy | Duration: 11 Minutes, 37 Seconds

Filmmaker: Pierre Sabrou

The filmmaker: Pierre Sabrou is a young director, ex-student at Ecole de la Cité of Luc Besson, in Paris. He did 22 short films, wrote 13 of them, of all genres, especially comedies and fantasy.

Synopsis: 1927, Charles meet Marguerite, a beautiful washerwoman. By trying to seduce her, Charles triggers a series of unpredicted events that will separate them. He then finds himself in an unknown world...

Best Documentary Nominee - California’s Forgotten Children

California’s Forgotten Children

Year: 2018 | Country: United States | Duration: 92 minutes

Filmmaker: Melody C. Miller

The writer, director, producer, and cinematographer of the film has written and
directed such films as Mimi and Permanent Marker, and was the cinematographer on those films
as well. This film is more than a film for her, but a movement of change to end the evil act of
human trafficking.

Synopsis: A feature documentary about child sex trafficking. The film follows on true stories of
youth who were commercially sexually exploited in California and are now survivors and brave
leaders, fighting for the rights of victims worldwide.

Best Actress Nominee - Maddie Hasson

Good After Bad

Year: 2017 | Country: United States | Duration: 93 Minutes

Filmmaker: Anne-Marie Hess

Maddie Hasson was born in Wilmington, North Caroline, USA. She has appeared
in such films as Good After Bad, Underdogs, and God Bless America.

Good After Bad.png

Synopsis: “The film follows the relationship between a bullied student, Shelly, whose home life
is in shambles, and a wealthy eccentric, Wes, with no friends and issues with women. Things
take a turn when Wes offers to become the teen’s guardian.

More Information:

Maddie recently completed the Youtube Red pilot IMPULSE in the lead role,
directed by Doug Liman (Edge Of Tomorrow, The Bourne Identity) and written by Jeffrey
Lieber (Lost). In 2016, Maddie was seen in theatres in the Sony Pictures Classic’s release of Marc Abraham’s I SAW THE LIGHT, the true tale of legendary country singer Hank Williams, starring Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen. Maddie portrays Williams’ second wife, Billie Jean Jones, who was with him up to his early death. She also had a major role in the indie-thriller A LIGHT
BENEATH THEIR FEET, starring Taryn Manning, Madison Davenport and Carter Jenkins.
Maddie wrapped Margaret Betts’ independent feature NOVITIATE last year opposite Melissa
Leo and Margaret Qualley. Prior to that, she completed shooting the lead role in the indie-drama
GOOD AFTER BAD, directed by Anne-Marie Hess. Maddie rose to fame as the lead of ABC Family’s TWISTED, for which she garnered two Teen Choice Award nominations for Best Actress. Prior to TWISTED she was a series regular on Fox’s THE FINDER, and was seen in the dark comedy GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Best Actor Nominee - Carlos Dala

1 - 2 - 3

Year: 2016 | Country: Philippines | Duration: 1 Hour 44 Minutes

Filmmaker: Carlos Obispo

BORN on October 18,2001 in the Visayas Region of the Philippines. Carlos Dala ! moved to the Capital City  of Manila with his family when he was 8 years old to try out a career in show business. He appeared on TV commercial a MILO "LUWAS" and later on TV shows like BANGIS as "Pipit" TV5, WANSAPANATAYM "ILOG" Abs-Cbn , Dyesebel .As a singer he was part of KIng and I and Tarzan in theater. The film 1-2-3 was his first lead role in film. At grade 10 Carlos has also been making shortfilm which has earned recognition from various film festival in the Philippines. He hopes to become a doctor and a filmmaker someday.

Best Editing Nominee - Pickings

Pickings

Year: 2018 | Country: United States | Duration: 95 Minutes

Filmmaker: Usher Morgan

Introduction: Usher Morgan was born on May 23, 1985 in Israel. He is an award-winning film director, as well as a producer and studio executive. He lives in New York City, and is an editor as well. He has edited films such as “Pickings”, “Fine Dining” and “Behind the Fear”. “Pickings is his first feature narrative film.

Synopsis: “When a short-tempered mobster and his gang of thugs try to shake down a neighborhood bar, they’re soon confronted with the wrath of its owner - a mysterious southern mother with a dangerous past.”

Best Screenplay Nominee - Anne - Marie Hess

Good After Bad

Year: 2017 | Country: United States | Duration: 93 Minutes

Filmmaker: Anne - Marie Hess

Introduction: Anne-Marie Hess has written such films as Good After Bad, Britney Ever After,
and Perfect High. Anne-Marie Hess is an alumnus of the New York University Film Program, and recently wrote and directed her directorial feature debut, GOOD AFTER BAD, which stars Billy Burke (TWILIGHT), Maddie Hasson (I SAW THE LIGHT), And Melora Walters (MAGNOLIA), and is scheduled for release in 2018.  Hess is an accomplished film and television professional with over ten years of experience in the business and has a background in directing, editing, and writing. Her first short film, BEAUTIFUL DAY was a semi-finalist for a Student Academy Award.  Her second short film, THE SPEED OF LIGHT, won awards at both the South By Southwest Film Festival, and Hamptons International festival; and screened at Edinburgh International Film Festival, Viennalle International Film Festival, and numerous others. Previously, Hess wrote the TV movie Britney Ever After, for the Lifetime Network. Hess recently wrote for THE SON, a one hour drama on AMC, starring Pierce Brosnan.

Synopsis: “The film follows the relationship between a bullied student, Shelly, whose home life
is in shambles, and a wealthy eccentric, Wes, with no friends and issues with women. Things
take a turn when Wes offers to become the teen’s guardian.

Best Director Nominee - Doga Can Anafarta

We'll Get Back to You

Year: 2017 | Country: Turkey | Duration: 1 Hour 42 Minutes 

Filmmaker: Doga Can Anafarta

Introduction: Doga Can Anafarta born December 15, 1987 in Turkey has directed and played in
a handful of films before his production of We’ll Get Back to You in 2017.

Synopsis: Six friends graduate and move to Istanbul where they search for jobs and their place in
life, but this won't be as easy as they hoped for. The only cure of being joblessness, unhappy and
hopelessness is friendship, life is beautiful together.

Best Animation Nominee - Framed

Framed

Year: 2017 | Country: Italy | Duration: 7 Minutes 

Filmmaker: Marco Jemolo

Marco graduated in History of Cinema at Università La Sapienza, writing a final essay focused on parallel worlds in animated movies and attended a three months filmmaking workshop at the New York Film Accademy in 2007. Since 2006, he has been working in films, theatre and TV as a Director and Assistant Director.  In 2013 Marco moved to London, where he lives and runs his video production company. His documentary “Le città di Roma” has been awarded with the Jury Prize at the ArtDoc Festival 2014 and has been screened at the MAXXI (Museo delle Arti del XXI secolo). “Framed” is Marco’s first work of narrative fiction. 

Synopsis: Framed is a noir animated short-film, which investigates the role of the individual in society. In an anonymous police station, F.K. asks the Law for help in the attempt to report the abuses he has been through: his birth, his formation, his forced work.
He will end up stuck in an endless nightmare.

Best Student Film Nominee - Gold Fortune

Gold Fortune

Year: 2017 | Country: USA | Duration: 25 minutes 44 seconds

Filmmaker: Rhyme Lu

Synopsis: Inspired by a true crime story. 25-year-old Chinese undocumented immigrant Yuzhong Chen has been bouncing from state to state, working in a Chinese restaurants as a “stir fry”. He willingly bends down his head and works as a modern slave in the hope that one day he will have a real and proud life: To run his own restaurant, marry a woman, start a family. The key to this life? A legal identity.

Best Documentary Nominee - A Sniper's War

A Sniper's War

Year: 2018 | Country: Ukraine & Russia | Duration: 80 minutes

Filmmaker: Olya Schechter

Olya Schnecter is a film director who has directed the documentary “Lesser of Two Evils” before she directed this film. She produced the film as well. She is also the cinematographer of this film and “Lesser of Two Evils”. There is no information on where she is from.

Synopsis: “The story of a sniper whose anti-U.S. views lead him to join the pro-Russian rebels in the ongoing Ukrainian conflict- a primary source of political tension between the United States and Russia. When social media becomes a communication platform to schedule sniper duels, the film’s focus, Deki finds his life in jeopardy.”

Best Actress Nominee - Verena Altenberger

The Best of All World

Year: 2017 | Country: Germany | Duration: 103 minutes

Filmmaker: Adrian Goiginger

Verena Altenberger is an European film actress originating from Austria. She is best known for her roles in “The Best of All Worlds”, “Cold Hell” Die Holle, and the comedy series “Magda macht das schon”.

Synopsis: The heart-wrenching true story of a boy and his mom, and how their love for each other rescued them from the relentless grasp of heroin addiction.

Best Actor Nominee - Miraj Grbic

After Hours Trading

Year: 2017 | Country: United States | Duration: 102 minutes

Filmmaker: Fredrick Johnson

Miraj Grbic is a film, TV, and Theatre actor born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and herzegovina, Yugoslavia. Best known for his roles in Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, Hailma’s Path, and The Hunting Party.

Synopsis: "Desperate for cash, a twenty-something college dropout teams up with a shady Eastern European con artist. But when he discovers his new partner-in-crime is on a mission to rescue a human trafficking victim, he must decide if he's in or out."