HONOREES
Filmmaker on the Edge
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2023 – BRUCE LABRUCE
Bruce LaBruce is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, writer, and artist whose work is known for pushing boundaries and blurring the lines between independent film and pornography. Along with numerous short films, he has written and directed fourteen feature films, including Gerontophilia, which won the Grand Prix at the Festival du Nouveau Cinema in Montreal in 2012.……
Excellence in Acting
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2023 – BILLY PORTER
Billy Porter is a tremendously talented Emmy, Tony and Grammy-award winning actor, singer and director, and playwright. His cinematic performances include 80 for Brady, Cinderella, The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy and Bill Oliver’s OUR SON, which is featured in this year’s festival. He made his feature-film directorial debut with Anything’s Possible in 2022. Billy’s work on FX’s……
Next Wave Award
AUDIENCE AWARDS
Every year, PIFF audiences are encouraged to vote for their favorite feature films at the festival. Paper ballots are distributed at the theaters with a rating system of 1-4 (with 4 being the best) and collected after the screenings. We then tally the votes and present our Audience Awards at the conclusion of the festival. Watch a film and then cast your vote!
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
FAIRYLAND
Directed by ANDREW DURHAM
Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature
LAKOTA NATION VS. UNITED STATES
Directed by JESSE SHORT BULL, LAURA TOMASELLI
JOHN SCHLESINGER AWARDS
Sponsored by Michael Childers
Each year, PIFF recognizes two first-time feature film directors whose work commemorates the legacy of one of our finest American directors. John Schlesinger (1926-2003) gave us such exemplary works as Midnight Cowboy, Marathon Man, The Day of the Locust, and Sunday Bloody Sunday. When asked to give advice to first-time directors, Schlesinger responded, “Never take ‘no’ for an answer. It’s a long business getting something off the ground and it takes great determination.” This award includes a $1000 cash prize generously provided by Michael Childers.
In 2023: This year’s Schlesinger jurors are Oscar, Peabody, and Grammy-winning filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (Howl, Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice) and Sheryl Mousley, the Walker Art Center’s Moving Image Senior Curator (1998-2020)
Award for Best Director of a Narrative Film
EARTH MAMA
Directed by SAVANAH LEAF
Award for Best Director of a Documentary Film
THE STROLL
Directed by KRISTEN LOVELL, ZACKARY DRUCKER
JURIED SHORTS AWARDS
The Provincetown International Film Festival is very proud to be an Academy-qualifying film festival in 3 short film categories: Narrative, Documentary, and Queer Short. Films awarded by our jury in those categories may qualify to enter the Academy Awards® race for the concurrent season.
The Provincetown International Film Festival offers 5 juried shorts awards: Best Narrative Short Film, Best Documentary Short Film, Best Animated Short Film, Best Queer Short Film, and Best New England Short Film.
In 2023: This year’s jurors are a skilled group of film and arts professionals:
Jude Dry is a writer for IndieWire with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ film, representation, and sexuality. Judy is also an actor and filmmaker, and their debut short film Monsieur Le Butch won Best New England Short Film at PIFF 2022.
Sharon Polli is the Executive Director of the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown and has dedicated her professional career to advancing artistic voices and creating opportunities for emerging and mid-career artists, performers, and media makers.
PJ Raval is a queer, first-generation Filipinx American award-winning filmmaker whose work examines social justice issues through the voices of queer and marginalized subjects. Named one of Out Magazine‘s “Out 100,” Raval’s feature credits include Trinidad and Before You Know It.
Best Queer Short*
CAMPFIRE
Directed by AUSTIN BUNN
In true Provincetown fashion, the jury had the pleasure of watching many incredible shorts that showcased the beautiful diversity of queer life. One film, in particular, celebrated the spirit of the queer community and encapsulated the magic of places like Provincetown. With a creative hybrid approach, this whimsical and wistful film seamlessly blends documentary footage from a historic gay campground to tell a whimsical and wistful story of a married farmer in search of an old flame.
Best Animated Short
AIKĀNE
Directed by DANIEL SOUSA, DEAN HAMER, JOE WILSON
While the jury enjoyed many inventive animated films, one film, in particular, stood out for its sweeping visuals and unique perspective. Using a polished animation style that flows elegantly in hypnotic underwater worlds, this film tells the story of two Native Hawaiian warriors connected by a deep and soulful love, dynamically bringing to life a documented piece of queer indigenous history.
Best Documentary Short*
MNM
Directed by TWIGGY PUCCI GARCON
The jury had the pleasure of watching many fascinating and wide-ranging documentaries, but one film stood out for its vibrant style and infectious joie de vivre. Celebrating the joyous spirit of trans sisterhood, this film captures the inspiring bond between two young ballroom stars who embody chosen family through a shared gender expression and fabulosity.
Best New England Short
READ ‘EM AND WEEP
Directed by JEFFREY HOYT
The jury had the pleasure of getting an up close and intimate look into New England with these incredible regional stories. One film, in particular, encapsulated the community celebration that is this New England award. With a playful and fresh ensemble approach, this short film takes us on an unexpected and witty journey through a quaint Vermont neighborhood, with all its quirks and charms woven together by a lone paperboy’s daily route.
Best Narrative Short*
MOTHERLAND
Directed by CHRISTINA YOON
While the jury had the pleasure of watching many incredible short films, one film in particular unanimously stood out to us for its exceptional craft and emotional resonance. With delicate, precise storytelling and vulnerable, nuanced performances, this short film intimately captures one woman’s brave journey–crossing an ocean into an uncertain family past in Korea while she searches for her birth mother. What is found marks a sobering sense of loss.
Special Mention
Y
Directed by MATEA KOVAČ
The jury would like to acknowledge one film in particular for its gorgeously erotic charcoal illustrations and poignant musings on queer intimacy.
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