With all the wonderful films submitted this year to the Highway 61 Film Festival, narrowing down the choices into the award winners and official selections was a very challenging job for our all-volunteer crew of prescreeners, judges and festival programmers.
It also didn’t seem right to celebrate only the films that would be featured during the limited time we have to schedule films at our 2016 festival, because there would be many, many more films we would include if we did have time available. Excellent creative work deserves to be recognized.
With that in mind, we are honoring not only the award winners and official selections, but finalists and semi-finalists in each category – films which made a strong impression on our judges, but which we were unable to screen at the festival.
To see the festival schedule for 2016, click here.
Thank you for your contributions, and congratulations to all!
ACTION/HORROR FEATURE
1st Place • Scratch • Director: Maninder Chana – Canada
2nd Place • DAYLIGHT’S END • Director: Wiliam Kaufman – United States
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Peelers • Submitted by Sevé Schelenz • Finalist
Gray • Submitted by Michael Santana • Semi-Finalist
The Dark Tapes • Submitted by Michael McQuown • Semi-Finalist
ACTION/HORROR SHORT
1st Place • Portent • Director: Justin Carter – United Kingdom
2nd Place • HADA • Director: Tony Morales – Spain
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Ghostwriter • Director: Mykee Steen • Official Selection
Mayday • Director: Sébastien Vanicek • Official Selection
The Art of Human Salvage • Director: Dempsey Tillman • Official Selection
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Snatched Away • Submitted by Rafael Sierra • Finalist
Balloon • Submitted by Vis Vitalis • Semi-Finalist
Banana Bike Bloodbath • Submitted by Luke Meneok • Semi-Finalist
Candy Skin • Submitted by Kyle Martellacci • Semi-Finalist
Frame of Mine • Submitted by Matthew Simonis • Semi-Finalist
Kill Them All, Big and Small • Submitted by John Gigrich • Semi-Finalist
Recalibrate • Submitted by John Gigrich • Semi-Finalist
TEAM • Submitted by Pete Tomkies • Semi-Finalist
ANIMATION – SHORT OR FEATURE
1st Place • PERCIPIENT • Director: Keith Mullin – United States
2nd Place • THE OLD MAN AND THE PEARS • Director: Jing Sun – United States
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Brotherhood • Director: Christian Washington • Official Selection
Departure • Director: Shiyuan Guo • Official Selection
Fault Lines • Director: Mandy Wong • Official Selection
Monster • Director: Montana Hall • Official Selection
Quackerz • Director: Viktor Lakisov • Official Selection
Spotlight • Director: Otalia Causse • Official Selection
The Hindu Thread • Director: Jennifer Higgins • Official Selection
The Odd Funeral • Director: Felix Swahn • Official Selection
Totem • Director: Ariel Jew • Official Selection
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Bubble Bubble Meows and the Things That Happen in Movies Like This • Submitted by Matt Orefice • Finalist
Agrinoui • Submitted by Alexis Chaviaras • Semi-Finalist
another day in paradise • Submitted by bellopropello • Semi-Finalist
employee of the day • Submitted by Christoph J Kellner • Semi-Finalist
Infestation • Submitted by Cable Hardin • Semi-Finalist
Last Judgment • Submitted by Junyi Xiao • Semi-Finalist
Xsense Alice • Submitted by Janetta Abbenbroek • Semi-Finalist
COMEDY FEATURE
1st Place • BUSES • Directors: Josh Clarke and Jack Kelly – United Kingdom
2nd Place • DIRTY BEAUTIFUL • Director: Tim Bartell – United States
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DUMBBELLS • Submitted by Hoyt Richards • Finalist
Did You Hear Jake And Courtney Broke Up? • Submitted by Michael Leroux • Semi-Finalist
Where Are You, Bobby Browning? • Submitted by Marc Hutchins • Semi-Finalist
COMEDY SHORT
1st Place • L.I.P.S. • Director: Mike Cheslik – United States
2nd Place • BUBBLE BATH • Director: Kevin Saxby – Canada
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A Town Called Theocracy • Director: Jehad Al-Khateeb • Official Selection
Call For A Good Time • Director: Linnea Ritland • Official Selection
Dirty Work • Director: Dániel Füzes • Official Selection
Once Upon a Dream • Director: Anthony Nion • Official Selection
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De Ontmoeting (The Encouter) • Submitted by milou dieteren • Semi-Finalist
Endo • Submitted by Tom Radovich • Semi-Finalist
Finding Wheel Love • Submitted by Sonic Barometer • Semi-Finalist
Kidnapping • Submitted by Jay Pulk • Semi-Finalist
Sex Life • Submitted by Cole Meyer • Semi-Finalist
The Bigfoot Hunters • Submitted by matt hausmann • Semi-Finalist
The Couch • Submitted by Doug Phillips • Semi-Finalist
The Revenge • Submitted by Yulia Travnikova • Semi-Finalist
Think Twice • Submitted by Eliaz Rodriguez • Semi-Finalist
Venice • Submitted by Venetia Taylor • Semi-Finalist
Virgin Susie And The Holy Sisters From Petah-Tikva • Submitted by Asaf Yecheskel • Semi-Finalist
When Damon Met Angie… • Submitted by Hugo Matz • Semi-Finalist
Whyne: Because the “Why” Generation is Whining • Submitted by Nathan Oelker • Semi-Finalist
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
1st Place • GYPSY: ROCK & ROLL NOMADS • Director: Sean Skinner – United States
2nd Place • ONE LONG JOURNEY • Director: Andy Lawrence – United Kingdom
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
1st Place • A LIFE WELL PLAYED • Director: Rene Erickson – United States
2nd Place • OVER THE BRIDGE • Director: Maria Lavelle – United States
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The Band for Dummies • Submitted by Vittorio Antonacci • Finalist
Harlan County: A Road to Change • Submitted by Kim Childers • Semi-Finalist
Song in a Day • Submitted by Kris Jones • Semi-Finalist
TRANSition • Submitted by Robert Cunningham • Semi-Finalist
TICK TOCK CLOCK • Submitted by GAIL REABEN • Semi-Finalist
The First Time • Submitted by Ashley Boyle • Semi-Finalist
DRAMA FEATURE
1st Place • CAPSULE • Director: Andrew Martin • Producer: Paul D. Forrest • Company: Ecaveo Capital Partners – United Kingdom
2nd Place • SCARECROW • Director: Mark A. France – United States
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ESCAPES • Submitted by mercedes gaspar • Finalist
Redux • Submitted by Bret Jones • Semi-Finalist
DRAMA SHORT
1st Place • THE EXAMPLE • Director: Wyatt Cagle – United States
2nd Place • BLIND LIGHT • Director: An Pham – United States
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Dead Sharks • Director: Nic Barker • Official Selection
Dorothy and the Odds • Director: Rudy Capirio • Official Selection
Letter to My Son • Director: Maurice Hicks • Official Selection
Speed Dating • Director: Heather Nicole • Official Selection
Split Costs • Director: Jeffrey Blake Palmer • Official Selection
The Jason Phillips Show • Director: Kye Loren • Official Selection
With the Wind • Director: Farhad Pakdel • Official Selection
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Funkenflug – Chronicles of a Catastrophe • Submitted by Stephanie Kiewel • Finalist
The Forgotten Few • Submitted by Ryan Enever • Finalist
Aitxitxe • Submitted by Markel Goikoetxea • Semi-Finalist
Burgatory • Submitted by Stephen Hutchins • Semi-Finalist
Captivity • Submitted by Yulia Travnikova • Semi-Finalist
Headlong • Submitted by Peter Simon • Semi-Finalist
The Selection • Submitted by Patrick Hogue • Semi-Finalist
Two Ladies • Submitted by Steffi Tupe • Semi-Finalist
MADE IN MINNESOTA
1st Place • OPTICS FOR LOVE • Directors: Martin Blanco, Clayton Stansberry – United States
2nd Place • VOICES FROM KAW THOO LEI • Director: Antonio Aguilar – United States
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Boots • Director: Keith Hopkins • Official Selection
Free Associates • Director: John Akre • Official Selection
Golden Light • Directors: Justin Berrisford, Cole Meyer • Official Selection
Help Desk • Directors: Sean Skinner, Edward Linder • Official Selection
I Want You Inside Me • Director: Alice Shindelar • Official Selection
Indian Summer • Directors: Diana Fraser, Sam Dunnewold • Official Selection
Peep Story • Directors: Jay and Amy Albrecht • Official Selection
Reclaiming Sacred Tobacco • Director: Leya Hale • Official Selection
Roshambo • Director: Sean A. Skinner • Official Selection
Tell Me What You See • Director: Callie Jones • Official Selection
Voices From Kaw Thoo Lei • Director: Martha Gorzycki • Official Selection
Z.E.T.A. Force • Director: Ray Flint III • Official Selection
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VORE KING • Submitted by Dan Schneidkraut • Finalist
Endless • Submitted by Angely Guevara • Semi-Finalist
I Voted • Submitted by Chris Parr • Semi-Finalist
Last Supper • Submitted by Ryan Gilmer • Semi-Finalis
Mister Massive and the Super Squad • Submitted by David Mair • Semi-Finalist
Pink • Submitted by Jack Turzillo • Semi-Finalist
The Crystallomancer • Submitted by Forrest Anderson Mares • Semi-Finalist
The Man Crush • Submitted by Richard Louprasong • Semi-Finalist
STUDENT SHORT
1st Place • JOURNEY • Director: Radheya Jegatheva – Australia
2nd Place • DEAR • Director: Laura Malatos – United States
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A Sadness by Any Other Name • Directors: Reem Al-Shihabi, Deema Al Therman, Layal Mooti • Official Selection
Don’t Look Under Your Bed • Director: Radheya Jegatheva • Official Selection
Finis • Director: Lana Bregar • Official Selection
Hardboiled Egg • Director: Shira Moolten • Official Selection
Inside of Us • Director: Miranda Pla • Official Selection
Last Train • Director: Matthew Knarr • Official Selection
Midnight Snack • Director: Cole Johnson • Official Selection
Rocks • Directors: Neema Sadeghi, Keyan Kazemian • Official Selection
Summer Citrus • Director: Nico Fulton Lavachek • Official Selection
The Door to the Sun • Director: Julie Annlie • Official Selection
The Tyger • Director: Radheya Jegathev • Official Selection
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Georgian Dance • Submitted by Salome Tkebuchava • Finalist
4242 • Submitted by Sara Eustaquio • Semi-Finalist
Black and White and Grey • Submitted by Marieke de Koker • Semi-Finalist
Ellie • Submitted by Morgana McKenzie • Semi-Finalist
Empty Boxes • Submitted by Laura Malatos • Semi-Finalist
Enter the Depth • Submitted by Ciara Boniface • Semi-Finalist
Escape • Submitted by Mehrdad Parvani • Semi-Finalist
Facade • Submitted by Carol Nguyen • Semi-Finalist
It’s All in the Cosmos • Submitted by Ciara Boniface • Semi-Finalist
Meant For More • Submitted by Harrison Allen • Semi-Finalist
Merry Krampus • Submitted by Cole Johnson • Semi-Finalist
Naga Pixie • Submitted by Anthony Hobbs • Semi-Finalist
Run • Submitted by Neema Sadeghi • Semi-Finalist
Rye Bread • Submitted by Charlotte Cooper • Semi-Finalist
Sleep • Submitted by Mary Aupperle • Semi-Finalist
…The Name of Action • Submitted by Salome Tkebuchava • Semi-Finalist
The Yellow Block • Submitted by Harrison Allen • Semi-Finalist
Written in Ink • Submitted by Thomas George • Semi-Finalist