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aGLIFF Announces 2023 Award Winners for Prism 36

Entertainment

aGLIFF, Austin’s oldest film festival and premiere LGBTQ+ film fest in the Southwest, announces winners for PRISM 36’s Humdinger Audience Awards and the Jury Award. PRISM 36 took place in-person August 23–27, 2023 in Austin, TX and is currently offering a virtual encore now through September 4, 2023.

The virtual component of the festival offers over a dozen full-length feature narrative and documentary films as well as six short film packages along with access to films from this year’s Queer Black Voices awardees.

PRISM 36’s audience awards, known as “The Humdingers,” named for the festival founder Scott Dinger, were selected by ballots collected from in-person attendees.

The Jury Award was selected by an exceptional group of industry stars and leaders: Austin filmmaker Dash Donato, GQue Films President and founder B Ryan Glick, Director of Content & Operations for The Film Collaborative Kathy Susca, and outgoing Frameline San Francisco Executive Director James Wooley as well as three members from this year’s Opening Night film Glitter + Doom — director Tom Gustafson, writer Cory Krueckeberg, and star Alan Cammish.

Previously announced recipients were the 2023 Awardees for the Queer Black Voices Fund: I Identify As Me writers/directors Tina Colleen and Monick Monell, Collective Resistance director Isak Vaillancourt, and And They Were Loved writer/director Malik Shamar Julien. Special guest Nneka Onuorah, director of the documentary Truth Be Told acted as a mentor to the 2023 inductees.

PRISM 36 2023 HUMDINGER AND JURY PRIZE WINNERS:

HUMDINGER AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE:

Lie With Me | France | 2022 | 98 minutes | French | Southwest Premiere

Director: Oliver Peyon | Writers: Philippe Besson, Arthur Cahn, Olivier Peyon | Cast: Guillaume de Tonquédec, Victor Belmondo, Guilaine Londez

“It’s not surprising that Olivier Payon’s movie, based on Philipe Besson’s beautiful story, is this year’s audience favorite,” said aGLIFF President Todd Hogan. “Everything about this film from the gorgeous scenery to the brilliant cast creates a visually stunning experience that will make you question the impact of your first true love on the rest of your life.”

HUMDINGER AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:

1946: A Mistranslation that Changed Culture | USA | 2022 | 92 minutes | English | Southwest Premiere

Director: Sharon “Rocky” Roggio | Screenwriters: Jena Serbu, Jill Woodword | Featuring: Cheryl Anderson, Kathy Baldock, Steve Greenberg

“Rocky Roggio’s film is that rare documentary that has the potential to influence our world as much as its subject matter did 75 years ago,” said Artistic Director Bears Rebecca Fonté, “and considering it sold out two weeks before the screening, it may already be on its way.”

JURY PRIZE FOR BEST SHORT FILM:

Come Correct | Director: Molly Coffee | USA | 14 min

The jury chose the film for its “uniquely insightful premise, purposeful direction, and on-point comedic performances.” In addition to receiving a $1,000 cash award, Coffee’s film will be aGLIFF’s nomination for the Iris Prize in 2024, awarded annually at the Cardiff-based film festival where aGLIFF is one of 25 partners from 20 countries.

Honorable mention was given to Our Males and Females by director Ahmad Alyseer for its visual storytelling.

2023 QUEER BLACK VOICES FUND AWARDEES:

I Identify As Me | USA | 2022 | 10 minutes 22 seconds | English

Writers & Directors: Tina Colleen and Monick Monell | Cast: Charlie Trotman, Chayse Attah Lydia X. Z. Brown, Meek Jaffe, Monick Monell, Neha Ghosh, Sasha Classe, TJ Love

Collective Resistance | Canada | 2023 | 17 minutes | English

Director: Isak Vaillancourt | Cast: “Ravyn” Ariah Wngz, “Shanese” Indoowaaboo Steele

And They Were Loved | USA | 2023 | 38 minutes | English

Writer: Malik Shamar Julien | Directors: Malik Shamar Julien and Emily McClanahan | Cast: Marcus Bearden, Zion Mpeye, and Jucundo Ramos

The Queer Black Voices Fund was created to ensure that queer Black filmmakers, directors, writers, and actors are represented as part of aGLIFF programming every year and has raised over $26,000 to date.

aGLIFF MEMBERSHIP: Memberships start for as low as $25 a month and are available for purchase now. Memberships can be paid upfront or in monthly installments. Memberships include festival badges and an array of other perks depending on the level and range in price from $300 to $2500 and above. Memberships are available now at agliff.org/members.

SPONSORS: aGLIFF is made possible by the generous support of our annual partners Tito’s Handmade Vodka, KIND Clinic, Crunch Consulting, EDGE Media Network , Estes Audiology, with additional support from the Texas Commission on the Arts, Austin Eastciders, Topo Chico, Midtown Title, The Iron Bear, Milam & Greene Whiskey, AFS Cinema, Galaxy Theatres Austin, Label Collective, The Austin Eagle, Pink Media, GayRealEstate.com, Breathe with Pride, STILL Austin, The Consulate General of Ireland, Australian Consulate General, The Austin Chronicle, Qmmunity, KMFA Classical 89.5, and Mix 94.7.

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About aGLIFF:
Founded in 1987 aGLIFF is Austin’s oldest film festival and became a 501(c)3 in 1995. The festival began as a four-day event with just four films primarily focused on coming out and the AIDS epidemic. It has grown into a multifaceted nonprofit organization with year-round community programs and events culminating each year in the annual film festival. Originally named the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival (1987) the organization changed its name in 2018 to All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival to reflect the changing landscape of how queer people identify, and as of 2020 now goes by simply aGLIFF. In 2019, the Board of Directors selected PRISM as the festival theme to highlight the way the festival can refract a single beam of art into multiple viewpoints, showcasing all the voices in the spectrum of our LGBTQIA+ community through film.

The organization’s mission is to create positive and visible film programs relevant to the lives of LGBTQIA+ identified people, to educate the community about LGBTQIA+ issues, to produce and promote the best in LGBTQIA+ community building events, and to support and partner with other organizations to enlighten the public.