2011 Awards

Congratulations to all the filmmakers selected for this year's Encounters International Film Festival. The level of talent was extraordinarily high and of the 1800 films submitted, only a tenth of those made it through to the festival competition programmes.
We hope you enjoyed the festival as much as we did, and to see you again next year...with or without another film!
Announced below are the winners of the 2011 Encounters awards.

Children’s Animation Jury Award
£500 GPB

Presented by: Liz Harkman, Managing Director

Winning film: WORLDS APART, directed by Michael Zachary Huber

Cartoon d’Or nomination

Presented by: Sarah Cox (Brief Jury)
UK Nominated film for consideration for the best European animation at the 2011 Cartoon d'Or

Winning film: SLOW DEREK, animated by Dan Ojari

Audience Award 
£500

Presented by: Liz Harkman, Managing Director

Winning film: LAS PALMAS, directed by Johannes Nyholm

 

DepicT! '11 British Special Mention Award

Presented by: Patrick Collerton (DepicT Jury)

Winning film: ABOVE AS BELOW, animated by Michelle Arbon

Shooting People DepicT! Audience Award

Presented by: Aidan McAiteer (last year’s DepicT! award winner)

Winning film:  THE LAUNDRETTE, directed by Tim Bassford

DepicT! Award

Presented by: Sarah Cooper, Screen International (DepicT! Jury)

Winning film: WAKE, directed by Nick Fogg

Brief Encounters
Bristol Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards 2012

BRISTOL SHORT FILM NOMINATION FOR THE EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS

Presented by Simon Perry, ACE/Board Member and Matthieu Darras (Brief jury)

For its exploration of Finnish mentality and revelation of the absurdities of global economy through exquisite cinematography, the EFA nomination goes to MITEN MARJOJA POIMITAAN (HOW TO PICK BERRIES) by Elina Talvensaari

Winning film: MITEN MARJOJA POIMITAAN (HOW TO PICK BERRIES), directed by Elina Talvensaari

Animated Encounters
UWE European New Talent Award

1,000 EUR supported by UWE

Presented by: Lynn Barlow, University of the West of England & Lea Zagury (Animated Jury)

A stunning visual tour de force with a fantastic narrative and soundtrack. A whole world is brilliantly created with really strong characters and great art direction, we are looking forward to seeing more from this director.

Winning film: THE BACK WATER GOSPEL, animated by Bo Mathorne

Brief Encounters
UWE European New Talent Award
1,000 EUR supported by UWE

UWE EUROPEAN NEW TALENT AWARD

Presented by Lynn Barlow (UWE) and Eileen Arandiga (Brief Jury)

The award for European new talent goes to a filmmaker whose film takes the viewer on a nihilistic, uncompromising and unflinching portrait of a relationship between two young men caught between brotherhood, friendship and change. The director’s command of his material and deft direction are clear indicators that this filmmaker is a young man to watch. Congratulations Behrouz Bigdeli and the dramatic short TO ALL MY FRIENDS

Honourable Mentions: Silent River directed by Anca Miruna Lazarescu & 15 Summers Later directed by Pedro Collantes

There are two Honourable Mentions for the European New Talent Award:
For its subtle presentation of the desperate measures people will take for freedom and the importance of family we give an Honourable Mention to Silent River directed by Anca Miruna Lazarescu. 
And 15 Summers Later. For its light-hearted tone and its resolute decision to not use close-up’s we give an honourable mention to 15 Summers Later, directed by Pedro Collantes

Winning film: TO ALL MY FRIENDS, directed by Behrouz Bigdeli

Documentary Award

£1,000 GBP supported by ICON

DOCUMENTARY AWARD

Presented by Lucy Middelboe (Icon) and Susanne Folkesson

With a spectacular cinematography and a mis-en scene, a moving story about age and immortality, the interaction between the filmmaker and the character. The Documentary Awards goes to Declaration of Immortality (Deklaracja Niesmiertelnosci) directed by Marcin Koszaeka.

The honourable mentioned goes to Abuelas directed by Afarin Eghbal, a film that combines a serious topic with a playful style that makes the story even more compelling.

Winning film: DECLARATION OF IMMORTALITY directed by Marcin Koszaeka

 

Animated Encounters
Best South West
£500 GBP supported by South West Screen

Presented by: Nigel Davies (Brief Jury) & Caroline Norbury, Creative England
A glimpse of Bristol history beautifully captured in a nugget of a film.

Winning film: ON THE BUS, animated by Naomi Zahl & Matt Morris

 

Brief Encounters
South West Award

£500 GBP supported by South West Screen

SOUTHWEST AWARD Presented by Caroline Norbury and Eileen Arandiga

The Southwest Award goes to an intimate exploration of love, memory and place as perceived by a young woman who herself is waiting for first love to come her way. The filmmaker has perfectly captured the reckless freedom of youth. Congratulations to Rachel Tillotson for I’LL TELL YOU
 
The honourable mention goes to an honest portrait of young people talking about the twists and turns their lives have taken before moving into a group home in Somerset. Congratulations to Peter Snelling and the young collaborators who created UNTIL MY HEART’S, LIKE, FINISHED

Winning film: I’LL TELL YOU, directed by Rachel Tillotson

Animated Encounters
Best of British

£1,000 GBP supported by Cartoon Network

Presented by: Sarah Cox (Animated Jury)
Great Humour, great design and direction. This is a really good example of contemporary British film Making.

Winning film: A MORNING STROLL, directed by Grant Orchard

 

Brief Encounters
Brief Best of British Jury Award

£1,000 GBP

The award with a value of £1,000, towards the directors’ next project supported by Directors UK. The winner will also receive a short film course from the National Film and Television School and the film will be selected into the British Council Film Catalogue.

BRITISH AWARD

Presented by: Abi Berry and Jes Benstock

For its sweet, funny and gently skewed vision of pre-teen sexual awakening, it's strong acting and accomplished direction we give the British Award to Jam Today

For its delicious contemporary British satire and its great central performance Honourable Mention goes to Big Society

Winning film: JAM TODAY, directed by Simon Ellis

 

Animated Encounters
Grand Prix
£2,000 GBP & Digital Cinema Print provided by sponsors Arts Alliance

Presented with an award thanks to Bristol Blue Glass

Presented by: Nigel Davies (Animated Jury)

A film that truly embraces the medium of animation with its original narrative and characterisation. Beautifully paced and structured, this film won us over with its quiet force. 

Winning film: SLOW DEREK, animated by Dan Ojari

Brief Encounters
Encounters Grand Prix

£2,000 GBP & Digital Cinema Print provided by sponsors Arts Alliance

Presented with an award thanks to Bristol Blue Glass

Presented by: Jes Benstock
For its sensitive exploration of a family under stress through the mental illness of the father, the quality of the performances and layering of the narrative we give the Grand Prix to Below Zero.

For its powerful central performance and emotionally satisfying conclusion the Honourable Mention goes to The Father.

Winning film: UNTER NULL (BELOW ZERO), directed by Ulrike Vahl