KINOFILM 15th Edition Award Winners, Runners Up and Special Mentions

As the 15th Edition of KINOFILM Festival comes to a close, it’s time to look back and reflect on the amazing array of short films we were proud to showcase this year.
With over 300 shorts in a bumper programme, each of an exceptional standard, it was no easy task for the jury to decide the standout selections.
Thanks to all our jury members for the task of viewing and appraising all the films. We hope you agree they have made some great decisions!


  • Best International Short Film Award – Supported by Studio Binder
    • Best International Short: M.A.M.O.N (MONITOR AGAINST MEXICANS OVER NATIONWIDE) (Uruguay, Dir. Alejandro Damiani)
      • Runner Up: VOICE (Japan, Dir. Takeshi Kushida)
      • Joint Special Honourable Mentions:
        • Rosario (Mexico, Dir. Marlen Ríos-Farjat) & 
        • Lucy (Venezuela -Bolivarian Republic of, Dir. Roberto Gutierrez)
  • Best British Short Award – Supported by Studio Binder
    • Best British Short: WALE (UK, Dir. Barnaby Blackburn)
      • Runner Up: MASTER OF CEREMONIES (UK, Dir. Toby Wharton)
      • Special Honourable Mention: BAGHEAD (UK, Dir. Alberto Corredor Marina)
  • Best Euro Cine Short 
    • Best Euro Cine Short: CHUCHOTAGE (Hungary, Dir. Barnabás Tóth)
      • Runner Up: WEEËN (Netherlands, Dir.Nils Vleugels)
      • Special Honourable Mention: FAITH-VERA (Russian Federation, Dir. Tatiana Fedorovskaya)
  • Best of the North West Award – Supported by Stockyard North Salvage
    • Best North West Short: ERIC AND THE BARBARIAN (UK, Dir. Ben Mottershead)
      • Runner Up: WAVEFORM (UK, Dir. Joseph Simmons)
      • Special Honourable Mention: ASHES (UK, Dir. J Eckersley)
  • Best Director Award – Supported by Raindance London
    • Best Director: Karim Rahbani for CARGO (Lebanon)
      • Runner Up: Maria Eriksson-Hecht for SCHOOLYARD BLUES (Sweden)
      • Special Honourable Mention: Linda Dombrovszky for CUBEMAN (Hungary)
  • Best Cinematography Award – Supported by Media Dog
    • Best Cinematography: Maximiliaan Dierlickx for SILENT CAMPINE (Belgium)
      • Runner Up: David Hartung for CUBEMAN (Hungary)
      • Special Honourable Mention: Rachelle Noja for CARGO (Lebanon)
  • Best Screenplay Award – Supported by Final Draft
    • Best Screenplay: Pelle Radstrom for SCHOOLYARD BLUES (Sweden)
      • Runner Up: Barnaby Blackburn for WALE (UK)
      • Special Honourable Mention: Lucas Abrahao for ROOF KNOCKING (Estonia)
  • Best Documentary Award – Supported by the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology 
    • Best Documentary: TUNGRUS (India, Dir. Rishi Chandna)
      • Runner Up: Not With Fire, But With Paint. (UK/Col, Dir. Molly Manning Walker)
      • Special Honourable Mention: The Sandman (USA, Dir: Lauren Knapp)
  • Best Women in Film Award 
    • Best Women in Film Award: SCHOOLYARD BLUES (Sweden, Dir. Maria Eriksson-Hecht)
      • Runner Up: THE CRITIC (USA, Dir. Stella Velon)
      • Special Honourable Mention: AAMIR (UK/France, Dir. Vika Evdokimenko)
  • Best Animation Award – Supported by Toon Boom
    • Best Animated Short: WIDDERSHINS (UK, Dir. Simon P Bigg)
      • Runner Up: SABUKA (Netherlandsm Dir. Marlies van der Wel)
      • Special Honourable Mention: THE GAP (Belgium, Dir. Patrick Vandebroeck)
  • Best Student Award – Supported by Student People
    • Best Student Short: AUGUST SUN (UK/Argentina, Dir. Franco Volpi)
      • Runner Up: THE SISTERS (Poland, Dir. Michał Hytroś)
      • Special Honourable Mention: THE GURNEY (UK, Dir. Glenn Whelan)
  • Best Actor Award
    • Best Actor: Mikkel Boe Folsgaard in KEIN PROBLEM (Denmark)
      • Runner Up: Douglas Steyner in SCHOOLYARD BLUES (Sweden)
      • Joint Special Honourable Mentions:
        • Raphel Famotibe in Wale (UK) 
        • Pál Göttinger in CHUCHOTAGE (Hungary)
  • Best Actress Award
    • Best Actress: Natalia Kostrzewa in CALLING HOME (UK)
      • Runner Up: Gabi Lopez in VIEW (Brazil)
      • Special Honourable Mention: Sonia Sanjari in RETOUCH (Iran)
  • Festival Special Acknowledgement Award for
    • BEST Newcomer
      • Agnieszka Wanicka for TICKET TO THE CINEMA (Poland) For her striking debut short film, an evocative exploration of the romance and magic of cinema, and of film-going culture in her native Krakow.


Congratulations to all our winners this year and it’s been absolutely fantastic to showcase the films of everyone who was selected to be in the festival.