The Lift-Off Season Awards 2017

The 2017 Lift-Off Season

We showcased over three hundred films across ten global cities throughout 2017. This was the awards show that recognised the best from our winners and special mentions. Awarding the people behind the projects from the directors to the crews, the actors and the animators. Our Lift-Off Season Awards 2017 Show was the best yet. Our door remains firmly open to the real talent behind true indie cinema. So, we will be seeing you on the red carpet next year?

Friday, January 12th 2018 the world famous Pinewood Studios and home to Lift-Off Global Network opened its doors for a celebration of true indie film.

The Lift-Off Season Awards saw hundreds of filmmakers from all around the world ascend for the main awards ceremony, congratulating, awarding, and celebrating the best the 2017 Lift-Off season had to offer.


Best Feature Narrative

WINNER

Teenage Love Bomb

by Mads Erichsen
Nomination
CAINA
by Stefano Amatucci
Nomination
Zelos
by Jo-Anne Brechin
Nomination
The Ones That Stay
by Loïc Paillard
Nomination
Die Tochter - Dark Blue Girl
by Mascha Schilinski

Best Feature Documentary

WINNER

Right Between Your Ears

by Sheila Marshall
Nomination
The Man Who Loves to Hurt Himself
by Anthony Short
Nomination
Love and Saucers
by Brad Abrahams
Nomination
The End of the Road
by Tai Uhlmann
Nomination
Heroes Manufactured
by Yaron Betan

Best Short Live Action Narrative

WINNER

Enemies Within

by Sélim Azzazi
Nomination
Spaceman.
by Christopher Oliva
Nomination
Game
by Jeannie Donohoe
Nomination
Soldier Bee
by Alex Hardy
Nomination
Contractor 014352
by Simon Ryninks
Nomination
Mausoleum
by Lauri Randla
Nomination
The Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler
by Paul Philipp
Nomination
The Accomplice
by Jon Hoeg & John F. Beach
Nomination
Wraps
by Frank Tamburin
Nomination
Rosie, Oh
by Andy Koeger

Best Short Documentary

WINNER

The Botanist

by Maude Plante-Husaruk
Nomination
Blind Sushi
by Eric Heimbold
Nomination
Kachach, Above Zaatari
by Bruno Pieretti
Nomination
My Father's Land
by Muriel Aboulrouss
Nomination
Second Tier City
by Matthew Moroz & Xia Han
Nomination
Service Update
by Olly Sindle
Nomination
Between the Sand
by John Picklap
Nomination
This is Civilization
by Jennifer Smart

Best Acting Ensemble

WINNER

The cast of

The Silent Child
by Chris Overton

Nomination

The cast of
Teenage Love Bomb
by Mads Erichsen

Nomination

The cast of
Wraps
by Frank Tamburin

Nomination

The cast of
The Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler
by Paul Philipp

Nomination

The cast of
Mausoleum
by Lauri Randla

Nomination

The cast of
Fighter
by Bugsy Steel

Nomination

The cast of
State of Emergency
by Tarek Roehlinger

Nomination

The cast of
Soldier Bee
by Alex Hardy

Best Short Animation

WINNER

- Winston

by Aram Sarkisian
Nomination
Whale Heart
by Robert Allen
Nomination
Hipopotamy
by Piotr Dumala
Nomination
Fundamental
by ShihChieh Chiu
Nomination
Farewell Fire
by Scott Armstrong
Nomination
CITIPATI
by Andreas Feix
Nomination
The Curious Plague of 1518
by Jacob Nizzola
Nomination
The Sedate Escape
by Joe Dearman

Best Actor

WINNER

André Hennicke

The Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler
Nomination
Hassam Ghancy
Enemies Within
Nomination
Nicole Williams
Game
Nomination
Rick Fox
Game
Nomination
Maddie Dixon-Poirier
Rosie, Oh
Nomination
Eli Silverman
Clanker Man
Nomination
Sun Yong Moon
Retriever
Nomination
Chereen Buckley
ALL of me

Best Screenplay

WINNER

Zak Klein

Contractor 014352
Nomination
Aram Sarkisian & Gabby Capili
- Winston
Nomination
Dustin Hahn & Greg Hahn
The Accomplice
Nomination
Selim Azzazi
Enemies Within
Nomination
Belo Schwarz
The Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler
Nomination
Lauri Randla
Mausoleum
Nomination
Billy Rees
Edge
Nomination
Ben Steiner
Clanker Man
Nomination
Jeremias Nussbaum
One man's fortune

Best Art Direction

WINNER

Juulia Jokinen

Mausoleum
Nomination
Philippe McKie
Breaker
Nomination
Jonas Lehmkuhl
Bad Sheriff
Nomination
Julieta Fernandez
The Past We Live In
Nomination
Robert Brecko
Waste
Nomination
Adam A. Losurdo
Hope
Nomination
Carina Claassens
Day of Reckoning
Nomination
Pierre Brayard
The Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler
Nomination
Ben Bangay & Stuart Parkyn
FOUND
Nomination
Philippe Jasko
One man's fortune

Best Cinematography

WINNER

Athys de Galzain

Still Waters
Nomination
Jonathan Klepfer
Rosie, Oh
Nomination
Frederic Serve
Enemies Within
Nomination
Yann Maritaud
Off Path
Nomination
Karim Kassem
Father
Nomination
Brad Francis
Heathen
Nomination
Jann Doeppert
The Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler
Nomination
Peter Salovaara
Mausoleum
Nomination
Diana Olifirova
ALL of me
Nomination
Ingi Lárusson
Duke's Pursuit

Best Music Score

WINNER

Casper Leopard

The Happy Genius
Nomination
Clare Vandeleur
COMMANDO
Nomination
Paco Periago
The Past We Live In
Nomination
Petteri Sainio
CITIPATI
Nomination
Alexander Balanescu
Hipopotamy
Nomination
Anthony Short
The Man who Loves to Hurt Himself

Best Post Production

WINNER

Brendan Jenkins

Fighter
Nomination
David Gaddie
Beautiful Dreamer
Nomination
Hiran Balasuriya & Philip Davies
Contractor 014352
Nomination
Anthony Short
The Man who Loves to Hurt Himself
Nomination
Bastien Bron
Stories Upon Your Lips
Nomination
Robert Stuprich
The Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler
Nomination
Leo Liesvirta
Mausoleum
Nomination
Philip Lepherd & Jennifer Sheridan
The Super Recogniser

Best Director

WINNER

Paul Philipp

The Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler
Nomination
Sélim Azzazi
Enemies Within
Nomination
Anthony Short
The Man who Loves to Hurt Himself
Nomination
Vincent Fitz-Jim
Boudewijn
Nomination
Lander Haverals
Pure Madness
Nomination
Lauri Randla
Mausoleum
Nomination
Jeannie Donohoe
Game
Nomination
Coban Beutelstetter
Still Waters

Best Music Video

WINNER

Sweet Play - The Island

by Darrell Lee HALL
Nomination
Kakkmaddafakka - Lilac
by Carlín Díaz
Nomination
The Rambling Wheels - Stories Upon Your Lips
by Bastien Bron
Nomination
Baltazar - Lluvia
by Jorge G. Camarena
Nomination
Strange Loving - Changes
by Brendon Groenewald
Nomination
Jeffig Le Bars - Other
by Jeffig Le Bars

Best First-Time Film

WINNER

Turquoise

by Roozbeh Misaghi
Nomination
Diffrerent
by Tom Fisher
Nomination
The Silent Child
by Chris Overton
Nomination
Listen
by Niko Mikadze
Nomination
Sisyphus
by Rafael A. Lopez
Nomination
Jordan
by Prakash Nathan
Nomination
Body Language Zone
by Kim Saarinen
Nomination
Liv
by Anna Rollot
Nomination
Laws of the Game
by Aegina Brahim