NBCUniversal Short Film Festival Announces Winners
With more than 4,200 submissions, the 12th annual NBCUniversal Short Film Festival announced the winners from a slate of nine finalists in the grand finale event in Los Angeles tonight. The competition was stiff as the nine short films and web series presented were amazingly crafted and thoughtful entries, but the two shorts that came out on top were Cynthia Kao’s Groundhog Day For A Black Man and Cullan Bruce’s Lost Dogs.
Groundhog Day For A Black Man tells a hilarious, timely story of a black man continually reliving the same day where he encounters life-and-death scenarios with the police. The socially relevant comedy won for Outstanding Comedy and the Critics’ Choice Award. On the dramatic side, the Lost Dogs won for Outstanding Drama and Outstanding Actor. The short, inspired by the insane brilliance of Korean horror, told the story of a woman ridiculed by her family who longs to escape. Striking a deal with her brother to clear his illegal debt, she delves deeper into darkness.
Hosted this year by the hysterical Kym Whitley (Master of None, Young & Hungry), the NBCUniversal Short Film Festival celebrates diversity in storytelling and features stories about and by people of ethnically diverse backgrounds, the LGBTQ community, women and people with disabilities. This year, the fest named America Ferrera, Mariska Hargitay, Chrissy Metz and Lena Waithe as its first ambassadors. They served as advocates for the festival and join the judging panel determining award winners.
Here is the complete list of winners:
HARNESS SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD
Emergency, Director: Carey Williams, Writer: K.D Davila
OUTSTANDING COMEDY
Groundhog Day For A Black Man, Writer & Director: Cynthia Kao
OUTSTANDING DRAMA
Lost Dogs, Director: Cullan Bruce, Writers: Cullan Bruce and Chris Lee
OUTSTANDING WRITER
Mayumi Yoshida, Akashi
OUTSTANDING ACTOR
Chris Lee, Lost Dogs
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR
Damon Russell, Cul-De-Sac
CRITICS’ SCHOICE AWARD
Groundhog Day For A Black Man, Writer & Director: Cynthia Kao
AUDIENCE AWARD
Audible Static, Writer & Director: Sai Selvarajan
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