Meet the Winners of the 2017 AT&T Film Awards
By Dave Okamoto
The results are in! The judges have completed their selections. And we’re excited to announce the winners of the 2017 AT&T Film Awards.
We had an overwhelming response to the 3rd edition of the contest. We received 664 outstanding entries from across the U.S., with filmmakers vying for a shot at prizes including cash awards, trips, camera equipment kits and a summer film program at the University of Southern California Cinematic School of the Arts.
The AT&T Film Awards is an open competition. It seeks imaginative, undiscovered short films from aspiring filmmakers who want their voices heard. For the 3rd edition of the AT&T Film Awards, we’re putting the spotlight on the next generation of great storytellers, student filmmakers from middle school to college students. The contest also looks for innovative short films from emerging filmmakers who are shooting their projects utilizing mobile video technologies, like smartphones, tablets, drones and GoPros .
Congratulations to all the winners of the 2017 AT&T Film Awards! And many thanks to all filmmakers who submitted their amazing short films.
We’ll announce our 4th edition of the AT&T Film Awards in February. So keep an eye on this blog for more details.
Without further ado, we are thrilled to present this year’s winners and finalists:
Best Short Film – College Student
Winner ($10,000 prize):
Young Gul Cho, director
New York
School of Visual Arts
Synopsis:
The project critiques today’s cultural climate of human’s total dependency on machines. Is it possible that machines will disrupt our natural biological imperative to reproduce? The film takes us into a factory that produces humans, so we can see what that’s like.
2nd Place ($3,000 prize):
BABY I’M YOURS
Hadley Hillel, director
Orange, California
Chapman University
Synopsis:
In the future as it was imagined in the 1950’s, Nathan notices his mother acting strange and begins to question whether or not she is a robot.
3rd Place ($2,000 prize):
Leah Chen Baker, director
New York
NYU Tisch School of the Arts
Synopsis:
GINA is a comedy about a determined woman seeking success while down on her luck.
Best Spanish Language Short Film – College Student
Winner (Summer program at USC Cinematic School of the Arts):
Miguel J. Soliman, director
New York
School of Visual Arts
Synopsis:
In the darkness of a soundproof recording studio, a conversation sparks between two voice actors dealing
with a shared tragedy.
Best Short Film – Shot on Mobile
Winner ($10,000 prize):
Ryan Riffle, director
Tucson, Arizona
Synopsis:
James is on a mission to rescue a girl from a group of thugs who have taken her hostage. Can he get it done without raising alarm? This film is done in one long camera take filmed on iPhone 6 Plus.
2nd Place ($3,000 prize):
Sven Dreesbach, director
Marina Del Rey, California
Synopsis:
THIS MOMENT is a visual poem dedicated to the world of surfing, in particular, to that moment when you are out there in the ocean and your body and soul become one with nature.
3rd Place ($2,000 prize):
Francisco Infante, director
San Juan Capistrano, California
Synopsis:
A commitment-phobe looks back on the love he left behind during a first date with the one he believes to be his soulmate.
Best Short Film – Youth
Winner (1-week film course and $2,000 in camera equipment):
David Mansour, director
Bayonne, New Jersey
High Tech High School
Synopsis:
This film is essentially about every other teenager in the world. With social media on the rise and cyberbullying accompanying it, it’s a really big threat. David’s film goes to show that one phrase, one text, or one call can literally make the largest impact in someone’s life.
2nd Place (Fresh Films Workshop and $2,000 in camera equipment):
Sophie Salazar & Meaghan Leahy
Arlington, Virginia
Gunston Middle School
Synopsis:
We believe that in order to affect change with cyberbullying, we all must learn how to practice good digital citizenship.
3rd Place ($2,000 in camera equipment):
Lucas Smith, director
Trenton, Michigan
Trenton High School
Synopsis:
A woman is texting while driving and inadvertently hits a little girl. The film then shows an alternative outcome where the driver’s responsible behavior results in a child’s life being preserved.
