AFIN 2021 WINNERS
81 films · 24 awards · 25 nominations · 16 countries · 117 placings
Congratulations to all winners in our 2021 season!
Winners
A single unbroken shootout sequence lingers long after the credits, a shot of pure nerve that signals the film's command of tempo. Blending three genres into one confident whole, the direction keeps its tone shifting and dynamic, holding the panel on edge from scene to scene. The editing and pacing carry it all with real assurance, and a cast working at full passion lends every character weight and menace.on South of Heaven →
Best Australian Actress · Samantha Mcclurg
Best Cinematography
Best Australian Film · Jesse Richardson, Dave Redman, Aaron Singfield, Nerida Tyson-Chew
A Godless Country
Jesse Richardson · 
Australia
Best Australian Actor · Berlin Lu
Best Student Film · Lachlan Chatfield
A Meal To Share
· Australia
Best Web Series · Peter Feeney, Sam McKillen
Blind Bitter Happiness
Peter Feeney · 
New Zealand
Best Feature Screenplay · Michelle Worthington
Dads Don't Dance
Michelle Worthington · Australia
Best Music Video · Shaun David Barker, Georgina Nottage, Nathan Joyce, Jo Larkin, Sou Lang Ly, Madeline Dixon, Hadleigh Kirk
Diamonds
· Australia
Best Short Documentary · Daniel Sadgrove
Garage Romantic
Dan Sadgrove · New Zealand
Best Comic
Gorilla my Dreams: Mime of my Life
Big Tim Stiles · Australia
Best Short Screenplay · Joseph G Pothin
Hail Of Bullets
Joseph G Pothin · Australia
Best Visual Effects
Ikarus
· 
USA
Best Sound
Best Editing
Best Ensemble Cast
In The Heart Of The Machine
Martin Makariev · 
Bulgaria
Best Feature Documentary · Nick Taussig, Mick McAvoy, Alan Clements, David Whitney
Killing Escobar
David Whitney · 
UK
Best Actress · Evangeline Lilly
Best Actor · Jason Sudeikis
Best Young Artist · Thaddeus J. Mixson
Best Feature Film · Roger Birnbaum, Dallas Sonnier, Amanda Presmyk, Chadd Harbold
Best Director · Aharon Keshales
South of Heaven
Aharon Keshales · USA
Best First-Time Filmmaker · Raul Perez
Best Short Film · Dustin Harnish, Joe Demock
The Ice Cream Stop
Raul Perez · USA
Best Emerging Female Director · Cate Carson
The Plumber
Cate Carson · USA
Performance Winners
These awards honour a performer rather than a film. Each name links to their AFIN page; the film beneath is the work the performance is in.
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Australian Actor
-
Winner
Berlin Lu
A Meal To Share
AustraliaShort Film14m Also at AFIN SHE MADE ME 2022, director & writer & producer & cast
Best Australian Actress
Best Young Artist
Details and imagery from The Movie Database This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
Nominees
All Hours 'Before I Go'
Australia Best Music Video Blue Ridge: The Randy Detrick Story
USA Directed by Ralph Lucchese Best Feature Documentary Christmas Feathers
USA Best Short Screenplay CRUCIFIX EXECUTIONER: KILLER INSTINCT
Australia Directed by Duncan Cunningham Best Comic Diversity Hires
USA Directed by Tevin Everett Best Web Series Earl's Town
Best Australian FilmFatal Ambition
USA Best Short Screenplay Fires in the Dark
France Directed by Dominique Lienhard Best Feature Film Knitting Out
Portugal Best Short Screenplay Mail Box (VoiceMail)
Brazil Directed by Leonardo Fiorito, Bruno Levinson Best Music Video Mila
USA Directed by Cinzia Angelini Best Short Film Mom the Movie
USA Best Student Film Monska - C. R. Robin
Australia Directed by Isabella Andronos Best Music Video Motel
Australia Directed by Criss Gidas Best Web Series Mycelium: an Urban Food Uprising
Australia Directed by Christine Schindler, Nathan Gibson Best Short Documentary Sea Of Pearls
Canada Best Feature Screenplay Side Effect
USA Directed by Andrea Shreeman, Renny Grames Best Short Film Six Angry Women
New Zealand Best Cinematography Best Sound Best Feature Documentary Smile: The Series
Australia Directed by Natalie Simonov Best Web Series The Adventuress
USA Best Feature Screenplay The Imbalance
Australia Best Feature Screenplay Through the Eyes of Children
Australia Directed by James Lingwood Best Short Documentary Unearthing Ogawa
USA Directed by Steve Meixell Best Feature Documentary Finalists
21 works recognised as finalists in 2021.
A Star in the Desert
USA Directed by Zachary Kerschberg Finalist A War of Souls
Australia Finalist Bitiya
Australia Directed by Satyam Parkhi Finalist BOOMERANG
Australia Finalist DIRECTED BY
USA Directed by Steve Race Finalist Effigy
Australia Directed by Connor Clarke Finalist Entwined
Greece Directed by Minos Nikolakakis Finalist Inner Portraits
Australia Directed by Christian Berzi Finalist In Your Hands (ENG)
Italy Directed by Lorenzo Maria Chierici Finalist Making Peace
USA Directed by Judah Ray Finalist Monochrome
Australia Directed by Robert Plaza Finalist Princess Loading
USA Finalist Sleeping Warrior
UK Directed by Janet Wells, Mwaura Timothy Finalist SOS United States
USA Finalist The Funeral
Australia Directed by Paul Rochford Finalist The Love Palace
Australia Finalist THE NOTHING
Australia Directed by Arron Millikin Finalist These Walls
Australia Directed by Susanna van Aswegen Finalist Trust Frank - 28 min
Australia Directed by Penny Moore Finalist Untouched
Australia Directed by Timothy Clough Finalist ZEDA THE HUNTER
Romania Finalist 2021 Nominees & Finalists
Every placing exactly as announced in 2021, including finalists .
Best Comic 3 placings
Nominees
- Gorilla my Dreams: Mime of my Life, by Big Tim Stiles (Big Tim's Funny Books), AUSTRALIA
- XCT: Fractured World (Xtreme Champion Tournament), by Shaun Keenan & Ben Rosenthal, AUSTRALIA
- Crucifix Executioner: Killer Instinct, by Duncan Cunningham (Killer Comics), AUSTRALIA
Best Director 5 placings
Nominees
- Raul Perez, The ICE CREAM STOP (Short Film), USA
- Martin Makariev, In The Heart Of The Machine (В сърцето на машината) (Feature Film), BULGARIA
- Aharon Keshales, South of Heaven (Feature Film), USA
- McClain Lindquist, The Tell Tale Heart Short Movie, AUSTRALIA
- Tim Dahlseid, Sold Out the movie, USA
Best Emerging Female Director 5 placings
Nominees
- 🙍♀️ Cate Carson, for The Plumber (Sensorium Pictures) (Short Film) - USA
- Andrea Sheeman & Renny Grames, for Side Effect (Short Film) - USA
- Emma Thomason, for Road Dogs (Short Film), AUSTRALIA
- Anastasiya Sergienya, for Soyka (Short Film), USA
- Cinzia Angelini, for Mila (Short Film) - USA
Best Feature Film 5 placings
Nominees
- In The Heart Of The Machine (В сърцето на машината), by Martin Makariev, BULGARIA
- Sold Out the movie, by Tim Dahlseid, USA
- South of Heaven, by Aharon Keshales, USA
- My True Fairytale Film, by D. Mitry, USA
- Fires in the Dark, by Dominique Lienhard, FRANCE
Best Music Video 5 placings
Nominees
- Diamonds, by Shaun David Baker - AUSTRALIA
- Monska (C.R. Robin), by Isabella Andronos - AUSTRALIA
- Mail Box (Voicemail), by Leonardo Fiorito, Bruno Levinson, BRAZIL
- All Hours 'Before I Go', by Jonathan Creed - AUSTRALIA
- Skarlett Riot 'Human', by Shaun Hodson - UNITED KINGDOM
Best Short Film 5 placings
Nominees
- The ICE CREAM STOP, by Raul Perez - USA
- The Plumber (Sensorium Pictures), by Cate Carson - USA
- Side Effect, by Andrea Shreeman & Renny Grames, USA
- The Tell Tale Heart Short Movie, by McClain Lindquist - AUSTRALIA
- Mila, by Cinzia Angelini - USA
Best Student Film 5 placings
Nominees
- A Meal to Share - Deakin Honours Short Film 2020 (Short Film), by Leo Ma, AUSTRALIA
- Pop N Possum (Short FIlm), by Christian Staats & Aminah A Malek, AUSTRALIA
- The World’s Best Film (Feature Documentary), by Joshua Belinfante, AUSTRALIA
- Road Dogs (Short Film), by Emma Thomason, AUSTRALIA
- Mom the Movie (Short Film), by Austin Foxx, USA
Best Web Series 4 placings
Nominees
- Blind Bitter Happiness, by Peter Feeney - NEW ZEALAND
- Motel, by Criss Gidas - AUSTRALIA
- Smile The Series, by Natalie Simonov, AUSTRALIA
- Diversity Hires, by Tevin Everett - UNITED STATES
Best Feature Documentary 5 placings
Nominees
- Killing Escobar, by David Whitney, UNITED KINGDOM
- Six Angry Women, by Megan Jones, NEW ZEALAND
- Blue Ridge: The Randy Detrick Story, by Ralph Lucchese, UNITED STATES
- Unearthing Ogawa, by Steve Meixell, UNITED STATES
- The Last Movie Painter (Renato Casaro - Il Film), by Walter Bencini, ITALY
Best Short Documentary 5 placings
Nominees
- Mycelium - An Urban Food Uprising, by Christine Schindler, Nathan Gibson - AUSTRALIA
- Through the Eyes of Children, by James Lingwood - AUSTRALIA
- One-Way Ticket (Pasaje de Ida), by Víctor Augusto Mendívil, PERU
- Hear Me Out (Hearmeoutdoco) - AUSTRALIA
- Garage Romantic, by Dan Sadgrove - NEW ZEALAND
Best Actor 5 placings
Nominees
- Jason Sudeikis, South Of Heaven (Feature Film), USA
- Thai "The Thaiga" Edwards, The ICE CREAM STOP (Short Film) USA
- Sam Bardwell, Sold Out the movie (Feature Film), USA
- Shea Whigham, South Of Heaven (Feature Film), USA
- Alexander Sano, In The Heart Of The Machine (В сърцето на машината) (Feature Film), BULGARIA
Best Actress 5 placings
Nominees
- Nicola Lambo in The ICE CREAM STOP (Short Film), UNITED STATES
- Evangeline Lilly in South of Heaven (Feature Film) UNITED STATES
- Christine Celozzi in The Plumber (Sensorium Pictures) (Short Film) UNITED STATES
- Kelsey McMahon in Sold Out the movie (Feature Film) UNITED STATES
- Daniella Serret in We all lie my Darling (Feature Film) AUSTRALIA
Best Australian Actor 5 placings
Nominees
- Berlin Lu for A Meal to Share - Deakin Honours Short Film 2020
- Brent Dunner for A Godless Country (Short Film)
- Marshall Napier for Earl's Town (Short Film)
- Kristian Boulter, for We all lie my Darling (Feature Film)
- Jesse Richardson for A Godless Country (Short Film)
Best Australian Actress 5 placings
Nominees
- Shannon Brooke, for Flat Hill (Short Film)
- Josephine Croft - Actor, for Grounded (Short Film)
- Samantha McClurg, for A Godless Country (Short Film)
- Daniella Serrett, for We all lie my Darling (Feature Film)
- Jess Waterhouse, for Becoming Emma Braintree (Short Film)
Best Ensemble Cast 5 placings
Nominees
- South Of Heaven by Aharon Keshales (Feature Film), USA
- In The Heart Of The Machine (В сърцето на машината) by Martin Makariev (Feature Film), BULGARIA
- Sold Out the movie by Tim Dahlseid (Feature Film) USA
- My True Fairytale Film by D. Mitry (Feature Film) USA
- We all lie my Darling by Pierre-Nicolas Panasci (Feature Film) AUSTRALIA
Best Young Artist 5 placings
Nominees
- Thaddeus J. Mixson, South Of Heaven (Feature Film), USA
- Paul Luke Bonenfant, Household Demons (Short Film) USA
- Igor Van Dessel, Fires In The Dark (Feature Film), FRANCE
- Chloe-Jean Vincent, FadingNumbers (Short Film), AUSTRALIA
- Anna Ivanova, Я працюю на цвинтарі / I Work At The Cemetery (Feature Film), UKRAINE
Best Feature Screenplay 5 placings
Nominees
- The Adventuress, by Damien Mulvany, AUSTRALIA
- Dads Don't Dance, by Michelle Worthington - Author, AUSTRALIA
- The Imbalance, by Naomi Lisner, AUSTRALIA
- Sea Of Pearls, by Ahmad Marouf, CANADA
- 12 Hours 2 Steal by Justin K Hayward, UNITED KINGDOM
Best Short Screenplay 5 placings
Nominees
- Christmas Feathers, by Christopher Sartorius, USA
- Hail Of Bullets, by Joseph G Pothin, AUSTRALIA
- Fatal Ambition, by Angel Connell, USA
- Knitting Out, by Catarina De Cèzanne, PORTUGAL
- Death Offers Life, by Madhu R, INDIA
Best Cinematography 5 placings
Nominees
- Six Angry Women (Feature Documentary), by Megan Jones - NEW ZEALAND
- In the Heart of the Machine (Feature Film) (В сърцето на машината) by Martin Makariev - BULGARIA
- A Godless Country (Short Film), by Jesse Richardson - AUSTRALIA
- Soul Prison Film (Feature Film), by Nipan Chawcharernpon - THAILAND
- Garage Romantic (Short Documentary), by Dan Sadgrove - NEW ZEALAND
Best Editing 5 placings
Nominees
- The Plumber (Short Film) (Sensorium Pictures), by Cate Carson - UNITED STATES
- The Last Movie Painter (Feature Documentary) (Renato Casaro - Il Film), by Walter Bencini - ITALY
- In The Heart Of The Machine (Feature Film) (В сърцето на машината), by Martin Makariev - BULGARIA
- Blue Ridge: The Randy Detrick Story (Feature Documentary), by Ralph Lucchese - UNITED STATES
- Household Demons (Short Film), by John Gray - UNITED STATES
Best Sound 5 placings
Nominees
- The Last Movie Painter (Renato Casaro - Il Film) (Feature Film), by Walter Bencini, ITALY
- In The Heart Of The machine (В сърцето на машината) (Feature Film), by Martin Makariev, BULGARIA
- Six Angry Women (Feature Documentary), by Megan Jones, NEW ZEALAND
- Killing Escobar (Feature Documentary), by David Whitney, UNITED KINGDOM
- The ICE CREAM STOP (Short Film), by Raul Perez, UNITED STATES
Best Visual Effects 5 placings
Nominees
- IKARUS (Short Film), by Shaun Escayg, UNITED STATES
- Household Demons (Short Film), by John Gray, UNITED STATES
- Remembrance (Short Film), by Shane Joseph Willis - AUSTRALIA
- In the Heart of the Machine (Feature Film) (В сърцето на машината) by Martin Makariev - BULGARIA
- Soul Prison Film (Feature Film), by Nipan Chawcharernpon - THAILAND
Best Australian Film 5 placings
Nominees
- Pop N Possum (Short Film), by Christian Staats & Aminah A Malek
- A Godless Country (Short Film), by Jesse Richardson
- Earl's Town (Short Film) , by Matt Cerwen
- We all lie my Darling (Feature Film), by Pierre-Nicolas Panasci
- A Meal to Share - Deakin Honours Short Film 2020, by Leo Ma
Best First Time Filmmaker 5 placings
Nominees
- The ICE CREAM STOP (Short FIlm), by Raul Perez, UNITED STATES
- The Tell Tale Heart Short Movie, by McClain Lindquist, AUSTRALIA
- Sold Out the movie (Feature Film), by Tim Dahlseid, UNITED STATES
- Six Angry Women (Feature Doc), by Megan Jones, NEW ZEALAND
- Unearthing Ogawa (Feature Doc), by Steve Meixell, UNITED STATES
AFIN 2026
The festival opens in 4 days
Screening 1 at Dendy Cinemas Portside, Brisbane