Film News: DePaul University’s Big Shoulders International Student Film Fest Honors Awardees

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CHICAGO – For the second year, Chicago’s DePaul University, and their film school within the College of Computing and Digital Media, hosted the Big Shoulders International Film Festival. The event was a two day celebration, and honored student short films from all over the world. After a showcase with Director Qiu Yang and Cinematographer Constanze Schmitt (the 2017 Winner of the Cannes Film Film Festival Short Film Palme d’Or, “A Gentle Night”). on Friday, February 1st, 2019, the festival wrapped up on February 2nd with split screenings of their 21 finalist films at the historic Davis Theatre in Chicago. The top film awards were given after the screenings.

February 1st and 2nd, 2019
Photo credit: DePaul University

Big Shoulders International Student Film Festival is dedicated to presenting the work of innovative student filmmakers from around the world. The Festival’s mission is to promote diversity and inclusion by showcasing the work of emerging young voices and unique ways of storytelling. DePaul University students actively participate in organizing the festival, selecting the films, and hosting the event. There are 21 short film finalists, from four continents and 10 countries. The DePaul facilitator for the Festival is Assistant Professor Michael X. Flores. Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com was on the Festival jury.

The Award honorees are as follows…

BEST OF FEST
Isabella Bretón & Sixmarling Then for SALTY BLOOD

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Fabián León López for THE CANADIAN

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Narges Haghighat for THE HOOPOE AND THE OWLS

BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
Anna Spacio for MOMMY’S LULLABY

BEST NARRATIVE FILM
Julia Elihu for YASAMIN

BEST SCREENPLAY
M. Akram Shibly for INNAE (PERSEVERANCE)

THE VINCENTIAN PRIZE FOR SOCIAL IMPACT
Winner: Jordan Berns for DREAMER

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor and Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com