BHFF
Archives

2017

Award Winners

The 17th Anniversary Edition of the Beverly Hills Film Festival has warmly welcomed an exceptional set of filmmakers and writers.

Remaining dedicated and focused on its artists’ creative vision, the Beverly Hills Film Festival® is more than honored to present the 18th Edition of its Awards with the close collaborative efforts of the Beverly Hills Film Festival Executive Directorial Team and the Beverly Hills Film Festival President of the Jury.

2017 Beverly Hills Film Festival Golden Palm Award

Tupamaro

Director: Martin Markovits

Country: United States

RT: 62min

Synopsis: A deep dive into the violent world of the Tupamaros — leftist vigilantes that patrol the streets of Caracas, Venezuela, fighting gangsters, government forces and even themselves....

2017 Screenplay Awards

GOLDEN PALM AWARD

The Midnight Son

Levi Taylor

1ST RUNNER UP

This Close

Marc Messenger

2ND RUNNER UP

The Race to The Top of The World

Nick DeRuve

STUDENT

Sunset

Nicholas Rodriguez

2017 Film Awards

Best Actress, Best Short Film

It Happened Again Last Night

Country: United States

RT: 14min

Director: Gabrielle Stone (Co-Director), Roze (Co-Director)

Paige must choose between love and fear before she has no choices left to make....

Best Director, Best Feature Film

Gun

Country: United States

RT: 90min

Director: Sam Upton

A washed up, alcoholic ex-prizefighter makes a comeback to boxing after his top-middleweight contender son is wrongfully blinded in the ring....

Best Student Film

The Artist’s Awakening

Country: United States

RT: 9min

Director: Daniel Mejia

An uninspired artist goes in a quest to recover his inspiration....

Best Animated Film

The Trees of Eden

Country: United States

RT: 15min

Director: Dwight Hwang

When Esarhaddon, a cruel Assyrian King conquers an unsuspecting nation, a mysterious old man appears and transforms the king into the image of the defeated, forcing him to experience the very lives that he has sought to destroy. Based on Tolstoy’s ‘Esarhaddon, King of Assyria...

Best Foreign Film

Tupamaro

Country: United States

RT: 62min

Director: Martin Markovits

A deep dive into the violent world of the Tupamaros — leftist vigilantes that patrol the streets of Caracas, Venezuela, fighting gangsters, government forces and even themselves....

Best Editing

Before The Fall

Country: United States

RT: 12min

Director: Kamelya Alexan

In the midst of the American Civil War, a young boy named Thomas, determined to cure his dying mother, wanders into the woods motivated by a mythical story he was once told. It’s here that Thomas must decide the ultimate price he’s willing to pay for the life of someone he loves....

Best Actor

The Girl Who Invented Kissing

Country: United States

RT: 106min

Director: Tom Sierchio

The Girl Who Invented Kissing is a beautifully written ensemble drama by veteran screenwriter Tom Sierchio (‘Untamed Heart’). Set in Bloomfield, New Jersey, The Girl Who Invented Kissing is an intimate story about a nameless, pill-popping drifter girl who enters the life of two lonely brothers and changes them forever. It is the tale of Victor, a lovable lummox who is often the butt of the joke in the neighborhood....

Best Cinematography

The Shadow Hours

Country: United States

RT: 19min

Director: Kyle Higgins

A Neo-Noir following twin brothers born with a mysterious condition: only one of them can be awake at a time. Posing as one person, each awake for only half of a day, they make a living as private investigators… until a budding romance threatens to ruin their lives...

Best Producer

Zen Dog

Country: United States

RT: 95min

Director: Rick Darge

Trapped by daily routine, a man experiences complete freedom by dreaming himself across the country in a psychedelic Volkswagen with the guiding words of philosopher Alan Watts....

2018 AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

Best Short Film

Happyland

Country: United States

RT: 17min

Director: Adam Hancock

A deeply troubled man, reeling from a failed office romance, journeys into new mental territory and quite possibly time travel....

Best Documentary

Rod Taylor: Pulling No Punches

Country: United States

RT: 80min

Director: Robert de Young

With his recent role is in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards, Rod Taylor also featured in many influential films: The VIP’s, The Birds, The Time Machine, 36 Hours, Sunday in New York, Young Cassidy, The Glass Bottom Boat, Hotel, and Zabriski Point. He was one of the first leading actors to voice a Disney animated character when he portrayed the hero, Pongo, in 101 Dalmatians. The film features Maggie Smith, Tippi Hedren, Angela Lansbury, Veronica Cartwright, Baz Luhrmann, Stephan Elliott, Susie Porter, Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson, Keith Michell, and Rod himself....

Best Director, Best Feature Film

Gun

Country: United States

RT: 90min

Director: Sam Upton

A washed up, alcoholic ex-prizefighter makes a comeback to boxing after his top-middleweight contender son is wrongfully blinded in the ring....

2017 SPECIAL JURY AWARDS

Best Actress, Best Short Film

It Happened Again Last Night

Country: United States

RT: 14min

Director: Gabrielle Stone (Co-Director), Roze (Co-Director)

Paige must choose between love and fear before she has no choices left to make....

Best Documentary

John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs

Country: United States

RT: 78min

Director: Derek Wayne Johnson

An examination of the life, career and films of the Oscar-winning director of ‘Rocky’ and ‘The Karate Kid’ featuring exclusive never-before-seen interviews from Sylvester Stallone, Ralph Macchio, Martin Scorsese, Burt Reynolds, Jerry Weintraub, Talia Shire and many more....

Best Feature Film

Delinquent

Country: United States

RT: 97min

Director: Kieran Valla

Delinquent is the thrilling and dramatic exploration of a teenager’s struggle to manage the fall-out of a robbery gone wrong....

2017 Juries

Lifeng Wang

President, Xing Xing Digital Corp ...

Mark Amin

Mark Amin is the founder and CEO of Sobini Films. ...

Spike Seldin

Spike Seldin is known for The A-Team (2010), His Way and Face/Off (1997). ...

Raj Brinder Singh

Raj Brinder Singh is known for The November Man (2014), John Wick (2014) and American Ultra (2015). ...

Robert A. Ferretti

Robert A Ferretti was born on 24 February, 1948. Whilst at school in his native New England he began to make films of his own and won a contest sponsored by the American Cinema Editors ...

Sweta Rai

Sweta Rai is a Hollywood film producer, director, writer, and entrepreneur who is focused on creating meaningful cinema. ...

Scott Moesta

Head of Film Acquisition, Echo Bridge Acquisition Corp. ...

Mark Hefti

Mark Hefti was born and raised in Wisconsin ...

Brian Stevenson

Head of Sales, Arc Entertainment ...

Sharon Chazin Lieblein

Sharon Lieblein, CSA Sharon Lieblein continues to have an illustrious career as a casting director spanning over 2 decades. ...

Robert E. Baruc

Robert E. Baruc is known for Hard Vice (1994), The Demolitionist (1995) and Prayer of the Rollerboys (1990). ...

Kyle Larson

Creative Executive, Plan B Entertainment ...