Prague Independent Film Festival (PIFF) honored its 2024 winners, with American film director David Larson’s “Stampila”, a political thriller about a woman’s daring attempt to overthrow a corrupt Moldovan oligarch, winning the Best Feature Film award.

Finnish filmmakers Markku Hakala and Mari Käki took home both Best Director – Feature Film and Best Experimental Film for “Giant’s Kettle”, a truly unique existential exploration of human disconnection, blending surrealism and dark humor with a journey into the unconscious.

Tommy Creagh’s “Arachne”, a psychological horror about an agoraphobic woman haunted by disturbing visions, won Best Short Film. Catherine Dyer (“Stranger Things”) received Best Director – Short Film for “Lobster Trial”, a crowd pleasing comedic short about a woman introducing her vegan girlfriend to her family at a lobster brunch.

Best Actor went to Clark Freeman (“Narcos: Mexico”) for his role in “All That Remains”, a short drama film about siblings who uncover a surprising family secret, while John Musker, known for his work on Disney classics like “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin”, won Best Animated Film for his first independent short “I’m Hip”, about a quirky cat trying to be cool. Musker also received the Jury Award – Gustav Meyrink Prize.

Other winners include Best Art Direction for “Love Intense” (David Chiazzese & Raja Hanna), Best Screenplay for “Zeke” (Darrell Bridgers), Best Cinematography for “Villa Mink” (Darron Carswell), Best Debut for Nicole Catania’s “The Only Way Out is Through” and Best Documentary for Erik Jakobsen’s “Erik’s Midwestern Boyhood”, a film where Jakobsen, an acclaimed songwriter (“Wicked Game” for Chris Isaak), explores his childhood as a son or Norwegian immigrants.