The American Film Institute (AFI) announced the Grand Jury Award winners and Special Mentions for AFI Fest 2024. The Grand Jury Award winners for Live Action Short, Documentary Short and Animated Short will be eligible for the 2024 Best Live Action Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short Academy Awards®. This year’s jury was comprised of Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison, film programmer Nora Bernard and comedian, actor, filmmaker, podcaster and author Paul Scheer.
Here’s a rundown of Grand Jury winners and Special Jury mentions:
Grand Jury Prize – Live Action Short
TWO PEOPLE EXCHANGING SALIVA (DEUX PERSONNES ÉCHANGEANT DE LA SALIVE) (DIR Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh)
Jury Statement: “At a commendable 36 minutes, this film illustrates how desire and yearning can clash in a capitalistic society while showcasing queerness as commonplace.”
Grand Jury Prize – Documentary Short
LAND OF LOST TOYS (DIR Nicholas Stachurski)
Jury Statement: “This revealing documentary challenges our conceptions and explores the humanity of a group of people in Detroit who fight not only for their survival but also for companions who can’t on their own.”
Grand Jury Prize – Animated Short
HUMANTIS (DIR Paris Baillie)
Jury Statement: “HUMANTIS is a stunning work of art that delves into the complexities and challenges of change and the unexpected beauty that emerges from self-transformation and acceptance. The stop motion breathes new life into an otherworldly visual narrative, showcasing the depths of a vibrant imagination and skillful craftsmanship.”
Special Jury Mentions
Special Jury Mention for Freedom and Expression – Live Action Short
A SHORT FILM ABOUT KIDS (DIR Ibrahim Handal)
Jury Statement: “Through a breezy style and cinematic language, we were drawn into a world where, with a little ingenuity, burdened youth can experience joy and self-determination.”
Special Jury Mention for New Voice – Documentary Short
YOU’RE TOO SENSITIVE (DIR Dan Chen)
Jury Statement: “YOU’RE TOO SENSITIVE receives a special mention for its unique approach to reimagining home movies, not only as documentation of what we wish to be seen and remembered but also reveals the private moments that speak to the complexities of family dynamics. “
Special Jury Mention for Craft – Animated Short
SILENT PANORAMA (DIR Nicolas Piret)
Jury Statement: “The jury would like to acknowledge SILENT PANORAMA with a special mention for artistic craftsmanship as this subtle and immersive story comes to life beautifully and meticulously on a single sheet of paper.”
Record high attendance
This year’s festival welcomed a record number of attendees with ticket and pass sales reaching 30% higher than the previous year.
The festival lineup included 6 Red Carpet Premieres, 13 Special Screenings, 13 Luminaries selections, 15 Discovery films, 12 World Cinema selections, 14 Documentaries, 4 After Dark titles, 54 films in the Short Film Competition, and 28 films from the AFI Conservatory Showcase presented by AMC Networks. Of the official selections 48% were directed by women and non-binary filmmakers and 26% were directed by BIPOC filmmakers. There were 4 World Premieres, 6 North American Premieres and 7 U.S. Premieres. The program represented 44 countries and included 9 Best International Feature Oscar® submissions: Dahomey (Senegal), Grand Tour (Portugal), I’m Still Here (Brazil), Santosh (UK), The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany), Sujo (Mexico), Under The Volcano (Poland), Universal Language (Canada) and Vermiglio (Italy). The festival also presented two special events: Directors Spotlight: Robert Zemeckis in Conversation with Tom Hanks and Pitch Perfect: Crafting Impactful Visual Decks from a Storyteller’s Perspective
AFI Conservatory Alumni with films at AFI Fest included Andrea Arnold, Carolina Costa, Amanda Freedman, Affonso Gonçalves, Heidi Levitt, Charlie McDowell, Rachel Morrison, Samir Oliveros and Paul Schrader.
Returning filmmakers included Andrea Arnold, Maura Delpero, Mati Diop, Jeanne Drouet, Miguel Gomes, Alain Guiraudie, Damian Kocur, Philippe Lesage, Rungano Nyoni, Jeanne Paturle, Alex Ross Perry, Mohammad Rasoulof, Cecile Rousset, Hong Sang-soo, Paul Schrader, Chris Smith, Faye Tsakas and Jia Zhang-Ke.
Guests at the festival included Pam Abdy, JJ Abrams, Amy Adams, Sophia Nahli Allison, Fred Armisen, Glen Ballard, Lance Bangs, Scott Beck, Alan Bergman, Nora Bernard, Paul Bettany, Leslie Bibb, Jacqueline Bisset, Laurent Bouzereau, Gerald Casale, Samantha Casiano, Ben Chaplin, Tommy Chong, Glenn Close, Toni Collette, Jennifer Connelly, Ryan Coogler, Merlin Crossingham, Maisie Crow, Ted Danson, Dr. Austin Dennard, Julie Delpy, Zoey Deutch, Michelle Dockery, Molly Duane, Gustavo Dudamel, Chloe East, Francesca Eastwood, Jean Picker Firstenberg, William Goldenberg, Hugh Grant, Tom Hanks, John Hillcoat, Nicholas Hoult, Thomas Hooten, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ron Howard, Jon Huertas, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Barry Jenkins, Jharrel Jerome, Angelina Jolie, Caleb Landry Jones, Spike Jonze, Kathleen Kennedy, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Ed Lachman, Jennifer Lawrence, Pablo Larraín, Philippe Lesage, Jennifer Lopez, Leonard Maltin, Cheech Marin, Frank Marshall, Charlie McDowell, Malcolm McDowell, Selton Mello, Logan Miller, Rachel Morrison, Mark Mothersbaugh, Robert Mothersbaugh, Oscar Nuñez, Elizabeth Olsen, Nick Park, Noah Parker, Dylan Penn, Abbie Perault, Andrea Riseborough, Anthony Robles, Judy Robles, Sam Rockwell, RaMell Ross, Eric Roth, Tom Rothman, Santigold, Peter Sarsgaard, Paul Scheer, Paul Schrader, Alan Silvestri, Lawrence Sher, Stacey Sher, Jurnee Smollett, Steven Spielberg, Mary Steenburgen, George Stevens, Jr., Sharon Stone, Sophie Thatcher, Fernanda Torres, John Turturro, Milo Ventimiglia, Lulu Wang, Diane Warren, Matthew Weiner, Nat Wolff, Bryan Woods, Robin Wright, Cedric Yarbrough, Robert Zemeckis, Amy Ziering, Amanda Zurawski, and Wallace & Gromit.
