“Romeo Is Bleeding” directed by Jason Zeldes was a hit at the 2015 St Louis International Film Festival winning both the St. Louis Film Critics Association Joe Pollack and Joe Williams Awards for Best Documentary Feature and the Best of Fest Audience Choice Award – Leon Award for Best Documentary Film. In Romeo Is Bleeding, a young writer Donté Clark growing up in a city divided by a turf war, channels Shakespeare to help heal the ills of his community.
Other top winning films include “Once in a Lifetime” directed by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar taking the St. Louis Film Critics Association Joe Pollack and Joe Williams Award for Best Narrative Feature. The other audience favorite films include “Unlikely Heroes” directed by Peter Luisi winning the TV5MONDE Award for Best International Film, and “The Last Mentsch” directed by Pierre-Henry Salfati voted Best Film.
24th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival Awards
Charles Guggenheim Cinema St. Louis Award: Alex Winter
Women in Film Award: Rosemary Rodriguez
Contemporary Cinema Award: Trent Harris
Shorts Awards
Best Documentary Short: “The Surrender” directed by Stephen Maing
Best Local Short: “Ferguson 365” directed by Chris Phillips
Best Short Short: “Deathsong” directed by Malcolm Sutherland
Best International Short: “Levitation” directed by Marko Mestrovic
Best Animated Short: “Borrowed Time” directed by Andrew Coats & Lou Hamou-Lhadj
Best Live-Action Short: “Birthday” directed by Chris King
Best of Fest: “Beverley” directed by Alexander Thomas
Midrash Award
“Four Way Stop” directed by Efi da Silva
Interfaith Awards
Best Documentary Feature: “Thao’s Library” directed by Elizabeth Van Meter
Best Narrative Feature: “Three Windows and a Hanging” directed by Isa Qosja
Alliance of Women Film Journalists’ EDA Award @ SLIFF
Best Documentary Feature: “Once My Mother” directed by Sophia Turkiewicz
Best Narrative Feature: “Fidélio: Alice’s Odyssey” directed by Lucie Borleteau
St. Louis Film Critics Association Joe Pollack and Joe Williams Awards
Best Documentary Feature: “Romeo Is Bleeding” directed by Jason Zeldes
Best Narrative Feature: “Once in a Lifetime” directed by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar
Best of Fest Audience Choice Awards
Leon Award for Best Documentary Film: “Romeo Is Bleeding” directed by Jason Zeldes
TV5MONDE Award for Best International Film: “Unlikely Heroes” directed by Peter Luisi
Best Film: “The Last Mentsch” directed by Pierre-Henry Salfati
New Filmmakers Forum Emerging Director Award (The Bobbie)
“Aram, Aram” directed by Christopher Chambers