The Official Best of Fest Award Winners
Each year, a new group of filmmakers is recognized with the Official Best of Fest Award. The complete list of winners, past and present, can be browsed in the sidebar at left. (Films may be recognized in more than one Official Best of Fest Category, and many are available in convenient Official Best of Fest Gift Sets.)
Below are the recipients of the 2011 Official Best of Fest Awards, announced January 6, 2012. Congratulations!
Award-Winning Films to Inspire
Award-Winning Films for Family
Award-Winning Films for Girls’ Nite In
- Help, The (2011) | Tate Taylor | 146 min. | Drama | PG-13 | USA
Award-Winning Films About Romance
Award-Winning Films for Fathers, Sons & Brothers
- Bad Day to Go Fishing (2009) | Álvaro Brechner | 110 min. | Drama | NR | Uruguay
- Courageous (2011) | Alex Kendrick | 129 min. | Drama | PG-13 | USA
- GoldenBox (2011) | Matt MacDonald | 19 min. | Action | NR | USA
- Man Talk (2009) | Ben Harris | 8 min. | Comedy | NR | USA
- Wrestling With My Father (2010) | Charles Fairbanks | 5 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
Award-Winning Films About Real People
- 14 DAYS with Alzheimer’s (2011) | Lisa Cerasoli | 30 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Acting Out (2010) | David Wolstencroft | 100 min. | Documentary | NR | Australia
- Carmen Rupe (2010) | Lucy Hayes | 11 min. | Documentary | NR | Australia
- Charcoal Burners (2010) | Piotr Zlotorowicz | 15 min. | Documentary | NR | Estonia
- Ciao Cirella (2010) | Berthaud Christophe | 60 min. | Documentary | NR | France
- Conversations with Artists (2009) | Vincent Morelli | 74 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Elephant Man Journeys, The (2011) | Chris Gallucci | 19 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Film Festival Project, The (2011) | Matt Embry | 48 min. | Documentary | NR | Canada
- Forest Prince and the Pig Man, The (Hitchhiking in America) (2011) | Craig Constantine | 71 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Gaza Shield (2011) | Tania Khalaf | 18 min. | Documentary | NR | Lebanon
- Hollywood to Dollywood (2010) | John Lavin | 81 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Irma (2010) | Charles Fairbanks | 13 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Kidnap (2011) | Pankaja Brooke | 30 min. | Documentary | NR | UK
- Martyr Friday (2011) | Abu Bakr Shawky | 11 min. | Documentary | NR | Egypt
- Mary and Bill (2011) | Andrew Napier | 50 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Mighty Cranbrook Town, The (2011) | Tom Jay Smith | 80 min. | Documentary | NR | UK
- Police Tape (2011) | Josh Wolf | 26 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Wrestling With My Father (2010) | Charles Fairbanks | 5 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
Award-Winning Chick Flicks
Award-Winning Films for Kids
- New Suited, The (2010) | Niels Beekes | 17 min. | Comedy | NR | Netherlands
- Tattle-Tale Hero (2011) | Nancy J. Lilley | 21 min. | Family | NR | Canada
- Winnie the Pooh (2011) | Stephen J. Anderson, Don Hall | 63 min. | Musical | G | USA
Award-Winning Films to Make You Laugh
- 8 Second Dance (2011) | Trey Moya | 8 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Desperate Crossing (2011) | MinSeok Jeon | 5 min. | Action | NR | USA
- Excuse Me (2010) | Duncan Birmingham | 6 min. | Comedy | NR | USA
- Festival (2010) | Brett Leigh | 80 min. | Comedy | NR | USA
- God of Love (2010) | Luke Matheny | 18 min. | Comedy | NR | USA
- GoldenBox (2011) | Matt MacDonald | 19 min. | Action | NR | USA
- Introduce You (2011) | Janet Christensen-Obrien | 5 min. | Romance | NR | USA
- Knock Knock ((Who’s Dead?) (2010) | Fabrice Emerimana | 11 min. | Horror | NR | India
- Lucky (2011) | Michael McCallum | 98 min. | Comedy | NR | USA
- Man Talk (2009) | Ben Harris | 8 min. | Comedy | NR | USA
- Mancrush (2011) | Tony Hagger | 15 min. | Comedy | NR | UK
- Muppets, The (2011) | James Bobin | 103 min. | Comedy | PG | USA
- Neander-Jin:The Return of the Neanderthal Man (2011) | Florian Steinbiss | 81 min. | Comedy | NR | USA
- So This Priest Walks Into A Bar (2011) | Mark Lundsten | 11 min. | Drama | NR | USA
- Surreal Estate (2011) | Lori Romero | 16 min. | Comedy | NR | USA
- That Thing That Happened (2011) | Lindsay Ames, Josh Saltzman | 5 min. | Comedy | NR | Canada
Award-Winning Films to Make You Think
- Exile (2010) | Gaia Baldini | 6 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Plastic Planet (2009) | Werner Boote | 95 min. | Documentary | NR | Austria
- Power of Elle, The (2011) | Dimitri Morantus | 25 min. | Mystery | NR | USA
- Virtual JFK: Vietnam, If Kennedy Had Lived (2008) | Koji Masutani | 85 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
Award-Winning Films for Sports Lovers
- Bad Day to Go Fishing (2009) | Álvaro Brechner | 110 min. | Drama | NR | Uruguay
- Mary and Bill (2011) | Andrew Napier | 50 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Mighty Cranbrook Town, The (2011) | Tom Jay Smith | 80 min. | Documentary | NR | UK
- Wrestling With My Father (2010) | Charles Fairbanks | 5 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
Award-Winning Films for Music Lovers
- Hollywood to Dollywood (2010) | John Lavin | 81 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Slip Cue (2010) | Robin Kupferman | 25 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
Award-Winning Films for Art Lovers
Award-Winning Films About War
- New Project: Scarred Lands & Wounded Lives — The Environmental Footprint of War (2009) | Lincoln Day | 68 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Saints and Soldiers (2003) | Ryan Little | 90 min. | Drama | PG-13 | USA
Award-Winning Films About Faith
- Higher Ground (2011) | Vera Farmiga | 109 min. | Drama | R | USA
Award-Winning Films for Teens
Award-Winning Films About Politics
- Martyr Friday (2011) | Abu Bakr Shawky | 11 min. | Documentary | NR | Egypt
Award-Winning Films for Singles
- God of Love (2010) | Luke Matheny | 18 min. | Comedy | NR | USA
Award-Winning Horror Films
- Summer of Massacre, The (2011) | Joe Castro | 98 min. | Horror | NR | USA
Award-Winning Mysteries
Award-Winning Animation
- Adventures of Tintin, The (2011) | Steven Spielberg | 107 min. | Adventure | PG | USA
- Brown’s Daughter, The (2011) | Coline Brun-Naujalis | 12 min. | Biography | NR | UK
- Man With The Stolen Heart, The (2011) | Charlotte Boulay-Goldsmith | 8 min. | Adventure | NR | UK
- New Suited, The (2010) | Niels Beekes | 17 min. | Comedy | NR | Netherlands
- Tannery, The (2010) | Iain Gardner | 6 min. | Drama | NR | UK
- The Quiet Life (2010) | Timothy Hittle | 11 min. | Comedy | NR | USA
- While You Were Out (2010) | Noah Lambie | 7 min. | Fantasy | NR | USA
- Winnie the Pooh (2011) | Stephen J. Anderson, Don Hall | 63 min. | Musical | G | USA
Award-Winning Dramas
Award-Winning Documentaries
- Elephant in the Living Room, The (2010) | Michael Webber | 96 min. | Documentary | PG | USA
- Film Festival Project, The (2011) | Matt Embry | 48 min. | Documentary | NR | Canada
- Two Brothers (2011) | Rick Stevenson | 80 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
Award-Winning Cause Films
- DAMs: The Lethal Water Bombs (2010) | Sohan Roy | 20 min. | Documentary | NR | India
- Elephant in the Living Room, The (2010) | Michael Webber | 96 min. | Documentary | PG | USA
- Gaza Shield (2011) | Tania Khalaf | 18 min. | Documentary | NR | Lebanon
- Kidnap (2011) | Pankaja Brooke | 30 min. | Documentary | NR | UK
- Knocking on the Devil’s Door (2011) | Gary Null | 96 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- New Project: Scarred Lands & Wounded Lives — The Environmental Footprint of War (2009) | Lincoln Day | 68 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Plastic Planet (2009) | Werner Boote | 95 min. | Documentary | NR | Austria
- Police Tape (2011) | Josh Wolf | 26 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Raw Truth, The (2011) | Jin Yoo-Kim | 25 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Tattle-Tale Hero (2011) | Nancy J. Lilley | 21 min. | Family | NR | Canada
Award-Winning Mockumentaries
- Festival (2010) | Brett Leigh | 80 min. | Comedy | NR | USA
Award-Winning Thrillers
- Boxed Up (2011) | Sean McCarthy | 17 min. | Thriller | NR | USA
- Deviant, The (2011) | Karam Natour | 5 min. | Drama | NR | Israel
- Exam (2008) | Stuart Hazeldine | 101 min. | Thriller | NR | UK
- Hypoxia (2011) | Matt Livadary | 29 min. | Sci-Fi | NR | USA
- Let Us Prey (2011) | Matt Brewer | 10 min. | Thriller | NR | USA
- Summer of Massacre, The (2011) | Joe Castro | 98 min. | Horror | NR | USA
- Terms Of Employment (2011) | Glynn Turner | 18 min. | Thriller | NR | USA
Award-Winning Experimental Films
- Bridge in Mind, The (2010) | Martina Bramkamp | 3 min. | Art | NR | UK
- Feeder (2009) | Joseph Ernst | 4 min. | Comedy | NR | UK
Award-Winning Films About Redemption
- Heaven’s Rain (2011) | Paul Brown | 106 min. | Drama | R | USA
Award-Winning Science Fiction Films
Award-Winning Films About Sacrifice
- Bad Day to Go Fishing (2009) | Álvaro Brechner | 110 min. | Drama | NR | Uruguay
Award-Winning Films About Spirituality
- Café (2010) | Marc Erlbaum | 95 min. | Drama | NR | USA
- Presence, The (2011) | Tom Provost | | Drama | PG-13 | USA
- Saints and Soldiers (2003) | Ryan Little | 90 min. | Drama | PG-13 | USA
Award-Winning Films for Dance Lovers
- Nrityagram: For the Love of Dance (2010) | Nanette Melville | 27 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Silent Heart (2011) | Ryan Turner | 11 min. | Drama | NR | USA
Award-Winning Films Coming of Age Films
Award-Winning Human Rights Films
- At the End of Slavery (2010) | Ted Haddock | 34 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Death By Medicine (2010) | Gary Null | 93 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Easy Call (2010) | Angelo Arakaza | 9 min. | Mystery | NR | Canada
- Help, The (2011) | Tate Taylor | 146 min. | Drama | PG-13 | USA
- Kidnap (2011) | Pankaja Brooke | 30 min. | Documentary | NR | UK
- Knock Knock (Who’s Dead?) (2010) | Fabrice Emerimana | 11 min. | Horror | NR | India
- Lone Samaritan (2010) | Barak Heymann | 50 min. | Documentary | NR | Israel
- Mission: Montreal (2010) | Natcha Songore | 9 min. | Drama | NR | India
- Queen Has No Crown, The (2011) | Tomer Heymann | 82 min. | Documentary | NR | Israel
- Return of Old Man Kabura, The (2010) | Patrick Ngendakumana | 7 min. | Biography | NR | India
Award-Winning Films About Medicine
- Something the Lord Made (2004) | Joseph Sargent | 110 min. | Drama | NR | USA
Award-Winning History Films
- Car is Born, The: A documentary about Carl & Bertha Benz (2011) | Ulli Kampelmann | 19 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
- Century of Light (2011) | Christopher Leps | 47 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
Award-Winning Films For Animal Lovers
- Dolphin Tale (2011) | Charles Martin Smith | 113 min. | Drama | PG | USA
- Elephant in the Living Room, The (2010) | Michael Webber | 96 min. | Documentary | PG | USA
- Elephant Man Journeys, The (2011) | Chris Gallucci | 19 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
Summer Rain, A (2009) | Ela Thier | 17 min. | Drama | NR | USA
Ponyo (2009) | Hayao Miyazaki | 101 min. | Drama | NR | Japan
American Drummer Boy (2001) | Dorian Walker | 107 min. | Drama | NR | USA
Little Blue (2006) | Bob Svihovec | 8 min. | Animation | NR | USA
Heart of a Soul Surfer: The Bethany Hamilton Documentary (2007) | Becky Baumgartner | 32 min. | Documentary | NR | USA
Un bisou pour le monde (2007) | Cyril Paris | 10 min. | Family | NR | Fance
Letting Go (2007) | Dan Masucci | 4 min. | Family | NR | USA
Cracks (2007) | Micah Baskir | 3 min. | Family | NR | USA
Raspberries (2007) | Morgan Davidsen | 7 min. | Family | NR | Norway
Woman Rebel (2009) | Kiran Deol | 37 min. | Documentary | NR | Nepal
El Salón México (2009) | Paul Glickman | 13 min. | Fantasy | NR | USA
Bird and the Squirrel, The (2009) | Rebecca Scully | 5 min. | Family | NR | USA
Coraline (2009) | Henry Selick | 96 min. | Drama | PG | USA
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) | Wes Anderson | 87 min. | Comedy | PG | USA
