Cambria Film Festival Best Animated Film Help Me Tom
A film on which Francis Ford Coppola served as executive producer won best feature film at the ninth annual Cambria Film Festival, which concluded Sunday. The 91-minute Brother Verses Brother, described as a “live cinema musical drama,” follows twins Ari Gold (who directed the film) and Ethan Gold on a trek around San Francisco.
Baby Doe, directed by Jessica Earnshaw, won best full-length documentary.
Awards for best short films went to The Sentry (narrative directed by Jake Wachtel), Monster Slayer (documentary directed by Catie Skipp), and A Woman Is Many Things, Just Fine Isn’t One of Them (student film directed by Chase Musslewhite). Revenant (directed by Jeremiah Moss O’Donoghue) took the “late nite” award.
Help Me Tom, directed by Jiahang Yang, was named best animated film, while Stay, directed by Dylan Kaufmann, was honored as best student animated film.
The Independent Spirit Award went to Burt, directed by Joe Burke, who attended the festival as part of a filmmaker welcome reception and screening on Friday evening.
Beautifully Ugly, directed by Adalberto Angulo, was honored with the Artistic Achievement award, and the Director’s Award went to Synthesize Me directed by Bear Damen.
The full-length film Whisper My Name, the festival’s first feature film from Iran, was named winner of the Nancy Green Founder’s Award. It also was selected by festival attendees for the “favorite feature” audience award.
The films in competition were judged by a panel of industry professionals that included Carine Hejazi, Kevin Judge, Jim McCracken, Stephanie Reuler, Christopher Riley, Robert Tieman, Heidi Van Lier, and Greg Young.
Student competition judges were Randi Barros, Suanne Spoke, and Alex Zavala.