2009 Awards

AWARDS

AWARD CEREMONY
Sat 21 Nov 19:00 Watershed Cinema 1

Join us and some very special guests for our awards night where the winners of twelve awards will be announced.

AWARD WINNERS
Sat 21 Nov 21:30 Watershed Cinema 1
£5

This is a chance to see all the winning films for this year together in all their glory.

INTERNATIONAL JURY AWARD

Encounters takes pride in the exemplary selection of the latest and greatest short films from around the world on show this year. The winner of the International Jury Award is the cream of this crop, the best that the short film world has to offer and certainly a name to look out for. Films in the International, British, South West and Late Lounge programmes are eligible for the cash prize of £3,000.  The winning film will also receive a digital print for distribution through the Digital Screen Network courtesy of our prize partner Arts Alliance. (This award is selected by our International Jury)

Winner 2008: Dennis, directed by Mads Matthiesen (Denmark).

BBC FILM NETWORK BEST OF BRITISH AWARD

The award is offered to the film judged to be the best in all areas of production, direction and story. Films in the Best of British, Best of British: Made in the South West and Late Lounge programmes are eligible for the cash prize of £1000 supported by the BBC Film Network. The winner will also receive 16mm film stock and processing courtesy of our prize partners Kodak and Bucks Laboratories. This award is selected by our British Jury.

Winner 2008: September, directed by Esther May Campbell (UK).

4MATIONS INTERNATIONAL NEWCOMER IN ANIMATION AWARD

This award recognises originality and technical achievement for an independent animated short film of less than 15 minutes and is judged by a distinguished panel of industry professionals. Films made as student projects or as personal projects outside established animation studios will be eligible. Individual films or films made by groups of up to 4 artists will be considered. Candidates will also be eligible if they have been working professionally for less than 5 years. The winner will receive a prize of £2,000, supported by 4mations.tv and Animate Pro software and a 35mm digital SLR Stills Camera courtesy of our prize partners Kudlian Software and Canon. (This award is selected by our Animation Jury.)

Winner 2008: Our Wonderful Nature, directed by Tomer Eshed (Germany).

SOUTH WEST JURY AWARD

In the creative industries, as in all businesses, it's the people who make the difference. In the South West the talent base has strength in depth as well as in numbers. The South West Jury Award recognises the maturity of the creative industries in the region and is an investment in talented individuals to ensure continued growth. The winner, selected by the British jury, will receive a prize of £1,000 and a short course provided by our prize partner the National Film and Television School.

Winner 2008: Leaving, directed by Richard Penfold & Sam Hearne (UK).

NAHEMI / KODAK PRIZE FOR CREATIVE FILMMAKING

KODAK / NAHEMI CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD

The National Association for Higher Education and the Moving Image (NAHEMI), supported by Kodak presents two awards in recognition of exceptional work produced by undergraduate and postgraduate students from film schools around the UK and Ireland. www.nahemi.org.

Winner 2008, NAHEMI / Kodak Prize for Creative Filmmaking: Stand Up, directed by Joseph Pierce (UK).

Winner 2008, NAHEMI / Kodak Cinematography Award: Island to Isla, directed by Jem Garrard (UK).

The 2009 DepicT! films will be in the running for the DepicT! ‘09 Award, a cash prize of £2000, and the DepicT! Shooting People Audience Award. New this year: the DepicT! British Special Mention Award - a package of career development opportunities from NFTS, BAFTA, British Council and Shooting People for a UK-based filmmaker. All three winning films will also be digitised by Arts Alliance media and made available for theatrical screenings at cinemas across the UK through the Digital Screen Network.

Winner DepicT! 2008: Enough, directed by Tor Kristoffersen (UK).

Winner British Special Mention 2008: What's Virgin Mean? Directed by Michael Davies (UK).

Winner Shooting People Audience Award 2008: Breaking the Mould, directed by Rebecca Manley and Luca Paulli (UK).
Supported & Managed by Watershed part of Encounters Short Film Festival
Sponsored by: Aardman, Films@59
With support from: BAFTA, British Council, NFTS, Arts Alliance Media, Shooting People
In partnership with: Independent Cinema Office and BBC Film Network

SOUTH WEST SCREEN AUDIENCE AWARD

South West Screen is the development agency for film, TV and digital media in the South West, playing a key role in fostering local talent, developing creative individuals and building creative businesses. This award celebrates the audience's favourite film from the South West region by offering a cash prize of £1,000 plus mentoring from a South West industry professional.  Films produced in Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Cornwall which are screening in the South West Showcase or Best of British programmes are eligible. 

Winner 2008: Leaving, directed by Richard Penfold & Sam Hearne (UK).

This award celebrates the film voted best of the festival by the audience. Films in the main competition programmes can compete for the cash prize of £500, so don't forget to have your say and vote for your favourite films. The UK Film Council's New Cinema Fund is committed to finding and promoting new talent, looking for unique ideas, innovative approaches and distinctive voices. The fund finances films with passion and verve that connect with a broad range of audiences. This prize is intended to give you - the audience - the chance to join us in spotting the most exciting short filmmaking talent.  

Winner 2008: Skhizein, directed by Jeremy Clapin (France)

The European animation selected at Encounters (2007 productions only) will receive the British nomination for the prestigious Cartoon d'Or, presented annually by Cartoon, with the support of the MEDIA Programme of the European Union.

Winner 2008: Skhizein, directed by Jeremy Clapin (France)

                   Varmints, directed by Marc Craste (UK)

                   This is Jo3, directed by Once Were Farmers (UK).

FILM CLUB CHILDREN'S JURY AWARD - ANIMATION

Encounters have teamed up with Film Club to give a huge hip hip hooray to an animated short of under 10 minutes that appeals to the mind of our voting audience - a collective jury of secondary school children (9-14 year olds). This award celebrates a one off animation (not an episode of a series for TV).  The winner will receive £500 and the film will also be distributed to all schools taking part in the Film Club initiative.

Winner 2008: Office Noise, directed by Johansen, Torben Søttrup, Karsten Madsen and Læke Enemark (Denmark).

FILM CLUB CHILDREN'S JURY AWARD - LIVE ACTION

This year we will be introducing a Children's Jury - Live Action award to showcase and celebrate the work being made by filmmakers in the Live Action genre which appeals to the sensibilities of the youthful imagination and films that stretch, stimulate and engage aesthetically and/or emotionally with the younger audience (9-14 year olds).   The winner will receive £500 and the film will also be distributed to all schools taking part in the Film Club initiative.

FILM CLUB TEENAGE JURY AWARD

This year, in conjunction with Film Club, we will also be introducing a Teenage Jury award to highlight the work being made that best appeals to a teenage audience.  The winner will receive £500.

ONLINE AUDIENCE AWARD

This year Encounters has partnered with Babelgum to enable us to expand our ever growing programme to include our online community and those who are unable to attend during the festival.  The winner will be voted for by our online community and will receive £500.