Anthony and Joe Russo continue to inspire future filmmakers with its annual No Sleep ‘Til Film Fest.
Today, AGBO released the winners’ names of the 48-hour filmmaking competition that required participants to make films in three minutes or less.
Christina Brennan of the United States, Ben David Sharp of Scotland, Josh Madison Lewis of Scotland, and Elijah Boulton of Canada won the top prizes in this virtual short film festival.
These winners received a filmmaking prize package with essential resources and best-in-class equipment for future filmmaking opportunities. Also, these winners join the exclusive AGBO Storytellers Collective, an alumni network of previous AGBO winners and fellowship programs that included Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum and the Slamdance Film Festival Fellowship.
Here are all the winners and honorable mentions from the virtual film festival:
First Place
Dear Nora, directed by Christina Brennan
Second Place
Fall, directed by Ben David Sharp and Josh Madison Lewis
Third Place
The Universal Language, directed by Elijah Boulton
AGBO Storytellers Collective Award
Body Buddies, directed by Tommy Heffernan of Seattle
Honorable Mention
Hard Sell, directed by David Moravcik of Canada
A New Leash on Life, directed by Joe Daru and Alessandro “Axia” Serradimigni of Los Angeles
SHUT UP, directed by Jame Cutler of Provo, Utah
Butterflies, directed by Akshay Ravi of Los Angeles
Trauma Bonding, directed by Gary Baughan of Inglewood
The Garage, directed by Joshua Joel Ortiz of San Francisco
Number Neighbor, directed by Dillon Hoover of Menifee, California
Desperate Times, directed by Isaac Ruth of North Hollywood
A Simple Job, directed by Ayman Chaudhry of Manchester, England
A Light Goes Out, directed by Michael Heisbetz of Vienna, Austria
ALSO CHECK OUT: Maybe Elephants | Torill Kove on Animated Short Film of Family Life in Nairobi – Animation Is Film 2024
The first-place film Dear Nora by Christina Brennan follows a young woman confronting her inner critic as she struggles to embrace her own worth and find beauty in life’s small moments. In the second place, the apocalyptic short film Fall by Ben David Sharp and Josh Madison Lewis is a wordless drama of two unlikely allies who must choose to cooperate or fight for survival. Finally, Elijah Boulton took third place with The Universal Language, a quirky short film about a man who orders a synthetic girlfriend only to discover a unique language barrier between them.
“Each year, we are amazed by the ingenuity and passion these filmmakers bring to life in just 48 hours,” said AGBO’s chief creative officer Angela Russo-Otstot. “This year’s submissions came from every corner of the world, with hundreds of entries from over 47 countries, showcasing a variety of thematic and story explorations that resonate with and connect us all. We are honored to provide a platform that celebrates global voices and empowers storytellers at all levels to share their unique perspective and vision.”
This year’s judges included AGBO co-founders Anthony and Joe Russo, partner Donald Mustard, chief creative officer Angela Russo-Otstot, chief innovation officer Jake Aust, chief marketing officer Marian Koltai-Levine, co-presidents of story Chris Marku and Stephen McFeely, president of film Michael Disco, and president of television Scott Nemes.
The following sponsors provide the prize packages: RED Digital Camera, Blackmagic Design, GoPro, Avid, Happy Coffee, and AGBO.
All the winning short film films can be watched through AGBO or below.
Source: AGBO
