We take pride in presenting the world's greatest short films at the Deep Cut Film Festival, and as you can imagine, choosing Award Winners can be a difficul process. But every year we make our picks, and here they are.
All very well-deserved.
Thanks to all the filmmakers for sharing your work with us. It really means a lot. Without you, there would be no festival.
All very well-deserved.
Thanks to all the filmmakers for sharing your work with us. It really means a lot. Without you, there would be no festival.
The Original Story Award goes to...
|
Hubbards ~ Dir. Kevin Ralston ~ New York, United States ~ 2021 ~ 4:47
As soon as we watched Hubbards we knew it was essential Deep Cut Film Fest material. The film is absurd, hilarious, and feels like a Kids in the Hall sketch that the CBC was too cautious to air. The weirdness is epic, and we want more, Kevin Ralston, we want more! |
|
The Visual Award goes to...
This award celebrates the overall look of a film, from colour, set design, to costumes...you know, the things you see. We always give out more than one Visual Award, because the films we show have eye-candy on tap.
|
The Phone Interview ~ Dir. Kassy Gascho & Melissa Jones ~ Toronto, Canada ~ 2021 ~ 7:27
Can there be enough pink? For directors Gascho and Jones, the answer is no, as the hue dominates the frames in this gem of a short. The set dressing is perfect, the costumes are perfect, and each shot is perfectly composed. For a film that takes place mostly in one room, these filmmakers make the absolute most of every square inch in the frame. |
|
|
Our America ~ Dir. Dean M. Winkler & Donald S. Butler ~ New York, United States ~ 2021 ~ 4:07
As soon as this one begins, you know you're in for a visual treat, and it doesn't let up until the final frame. Live better electrically? Yes we will, Mr. Winkler. The visions in this film will blow your mind. |
The Editing Award goes to...
|
Life & Death ~ Dir. Ashley Coleman, Heather Coleman, & Jason Coleman ~ Valley Village, United States ~ 22:21
This one struck a chord. The filmmakers mentioned on FilmFreeway that this film was born from a 20 year old feature "that never was"...it never made a splash and died on the vine. Two decades later, a copy was found on VHS, and the daughter of the filmmakers thought it would be cool to re-edit the film, so the filmmakers did--with the help of their daughter. The story struck a chord because I think a lot of indie filmmakers have a film in their past that might haunt them a little. Those unfinished projects, those films that didn't "go anywhere" and those projects that just sort of sit in the back of your mind in a negative way. These directors reminded us that nothing is over, and good footage can always find a new life, and sometimes in ways that one could never have imagined. That's why this one gets an editing award, because they reimagined something that didn't go the way they thought it would go and created a very cool and entertaining piece of art. |
|
|
Press Pound to Connect ~ Dir. Alexander Fingrutd ~ United States ~ 2019 ~ 2:31
This film is so impressive, there's always an image coming to life on the screen, which is divided into nine spaces, to represent the pound symbol on the telephone. Clever stuff, Alexander, and a fine expample of form augmenting message. Plus, it was shot on 16mm film, so extra credit there. If we ever make a cool, thoughful, experimental film, we can only hope it's half as good as this. Here's a bonus for you all...the film is on YouTube, so check it out ASAP. |
The Acting Award...
|
Cynthia Chalifour as Katya in Doma
Doma ~ Dir. Beth Warrian ~ Toronto, Canada ~ 2021 ~ 11:00 Doma is a great film with a stellar cast (of two, and each actor raised the bar for this one), but for use Cynthia Chalifour's work really stood out. She played Katya, and we beleived every moment of her performance. Indie films are so important for actors to hone their skills, and lucky is the filmmaker who casts someone with a natural ability to elevate the project. Chalifour is one of those actors, the kind of talent you hope walks into your casting session. Plus, we have a feeling she's from Toronto, so that's always a plus. We hope to see much more of her work in the future. |
|
|
Anthony Bentley as Ray in Slipping
Slipping ~ Dir. David Ridley ~ Essex, United Kingdom ~ 2021 ~ 15:00 Slipping is a great film about an editor who is having a few issues hanging on to reality. He's slipping, indeed. Can't give too much away here, but we imagine it would be tough to bring to life a lead character who is experiencing such difficulties. Anthony Bentley pulls it off without a hitch. His performance is sublte yet perfectly revealing. He gives his charcter some great little quirks that add a lot of depth, and it's all very impressive, because Bentley appears in almost every frame. Offering a restrained yet powerful performance, Bentley is one to watch. |
|
The Deep Cut Award...
You'd think it might be for editing, but it's not. The Deep Cut Award is our namesake award, meant to honour those films that truly embody the spirit of the fest. To earn a Deep Cut Award is to know your film touched a nerve, and epitomizes the true spirit of indie filmmaking. Congratulations to our recipients!
|
Swiped ~ Dir. Billy Kay ~ South Huntington, United States ~ 2020 ~ 13:41
We see a few films each year dealing with the ways digital technologies influence our lives. And we dig them all, because although nobody has accused of being hip, we’re cool enough to know that social media has ruined society. Swiped is great film that delves into some of the issues surrounding loneliness and the drive to find a place via online means. It’s a touching film, and kind of sad. The final scene alone makes this one all worth while, and we hope director Billy Kay keeps churning out the visions. We’ll be sure to follow his socials. 
|
|
|
Maenad Fever ~ Dir. Tamara Cook ~ Morangup, Australia ~ 2021 ~ 18:05
Australian film holds a dear place in our hearts, so when some Australian celluloid crosses our desk the heart rates tend to rise. Same goes for our sister fest, the Northern Frights Festival, because good lord, it’s hard to beat some Australian horror. Watching Maenad Fever made our love run even deeper. With cutting commentary, amazing acting, and stunning shots of the haunting landscape, Maenad Fever is the perfect Deep Cut film. Plus, there are a few other treats to be enjoyed, but we don’t want to ruin the meal here. It’s an awesome film, and we can’t wait to see more from everyone involved in this project. Yes, we have Maenad Fever, and no, we don’t want the cure. 
|
|
|
But Happy ~ Dir. Anatolii Umanets ~ Ukraine ~ 2021 ~ 9:59
We can’t really tell you why we love this film without giving away the twist, so we’ll just praise if for a few sentences because it’s all so well-deserved. The film led us somewhere we didn’t think we were going, and that place was unsettling to say the least. A nice twist is rare these days, so that was a definite plus. The film is beautifully shot, the locations are stellar, and everything combines perfectly. It’s a Deep Cut for sure, one that everyone needs to see for themselves. 
|
|
The Cast Award
We loved Maenad Fever so much, we created an award to celebrate it. Our first ever Cast Award acknowledges the talents of incredible ensemble casts, and these actors certainly deserve the laurels!
Maenad Fever ~ Dir. Tamara Cook ~ Morangup, Australia ~ 2021 ~ 18:05
Natalie Allen, Haylee Whisson, Mariah Gonzales. Linnea Tengroth and Charlotte Otton, please be in more movies, and please send us screeners, because we want to see more of you all! This cast was almost too much, and we mean that in the best way. Clearly, they all have some serious chops to share, and lucky is the filmcrew who is able to include any of them in their production. We know little about them, but assume they come from theatre backgrounds. There's that theatrical vibe about them, and their chemistry together in Maenad Fever is electric. We all want to see you dance one more time in those wild woods and defeat the evils that haunt you. Just classic.
|
|
