Several of the PFCAT films we reviewed here at Filmmaker Mixer are award winners! We wish to congratulate each and every one of the filmmakers behind these projects. You all did incredible work!
Best Documentary Microshort- (tie): The Untranslatable Forest
The Untranslatable Forest was a truly amazing short film. It had beautiful visuals and cleverly brought an issue to attention that I had not previously thought about.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/the-untranslatable-forest/
Best Documentary Feature-Silver Award: The Faraway Nearby
The Faraway, Nearby was a fascinating documentary following the struggles and accomplishments of Joe Weber. It’s very well made and poignant.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/the-faraway-nearby/
Best Narrative Short-Silver Award: Gary
Gary was a humorous short film that was filled with boundless charm from start to finish. The story and characters were both very interesting and presented with a liveliness to them.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/gary/
Best Stop-Motion Comedic Short-Silver Award: The Nectar Instead
The Nectar Instead was hilarious and exceptionally charming. The animation style is fantastic, and the script was superb.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/the-nectar-instead/
Best Use of Unreal Engine-Silver Award: New Idea
New Idea was a charming short film with a very creative premise. I enjoyed the animation style, as it made me think of the cartoons, videogames and movies I saw throughout my childhood.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/new-idea/
Best Environmental Short-Silver Award (tie): Bloom In
Bloom In was extremely sweet and charming. The animation style and character designs were adorable, and the story was wonderful.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/bloom-in/
Best Portland Film-Silver Award: Vines
Vines was intense and chaotic. The special effects were fantastic, and one of the lead actors delivered an absolutely stellar performance.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/vines/
Best Portland Animation-Silver Award: The Tin Woods
The Tin Woods was a fascinating take on the story of a classic character, the Tin Woodsman of Oz. The animation is incredible, and the narrative is brilliant.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/the-tin-woods/
Best Stop Motion Short Short-Silver Award: Fortune Cookie
Fortune Cookie is a gorgeously animated short film. The story is really well told and interesting.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/fortune-cookie/
Best Animated Sci-Fi Short-Silver Award: Alone
Alone is a very charming short film. The main character was charming and likable, and the story is told through an entirely visual language. It is very well done.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/alone/
Best Animated Music Video-Silver Award: Hunky Dory
Hunky Dory was a surreal and beautifully animated music video. The art is gorgeous to look at, the animation is really well done, and it accompanies the music perfectly.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/hunky-dory/
Best of Oregon-Audience Choice-Silver Award: Gamer The Series
Gamer The Series was a series of short films with a really neat premise that was executed really well. I particularly liked how it handled the choice of topic, which is video games and the love children have for them, as it doesn’t make video games themselves to be the bad guy. It presents the protagonist, a young boy, in a very respectful manner that I, as a member of a generation that grew up on video games, can appreciate.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/gamer/
Best Animated Short: Ada Episode 4: Biblionamis Maximus
The fourth episode of the Ada series, “Bibilonimus Maxiumus” was a fascinating episode of a series that presented the audience with a contagious curiosity for the world around us. I am so glad to see it won an award!
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/ada-episode-4-biblionimus-maximus/
Best Portland Film: Downwind
Downwind was an incredibly well produced, interesting and informative documentary. This award is well deserved.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/downwind/
Best Documentary Short: Final Disposition
Final Disposition was very concise, informative, and the visuals were unique and beautiful. I am happy to see it on the list of award winners.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/final-disposition/
Best of Oregon- Audience Choice: Grizzly Business
I’m not surprised that Grizzly Business was an audience favorite! This film was beyond charming, and the animation style was very impressive and appealing. It was a very funny and entertaining film.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/grizzly-business/
Best Documentary Feature/ Best Feature Documentary- Audience Choice: History, Mystery and Odyssey
History, Mystery and Odyssey was incredibly informative, but also inspiring for anyone who does any type of art. It more than deserved this award! Not surprised to see it was an audience favorite, too!
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/history-mystery-odyssey/
Best Environmental Short: Las Nogas
Las Nogas was incredibly charming and the amount of love that was put into it can be felt with every second of the film. I definitely see how it won the award for being the best environmental short film.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/las-nogas/
Best Stop Motion Short: Tennis Oranges
When I heard that some of the films we watched were award winners, Tennis, Oranges was actually the first film that came to mind! I thought to myself I will be so surprised if Tennis, Oranges didn’t win! It just has an award winning quality to it as a whole. The music, the lifelike animation, the story… it’s all just so incredible.
Link to review: https://filmmakermixer.com/tennis-oranges/
Best Stop Motion Short/Best Animated Short: Le Charade
Le Charade was a very imaginative and incredibly well animated short film. The visual style and storytelling were both out of bounds! It’s no wonder this stellar film is a winner!
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/le-charade/
Best Experimental Animation Micro Short: Le Grand Party
Le Grand Party was shot in a style of animation I was previously unfamiliar with. Its charm and whimsy bring to mind the early days of animation when the medium existed as a spectacle for all to behold, really holding up the spirit of what makes animation so special as an artform.
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/the-great-annual-party-of-the-creatures-of-the-moon/
Best Feature Documentary- Audience Choice Silver Award: The Kindness Within: A Journey To Freedom
The Kindness Within: A Journey To Freedom was a very human film, with an inspirational and emotional feel. These qualities made it exceptionally moving. I am happy to see audiences seem to have felt the same way about this wonderful feature length documentary.
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/the-kindness-within-a-journey-to-freedom/
Best Portland Animation/Best Stop Motion Short- Silver Award: Les Betes
Les Betes was an incredibly imaginative short film with an interesting, impressive and stand out animation style and wicked sense of humor, but also a very unique narrative that went in a great many unexpected directions.
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/les-betes/
Best Use Of Unreal Engine/Best Animated Shorts For Kids: Luki and the Lights
Luki and the Lights was a beautiful short film, effective really in every way. It went above and beyond with what it set out to do and is exceptional both as a short film and as an informational piece. It was so good that it was actually one of the films a part of me not only hoped but expected to see on the list of award winners.
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/luki-and-the-lights/
Breakthrough Animation/Best Worldbuilding In An Animation/Best Screenplay In A Short Animation: Shimmer
Shimmer is another film I was really hoping to see on the list of award winners. This short film is incredible. It presents to us a cast of interesting characters, a fascinating and beautiful yet terrifying world, and a brilliant narrative. I am really, really happy to see it here, because this award was more than deserved.
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/fulgores-shimmer/
Best Actress In A Short Film/Best VFX In A Short Film: Soulmate
Soulmate was a very well made film, and a lot of that can certainly be attributed to the performance of the main actress and the visual effects, which allowed for the narrative to come to life in the way it did. It’s also just a very solid short film, well worth a watch much like all of the award winners.
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/soulmate/
Best Narrative Short/Best VFX In A Short Film- Sliver Award: T-Minus
T-Minus was really awesome. The story and VFX were both very stand out qualities in this film, as was the way the narrative was presented- visual storytelling, music choice, directing, editing. I think it was all very well done.
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/t-minus/
Best Student Film/Best Screenplay In A Short Animation-Silver Award: Testimony
Testimony was another one of the many incredible films I watched from PFCAT that I was hoping to see on the list of award winners. It is a truly fantastic short film with a beautiful story, and incredible art direction. I wish the filmmaker, Sumin Ha, the best of luck with their animation career because the fact that this was their thesis tells me that they are very, very talented and passionate about their craft!
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/testimony/
Best Animated Sci-Fi Short: The Human Fossil
The Human Fossil was a beautiful short film that brought audiences to a world that felt alien and familiar all at once. The animation is gorgeous and the way the narrative was conveyed was exceptionally brilliant. I am happy to see it on list of award winners.
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/the-human-fossil/
Best Feature: Tim Travers and the Time Traveler’s Paradox
Tim Travers and the Time Traveler’s Paradox is an awesome, delightful and fantastic film. It’s simultaneously funny, heartfelt, bonkers and thought provoking, and is entertaining for the whole way through. It’s also incredibly memorable, and everyone in the cast is fantastic. …. Seriously, if you’re going to watch any of these films, be sure not to miss this one.
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/tim-travers-the-time-travelers-paradox/
Best of the Pacific Northwest: World Naked Bike Tour
World Naked Bike Tour is a charming and delightful adult-animated short film that functions as a bit of a love letter to the chosen topic, with minor details throughout the film paying homage to different aspects of the event it covered. The animation and art direction are also both standout qualities in this short film.
Link: https://filmmakermixer.com/world-naked-bike-tour/
-Madelyn, Filmmaker Mixer Correspondent
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