2024 Winners
2024 WINNERS
Please note that selection of any and all published winners is at the sole discretion of the Garden State Film Festival (“GSFF”) judging panel. The GSFF reserves the right to not select a “winner” or award for a particular category in any given year. The GSFF is under no obligation to award a category. By participating in the GSFF, the participant acknowledges this disclaimer and waives his/her/their right to contest any decision by the judging panel to award or not award in a category.
Narrative Feature
“The Baker”
Nicholas Tabarrok, William G. Santor, Jason Jallet, Producers
Jonathan Sobol, Director
International Narrative Feature
(Cayman Islands)
“Daniel’s Gotta Die”
Nicholas Tabarrok, William G. Santor, Jason Jallet, Producers
Jeremy LaLonde, Director
M. Carroll Raver Award for Cinematography
“Ireland”
Brad Ohlund, Greg MacGillivray, Shaun MacGillivray
Cinematographers
Narrative Short
“Fight Like a Mother”
Katie Larsen, Ashley Platz, Michelle Lewitt, Olivier Gagnon, Producers
Meagan Noel Fulps, Director/Producer
Science Fiction Short
“Anemoia”
Mike Demille, Producer
Zachary Karem, Director
Lou Costello Award for Comedy Short
“Canned”
Steve Melone, Justin Guerrieri, Michael DiGioia, Anthony Echo, Producers
Steve Melone, Director
International Narrative Short
“Gnomes”
(Netherlands)
Richard Raaphorst, Bram Roza, Producers
Ruwan Heggelman, Director
International Comedy Short
“Yearmates”
(Netherlands)
Dženita Čamo, Producer
Sjoerd van Wijk, Director
Emanuel “Manny” Berlingo Award for Best Feature Length Documentary
“Heart & Soul”
Bronwyn Berry, Liz Nickles, Producers
Kenny Vance, Director
International Feature Documentary
“Global Wagner”
Moritz Bundschuh, Producer
Axel Brüggemann, Director
Short Horror
“Angel City Horror”
Josh Murphy, Producer
Matt McWilliams, Director/Producer
Short Documentary
“Fields of Devotion”
Xenia Morin, Dena Katzen Seidel, Producers
Dena Katzen Seidel, Micah Seidel, Directors
International Short Documentary
“Ireland”
Shaun MacGillivray, Producer
Greg MacGillivray, Director
Animated Short
“Gene’s Sixth Symphony”
Rick Silanskas, Larry Wilhite, Producers
Jordi Garcia, Director
International Animated Short
“The Sprayer”
(Islamic Republic of Iran)
M.Reza Karimi Saremi, Negah Khezre Fardiar, Producers
Farnoosh Abedi, Director
International Web Series/New Media
“Chateau Laurier -Season 2”
(Canada)
James Stewart, Producer/Director
Narrative Short – College/Graduate School
“Dadu”
Rajeev Colton, Producer
Raghav Puri, Director
International Narrative Short – College
“The Thing”
(Iran)
Arad Navizi, Producer/Director
International Animated Short – High School
“Illusion”
(Beijing World Youth Academy)
Julie Zheng, Director
International Narrative – High School
“Asset of Teeth”
(Emerging Limerick Filmmakers)
Róisín Leavy-Sahin, Director
International Short – High School
“Escorted”
(Drømtorp VGS)
Adrian Antonsen, Director
The Garden State Film Festival would like to recognize films shot in the State of New Jersey with the following winners in the “Home Grown Award” categories:
Home Grown Feature Award
Honorable Mention
“TRAP”
Anthony Edward Curry, Director
Anthony Edward Curry, Producer
Home Grown Documentary Feature
“Strength Through Visibility: Twenty Years of Pride in Jersey City”
Gregory J. Corrado, Producer
Christopher Englese, Director
Home Grown Short
“If We Run”
Millie Dweck, Producer
Anthony Yebra, Director
Home Grown Short Horror
“Haunted”
Jason Cicalese, Producer
Tom Ryan, Director
Home Grown Sci-Fi
“Glass Eyes”
Brian May Producer
Daniel Meyers, Producer/Director
Home Grown Family
“Andy & Kaliope”
Rachel Handler,Shannon Ryan, Producers
Crystal Arnette, Catriona Rubenis-Stevens, Directors
Home Grown Animation Short
“A Polar Bear Story”
Vanessa Nilsson, Director
Home Grown Documentary Short
“Dark Sacred Night”
Shana Weber, Producer
Jared Flesher, Director
Home Grown Documentary Short
“The Jersey Storm: Sandy in Monmouth County”
Christine Giordano Hanlon, Producer
Adam Worth, Director
Home Grown Music Video
“Brontë”
Ronald Graham, Marci Mazzarotto, Allison Strong, Producers
Mateo Márquez, Allison Strong, Directors
Home Grown Student Short Documentary – College
“Broken Bottles: A South Jersey Legacy”
Diana Nicolae, Producer
Darien Brown, Director
Home Grown PSA – High School
“Conservation Dog”
(Jackson Liberty High School)
Rebecca Chiafullo, Director
Home Grown Drama – High School
“Score”
(Bridgewater Raritan High School)
Chris Zou, Director
Home Grown Narrative – High School
“Taking Inventory”
(Communications High School of Monmouth County)
Aaron Diament, Director
Home Grown Romance – High School
“Maya! The Musical”
(Howell High School)
Meaghan Krantz, Ella Lambiase, Director
Home Grown Sci-Fi Short – High School
“The Summer Wind”
(Jackson Liberty High School)
Lukas Cornine, Director
Home Grown Suspense – High School
“Sugar Rush”
(Middletown High School South)
Jay M Fielding, Director
Home Grown Short – High School
“She Gazed Into The Mirror And The Sun Stared Back”
(Howell High School)
Meaghan Krantz, Director
New Jersey Hometown Documentary Short – High School
Winner
“Las Raices del Corazon”
(Collingswood High School)
Yesenia Aguilar-Medina, Director
1st Runner Up
“The Culinary Arts of South Orange”
(Columbia High School)
Stella Grace Williams, Dylan Charles Meda, Directors
2024 ACTING AWARDS
BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURE
Ron Perlman – “The Baker”
BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURE
Betsy Brandt – “The Grotto”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A FEATURE
Harvey Keitel – “The Baker”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A FEATURE
Samantha Kaine – “The Baker”
BEST ENSEMBLE (FEATURE)
“Daniel’s Gotta Die”
Joel David Moore, Jason Jones, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Carly Chaikin
Chantel Riley, Dax Ravina, Varun Saranga, Iggy Pop, Bob Saget
BEST ACTOR IN A SHORT
Austin Pendleton – “Ball and Vase”
BEST ACTRESS IN A SHORT – TIE
Pamela Jayne Morgan – “The Principal’s Assembly”
Ashley Platz – “Fight Like a Mother”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A SHORT
Eme Ikwuakor – “Fight Like a Mother”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A SHORT
Alyshia Ochse – “Fight Like a Mother”
2024 Screenplay Winner
This event is sponsored in part by:
FEATURE SCREENPLAY WINNER
The Dude Is Legit!
Written by
Dan Clemens and Laurie Clemens-Maier
SHORT SCREENPLAY WINNER
BTB
Written by Colin Hickey
Synopsis: A family prepares to eave for a holiday party, but are not prepared for the knock on their door.
TELEPLAY SCREENPLAY WINNER
Flawless: A Feminist Fairytale
Written by Deborah Rayne, Catherine Eaton
Synopsis: When “Ever After, Inc.” hires a Latinx Millennial to become the new Fairy Godmother for NYC, she discovers that the shiny corporate behemoth is nothing more than a shill for the Patriarchy. Disillusioned, she goes rogue; and sets out to dismantle The System with the help of the City’s very modern Princesses.
2024 Movie Music Winners
MOVIE MUSIC COMPETITION PLAYLIST
Best Pop Song
“Ballad of Jim Cramer”
Composer: Philip Curcuru
Performed by: The Atomik Age Project
Best Song from a Short Film
“Millie’s Carefree Day”
Composer: Kevin Stahl & Spencer Camacho
Produced by: Kevin Stahl
Best Student Orchestral Score
“Prey”
Composer: Yi-Fan Chen
Performed by: New York University Orchestra
Best Song in a Short Drama
“Mercy”
Composers: Michael Gladstone & Rob Smith
Performed by: Junkyardfieldtrip
Best Score from an International Film
“Force of Nature”
Composer: Fadi Khoury
Performed by: Fadi Khoury, Cello Pierce Constanti
Best Score from a Feature Thriller
“Mastermind”
Composer: Jeff Tinsley
Performed by: Budapest Scoring Orchestra
Best Score from a Short Documentary
“Messages To Self”
Composer: Jarrod J. Radnich
Performed by: Jarrod J. Radnich