2023 Winners, Finalists, Honorable Mentions

As the cofounding director, I chose four films that were extremely different in their approach, and offered something that I found of unique interest.  This does not mean that their poems, filming or direction was better than any others, but it was significant enough to me to be noted for its approach to their project.

Gravitation Lensing is an animation about our relationship with the cosmos, our universe of stars and stardust, from whence we most likely came. The graphics were sharp and the poem relatable, and it was outside of ourselves. I was smitten quickly because I love astronomy and our relationship to all above our Earthly environment. It was mature and well done, and the use of just yellow and black caught my eye.

Summer Sonata for My City found me intrigued by the filmmakers putting in other art disciplines, not just music.  There is a painting, and a delightful short poem with it and the city. The filmmakers were able to get all of that completed and their poetic message across in less than two minutes.  

Paul Panish, poem on my 87th Birthday was a nice documentary on one elder man and his reading of a poem he wrote for his 87th birthday. I am usually against just the poet reading their poem on screen, but It worked well and it received my Choice Award because it was just flat out inspiring. The additional message from the filmmaker was important: Go find your oldest relative, and ask questions, listen and tape what they say. 

Uyafaafuji's Refusal reveals a side of culture and language, and of memory that I knew nothing about -- I learned a lot from many entries, but this seemed different. It was far from my environment or life. It was a captivating project. And, it was put together with clips of news and home movies. I like what the filmmaker said: "Our uyafaafuji (ancestors in Okinawan language) appear to intervene in daily life of those who immigrated from the island "This video offering combines uta-sanshin, spoken word and elemental images to invoke a dialogue with our uyafaafuji, known and unknown. We inhabit this place in hopes of better understanding our responsibilities and to increase our capacity to choose relationships that are grounded in mutual reciprocity and respect."