Congratulations to our 2019 Winners

NOVA FRONTIER FILM FESTIVAL CLOSES ITS 2019 PROGRAM WITH OVER 23 FILMS FROM THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND LATIN AMERICA IN COMPETITION. THE JURORS HAVE SELECTED THE FOLLOWING FILMS AS THE WINNERS IN THE SELECTED CATEGORIES

BEST SHORT FILM - Brulûres by jeremy Giroux ( France | Morocco)

Casablanca. Samir, a young Moroccan, lives off of small shady deals. One day, he is hired to empty a warehouse for a trafficker and meets Kai, an injured illegal immigrant who is trying to make the crossing. At first hostile, Samir ends up helping him. A troubling relationship begins...

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY - Only my voice by Myriam Rey ( UK)

In transit through Athens, four women from the Middle East share their stories. They all left their countries at different times in their life and for different reasons. As they preferred not to be identified, only their voices are heard. Stories of up-rootedness and contradictory sensations and personal experiences of freedom will gradually echo each other; resonating and interacting with the city of Athens.

BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM - Zombies by Baloji ( Congo)

For his latest self-directed video, Congolese-Belgian musician Baloji has created a visual declaration about the zombie-fying effects of communication technology. Tribal motifs and digital culture collide in this video from the Central African hitmaker exploring the stupefying effects of mobile technology.

BEST ACTOR - Hana Mekacher in ‘‘ Yasmina” by Claire Cahen & Ali Esmili ( France)

Fifteen-year-old Yasmina is the young promise of a football team. An excellent player and very plucky, she is determined to make a name for herself in the world of sport. When her father is arrested for illegal immigration, Yasmina has to decide whether to hide or to play the most important game for her future.

BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY - La Ena by Amilcar Navarro ( Cuba/US)

La ENA is a visual study and meditation on Cuba's national arts school system. In an era school privatization La ENA is a love letter to the value and importance of education for all.

SPECIAL MENTION - Mariannes noires by Mame Fatou Niang & Kaytie Nielsen ( France)

Recent violence and growing nationalism in France have brought fierce debates about the country’s identity to the forefront. In Mariannes Noires, seven different French-born women of African descent confront their own unique identities and challenge the expectations of French society. While some came from great privilege, and others came from nothing at all, they each have attained a high level of success and influence, which they use to increase visibility for Black women in France. However, despite their power, their achievements, and their leadership, and no matter their class background or ancestral heritage, they all survive systemic inequality.

New york women in film & television ‘‘ Outstanding female content creator ‘‘ award - Sandra Winther for ‘‘ Shadow of an Hurricane’’ ( Puerto Rico | US)

Puerto Rico, the 1949 poem by Victor Hernández Cruz that extols the virtues of the US territory lays the foundation for Winther’s film. Cruz’s words with moving images of the people, homes and landscapes that belong to the island. “Shadow of a Hurricane captures the striking duality of Puerto Rico,” she says. "It's a place of both beauty and loss."