This year the festival theme was Resilience. It serves as a reminder of our unyielding ability to thrive in the face of adversity, to transform pain into power, and to rise higher with every challenge faced. Films were curated for in various categories and genres. All showcasing talented storytellers who with passion and creativity shared their films with our audiences.
This year we continued our new honorary award- DBFF Texas Filmmaker EPIC Award. It was our pleasure to award this to Dallas-native, Arthur Muhammad.
Arthur’s films have resonated with audiences worldwide, thanks to their availability on platforms such as Netflix, BET, and theatrical screenings. Titles like “Carter High,” “First Impression,” and “Bid for Love” have delighted viewers from diverse corners of the globe. Arthur was accepted into the DGA’s Episodic TV Directing Mentorship program, and is excited to expand his directorial career into episodic television.
Best Narrative Feature
“Sierra’s Gold” Directed by Adze Ugah
Sierra, an eccentric young black visual artist in Johannesburg discovers she’s pregnant. Tiro, the boyfriend, presents Sierra with a hard choice: abort the pregnancy or lose him forever. Sierra chooses Tiro over the growing child within her. She consumes a strange concoction, designed to abort the baby but instead it bestows her with the inexplicable ability to excrete gold coins.
Sierra’s Gold is a riveting exploration of love, desperation, and the unimaginable consequences of choices. This darkly comedic journey delves into themes of self-discovery and the shocking revelation that one’s true worth is already within.
Judge’s Comments: “a beautifully crafted non-stop ride that truly sings.”
Runner-Up: “I Wish I Could See Heaven”
Directed by Zachary Cunningham
Best Documentary Feature
“Our Movement Starts Here” Directed by John Rash and Melanie Dang Ho
The story of a rural community in the American South that inspired the environmental justice movement and articulated the concept of environmental racism in 1982 by fighting the state of North Carolina’s toxic landfill.
Judge’s Comments: “a beautiful piece of art tackling a subject that more people should know about. Inspiring and educational from beginning to end”
Runner-Up: “Three (Extra) Ordinary Women” by Cionin Lorenzo and Pearlette J Ramos
Honorable Mention: “Redemption Road” by Yusef Bunchy Shakur and Scott McCartney
Best Narrative Short
“Nwa (Black)” Directed by Hans Augustave
Nwa is a candid, emotional, coming-of-age film about Frantz, a first-generation Haitian-American boy, torn by the decision to get the haircut he knows his strict immigrant father would approve of, or a trendy cut connecting him to the Black American culture he’s warned him not to embrace.
Judge’s Comments: “provocative and impactful.”
Runner-Up: “Ownership” by Yvonne Huff Lee
Honorable Mention: “Pretty Boy” by Kevin Coleman- Cohen; “Superman Doesn’t Steal” by Tamika Lamison
Best Documentary Short
“How to Sue the Klan” Directed by John Beder
From Producer Ben Crump. America’s first hate group, the Ku Klux Klan, dealt out hatred and violence for over a century without penalty – until five Black women and a young Black civil rights lawyer finally forced them to pay for their crimes. The strength of these women and the groundbreaking 1982 civil case set forth by their attorney established a legal precedent that paved the road for today’s fight against organized hate.
Judge’s Comments: “this well-structured documentary short makes us care about its subjects. Well done all around.”
Runner-Up: “City of Kings: Atlanta” by William Feagins, Jr.
Honorable Mention: “Climb Malawi” by Mario Stanley
Best Episodic/Web Series
“Hogtown / Ainsi va Manu – Season 2 – Episode 201” Directed by Josiane Blanc
Forced to leave her hometown temporarily, Manuela finds it difficult to adapt to her new surroundings. She has only one thing on her mind: moving back to Toronto. However, an unexpected encounter turns Manuela’s life upside down, calling into question everything she’s known or wanted up to now.
Judge’s Comments: “I’m really interested in going back to watch season one. The characters are well-formed and the lead actress was great.”
Runner-Up: “The Last Philadelphia” by John Carstarphen
Best College Short
“Emascipation” Directed by Tré Hazelwood
Kelsey Anderson is a hyper-masculine black man who wakes up in a hospital-like facility diagnosed with toxic masculinity.
Emascipation is an experimental short film written and directed by Tré Hazelwood that delves into the complexities of the black male experience within the confines of traditional perceptions of black masculinity. The title itself, a fusion of “emancipation” and “masculinity,” encapsulates the theme of the narrative: the fact or process of a man being set free from legal, social, or political restrictions; liberation.
Judge’s Comments: “The director’s cinematography steals the show. Each image is carefully crafted and beautifully lit. He is a director to watch.”
Runner-Up: “Earth to KB” by Em Shapiro
Best Original Music Video
“Space for Sweeter”
Directed by: Tramaine Townsend
Visuals for August Truly’s singles “DYGBC” and “Rosita” were created to be as larger than life, from the perspective of a butterfly soaring around August, the dancers, and the lush valley of natural flora surrounding them. The idea was to witness their presence in a pure, uninterrupted way, allowing the beauty of August’s music to seamlessly narrate the journey..
Judge’s Comments: “The dance and the sets were great,”said one judge. “A very professional looking video.”
Runner-Up: “Help” by Tonya Holloway
Best Texas Short Screenplay
“Curl Jam” Directed by Tonya Denese Holloway
In the pulsating rhythm of 1984, amidst Michael Jackson mania, unnoticed Stacy concocts a scheme to snag a ticket to the Jackson Five’s final concert tour, and perhaps, the heart of the middle school’s most sought-after boy..
Judge’s Comments: “The tone of this charming and nostalgic film is light humorous and consistent throughout.”
Runner-Up: “The Protector” by Seckeita Lewis
Best Texas Short Narrative
“If They Took Us Back”
Directed by Holly Charles-Pearson
n the alternate history short film If They Took Us Back, the U.S. government mandated the return of all formerly enslaved people back to Africa in 1863. More than a century later, a descendant of the ‘Black Returns’(DANIEL) decides to break the 160-year exile and return to the U.S. in exchange for overdue reparations from a remorseful, sympathetic and Black-obsessed America.
Judge’s Comments: ““A sexy, provocative thriller. It will have the viewer thinking long after it’s over.”
Runner-Up: “Opening Up” By Paris Brown
Best Texas Short Documentary
“Climb Malawi” Directed by Mario Stanley
Climb Malawi is a documentary film that delves into the heart of the vibrant climbing community in Malawi. It shares a project by The Global Climbing Initiative through which Genevive Walker, Mario Stanley, Liz Ndindi, and Scott Clark traveled to Malawi to mentor local climbing leaders. Through intimate interviews and breathtaking footage of mountainous landscapes, “Climb Malawi” showcases the incredible potential of climbing in this southeast African country and the transformative power of mentorship.
Judge’s Comments: “Absolutely gorgeous cinematography. It was a subject I knew nothing about and not only did I learn something, I was also inspired.”
Runner-Up: “Komlan” by Patricio J. Salinas and Richard Lakpassa
Best Texas College Short
“Earth to KB” Directed by Em Shapiro
Earth to KB is a documentary portrait of KB Brookins: a Black, queer, and trans writer and artist from Texas. The film explores the expansive worlds within KB’s poetry, as well as intimate moments shared with their wife, friends, and community in Austin. KB performs selected poems from their collections, Freedom House, and, How To Identify Yourself With a Wound, within the film.
Judge’s Comments: “The entry is honest and inspiring, displaying vulnerability and courage. The cinematography and music complete storytelling.”
