Director-writer Nicki Micheaux’s “Summer of Violence,” the festival’s Centerpiece Film, won Best Picture at the 15th annual DTLA Film Festival. Rosemary Rodriguez, the director of the festival’s Opening Night Film, “Hail Mary,” was named Best Director, and the two films tied for Audience Favorite Award. “It’s Basic” by Marc Levin took the Best Documentary award.

The Closing Night Film, “Women In Fire,” was honored with the Best Cinematography – Documentaries award and received a $1,500 in-kind prize from festival sponsor Colorspace Finishing, presented by owner Peter Swartz.

Other winners included Hassan Said and Lourdes Figueroa of “This Is Your Song” for Best Screenplay, and non-gender-specific Best Actors honors went to Natalia de Riego (“Hail Mary”), Rachael Holoway (“Numb”), Zosia Mamet (“Molli and Max in the Future”), Johanna Putnam (“Shudderbugs”), Paul Reiser (“The Problem With People”) and Brian Walsh (“This Is Your Song”) with the Best Ensemble Cast prize going to “Darla In Space.”

In the short content categories, honors went to “The Fourth” for Best Short Film, “The Countdown” for Best TV Pilot and “Girl at a Bar’ for Best Web Series.

“The quality of this year’s entries was stellar, and we’re especially proud of the fact that all three of our showcase films – Opening Night, Centerpiece and Closing Night – were by women directors. On behalf of all of our staff and the entire nonprofit organization that produces the annual DTLA Film Festival, we congratulate all the winners,” says Carolyn Schroeder, Director of Programming.

“Our mission in 2008 when our nonprofit was established remains the same today – to spotlight in the Film Capital of the World movies by filmmakers underrepresented by Hollywood, including women, people of color, the queer communities, persons with disabilities, the economically disenfranchised, and the recently incarcerated. We’ll continue to fight the good fight until the day when movies made in Hollywood reflect what America really looks like,” says Greg Ptacek, Festival Director and co-founder.

2023 DTLA FILM FESTIVAL FILMMAKER AWARDS

FEATURES

Best Picture
“Summer of Violence,” Nicki Micheaux, director

Audience Favorite Award (Tie)
“Hail Mary,” Rosemary Rodriguez, director
Summer of Violence,” Nicki Micheaux, director

Best Director
Rosemary Rodriguez, “Hail Mary”

Best Cinematography
“The Assassin”

Best Actors
Natalia del Riego, “Hail Mary”
Rachel Halloway, “Numb”
Zosia Mamet, “Molli and Max in the Future”
Gin Mung, “Numb”
Johanna Putnam, “Shudderbugs”
Paul Reiser, “The Problem with People”
Briana Walsh, “This is Your Song

Best Supporting Actors
Jino Haulam, “Numb”
Kane Hodder, “The Activated Man
Jack Huston, “Hail Mary”
Colm Meany, “The Problem with People”
Angela Sarafyan, “Hail Mary”

Best Ensemble Cast
“Darla In Space,” Eric Laplante and Susie Moon, directors

Breakthrough Performance
Johanna Putnam, “Shudderbugs”

Best Screenplay
“This is Your Song,” Hassan Said, screenwriter-director

Best Editing
Zaid Alkayat, “Numb”

Best Special Effects
“The Activated Man”

Best Film Score
“This Is Your Song”

DOCUMENTARIES

Best Documentary
“It’s Basic”

Best Director / Documentary
Monique M. Mathews, “Birthing Justice”

Best Cinematography
“Women In Fire”

Best Editing
“The Conspiracy”

Best Music Documentary
“Method Sampling: How To Build The Future Together”

SHORT FILMS

Best Short Film: “The Fourth” by Johnny Kirk
Special Mention: “Can’t Help Myself” by Anna Ansone
Best Directors: Karni Arieli, Saul Freed “Wild Summon”
Best Screenplay: “Palestine 87” by Bilal Al Khatib
Best Editing: “Vision of Paradise” by Leonardo Pirondi
Best Cinematography: “Padre”
Best Actors: Linnea Frye (“Lily’s Mirror”(, Barrington Darius (“Civic”)
Best Ensemble Cast: “The Buyers”, Marissa Pistone, Michele Karpel, Will Roberts, Rory Ernesto Manning, Christian Montes.
Best Supporting Actors: River L. Ramirez, Natalie Palamides “Cuxball”
Best Animation Short: “Headprickles” by Katarzyna Miechowicz
Best Stop-Motion Animation Short: “The Wolf’s Lament” by Scott Cardona
Best L.A. Short: “When We Fight” by Yael Bridge, Yoni Golijov
Best Queer Short: “That Dark Day” by Daniel Guarda
Best Documentary Short: “Dust to Light” by Erika Houle
Best Experimental Short: “3 Dialogues About the Future” by Alina Manolache
Best Comedy Short: “The Word” by Rob M Neilson
Best Student Short: “How to Deal With Fame” by Tiffany Ike
Best Foreign Language Short: “Bear” by Morgane Frund
Best “Short Short”: “Let it Out” by Scott Talbot

TV PILOTS

Best TV Pilot: “The Countdown” director Melanie Renfroe
Best Actor: Annie Pisapia, “Who’s Annie?”
Best Director: Elias Plagianos, “Hit Man”
Best Screenwriter: Heidi-Marie Ferren & Shannon McLemore, “The Countdown”
Best Ensemble Cast: “Hand Me Downs”: Luis Galilei, Jonathan Tyler Peck, Jose Alberto Alvarez, Matt Hardy, Makenna Ruth, Jes Davis, Kevin Bencosme, Talent Harris, Doran Dyer, Brandon Engman, Mayank Bhatter, Fray Forde, Kate Huffman

WEB SERIES

Best Web Series: “Girl at a Bar”
Best Actor: Tracy Mulholland, “Girl at a Bar”
Best Director: “Bento Banana 1-4”
Best Screenplay: “Overwatch: Genesis”
Best Ensemble Cast: “Girl at a Bar”: Tracy Mulholland, Osric Chau, Nikki DeLoach, Kausar Mohammed, Abby Wathen, Jake Choi, Alan Chow, Lynn Chen, Mike Manning, Shazi Raja, Jeremy Tardy, Jared Fareed Ward, Brandon Engman, Mayank Bhatter, Fray Forde, Kate Hufman