George Lindsey UNA Film Festival Winners 1998-2022
2024
​​Best of Show
Handle With Care
 
Professional Narrative Feature
Sam's World
 
Professional Narrative Short
Room Tone
 
Professional Documentary
Homeschooled
 
Student Narrative 
Bless the Child
 
Student Documentary
Portrait of MeMe
 
Vanguard
Rad Dad
 
Youth Film
Bus Stop
 
Feature Screenplay
Kara Doesn't Stand a Chance in the Wild, Wild West
 
Short Screenplay
Slice of Heaven
 
Clyde “Sappo” Black Sweet Home Alabama Award
Second Chances
 
Best Comedy
Poetry Night
 
Mitchell-West: Inclusion Award
Second Chances
 
Mitchell-West: Female Filmmaker Award
Lakebed
 
Jason Flynn Award for Best UNA Student Film
Clancy's Puppet Club

Best Director
Mitch Blummer and Christopher Jason Bell (Failed State)
 
Festival Spirit Award
Sawa Kawakami

2023
​​Best of Show
Waiting for the Light to Change
 
Professional Narrative Feature
Waiting for the Light to Change
 
Professional Narrative Short
Mother F*cker
 
Professional Documentary
Warrior Retreat
 
Student Narrative Short
Smart Ass
 
Student Documentary
In Sausage Row
 
Vanguard
Lily’s Mirror
 
Youth Film
Hardcore
 
Feature Screenplay
Desert Canary
 
Short Screenplay
The Chair at the Edge of the Woods
 
Clyde “Sappo” Black Sweet Home Alabama Award
Last Request
 
Best Comedy
Last Request
 
Mitchell-West: Inclusion Award
An Act of Worship
 
Mitchell-West: Female Filmmaker Award
Experimental Curator
 
Jason Flynn Award for Best UNA Student Film
Playlist
 
UNA International Affairs Award for Best International Film
Speak in a Whisper

2022
Professional Narrative Feature
     Actual People
Professional Documentary
     Sylvie from the Sunshine State
Professional Narrative Short
     Paper Geese
Student Narrative
     I Remember it Rained
Student Documentary
     Tin Sandwich Blues: A Musician’s Journey
Vanguard
      A Few Things I’m Beginning to Understand
Youth Film
     Therapy Dogs
Best in Show
     Therapy Dogs
Feature Screenplay
     Death of a Bachelor
Short Screenplay
     Stuck

2021
Best in Show
     Mister Limbo
Professional Narrative Feature
     A Dim Valley
Professional Documentary
     Bury Me at Taylor Hollow
Professional Narrative Short
     Feeling Through
Vanguard
     Kin
Student Narrative
     Échappé
Student Documentary
     Pink, White & Blue
Youth Film
     Mom
Feature Screenplay
     Bayou Goula
Short Screenplay
     Breathless

2020
Congratulations to the winners of the 2020 George Lindsey UNA Film Festival

Best in Show:
Sanzaru, Xia Magnus
Professional Narrative Feature Film:
Thunderbolt in Mine Eye, Sarah Sherman and Zachary Ray Sherman
Professional Documentary:
Alice is Still Dead, Edwin P. Stevens
Professional Narrative Short Film:
Black Dispatch, Shea Sizemore
Vanguard:
You Can Go Now, Marisa Merkl
Student Narrative:
Think Tank, Merri Beth Stanfield
Student Documentary:
Ready to Work, Seth Farmer and Reagan Wells
Youth Film (Tie)
Colors Run, Olivia Carter
Double Vida, Sharleny Gonzalez
UNA Mitchell-West Award for Diversity in Film:
Queen of Lapa, Carolina Monnerat and Theodore Collatos
Best Comedy in Show:
Cherry, Stacey Davis
Jason Flynn Memorial Award:
It Lives in Color, Trent Frederick
Special Jury Award for Directing:
Sanzaru, Xia Magnus
Clyde "Sappo" Black Sweet Home Alabama Award:
The Mayberry Effect, Christopher Hudson
Feature Screenplay
A Native Land, Caitlin McCarthy
Short Screenplay
Banana, Mary Charles Ramsey


2016
Category Winners
Feature Screenplay 
     “Blue Monday”
Short Screenplay 
     “Whitewashed”
Youth Filmmaker
     “Tree Hugger”
Vanguard
     “Makeshift Satellite”
Student Documentary
     “Sharing the Secrets”
Student Narrative
     “Bright Black”
Professional Narrative Short
     “Across”
Professional Narrative Feature
     “The Mourning Hills”
Professional Documentary
     “No. 2: Story of the Pencil”
​
Special Awards
Best of Show – “Bright Black”
Clyde “Sappo” Black Sweet Home Alabama Award – “The Mourning Hills”
Hero of Film Award – “Titanic Boy”
30IN24 Winner – “Immoral Beloved”


2015

Young Filmmaker 
       “MONA”

Vanguard 
       “The Glass Hedgehog

Student Documentary 
       “Sound Thief”

Student Narrative 
       “Home”

Professional Narrative Short 
       "Dead Hearts”

Professional Narrative Feature 
        “Stories Forlorn”

Professional Documentary 
       “Something You Can Call Home”

Clyde Sappo Black 
        “River Dreams”

Best of Show 
        “Dead Hearts”


2014 

 Young Filmmaker
      Writing the Big One
       Evan Sennett, Director
     
Vanguard
     System Preference
     Anya Belkina, Director

Professional Narrative
      Pechorin
      Roman Khrushch, Director
    
Student Narrative
     East of Kensington
     Kellen Moore, Director
    
Professional Documentary
    The Man Left Behind
     Greg Tomlin, Director
   
Student Documentary
    Ditching School to Whistle   
     Ien Chi, Director

Feature Screenplay
    Second Last Breath
    Amanda Creiglow, Screenwriter

Short Screenplay
    More Than Life
    Ashley Matteson, Screenwriter

Best of Show
   East of Kensington
   Kellen Moore, Director

Clyde “Sappo” Black Sweet Home Alabama Award
  Mt. Pleasant
   Raymond Clayton Thomas, Director

2013

Grandmothers:
“Best of Show”
“Best Student Documentary”
“Best Story”
“Best Cinematography”
“Best Editing”

Favourite Thing:
“Best Professional Narrative”
“Best Actor”
“Best Actress”
“Best Sound Design”

Reconvergence:
“Best Professional Documentary”
“Best Score”

My Friend Erhan:
“Best Student Narrative”
“Best Directing”

In Her Blacksmith Eye:
“Best Vanguard”

Alone Together:
“Best Young Filmmaker”

William, Will You Dance:
“Best Feature Screenplay”

Accident:
“Best Short Screenplay”

Eating Alabama:
“Best of State”

Day of Silence:
“Audience Choice”


2012 

• Best of Show
  I'm with Phil
• Clyde "Sappo" Black Sweet Home Alabama Award
  I'm with Phil
• Feature Film
  I'm with Phil
• Feature Screenplay
  Gossamer Folds
• Short Screenplay
  Wisdom of the Ancients
• Professional Short Documentary
  Making More Off of Less
• Professional Short Narrative
  Psycho Therapy
• Student Short Documentary
  Come on Down and Pick Me Up
• Student Short Narrative
  Made in China
• Vanguard Short
  Just Another Thing
• Young Filmmaker Short
  Blank Canvas
• Shoals Spotlight
  Little Boy Lost
• Jury Awards:
  Best Story: I'm with Phil
  Best Directing: I'm with Phil
  Best Actress: Melora Walters (Missing Pieces)
  Best Actor: Mark Boone Jr. (Missing Pieces)
  Best Sound Design: Little Boy Lost
  Best Score: Come on Down and Pick Me Up (The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad)
  Best Editing: I'm with Phil
  Best Cinematography: Little Boy Lost
  Audience Choice: Missing Pieces

2011

• Best of Fest
  Achille
• Clyde “Sappo” Black Sweet Home Alabama Award
  Secret to a Happy Ending
• Feature Screenplay
  Winslow and the Emperor
• Short Screenplay
  Canvas
• Feature Film
  Double Loss
• Professional Documentary
  Sloss: Industry to Art
• Professional Narrative
  Scent
• Student Documentary
  The Time Machine
• Student Narrative
  Achille
• Vanguard
  The Birds Upstairs
• Young Filmmaker
  Charlie's Closet
• Jury Awards
  Best Story: The Time Machine
  Best Directing: Scent
  Best Actress: Monica Scattini (Achille)
  Best Actor: Lando Buzzanca (Achille)
  Best Sound Design: Scent
  Best Score: Achille
  Best Editing: Scent
  Best Cinematography: The Birds Upstairs
  Audience Choice: Michael & the ah of life

2010

• Best of Fest
  The Frost
• Clyde “Sappo” Black Sweet Home Alabama Award
  Collecting Chloe<br/>
• Professional Feature Documentary Golden Lion Award
  Cody
• Professional Feature Narrative Golden Lion Award
  The Frost
• Professional Short Documentary Golden Lion Award
  I Am A Man, From Memphis
• Professional Short Narrative Golden Lion Award
  Interpretation
• Student Narrative Golden Lion Award
  One Day
• Young Filmmaker Golden Lion Award
  Crippled
• Vanguard Golden Lion Award
  Elephants
• Shoals Spotlight Golden Lion Award
  Collecting Chloe
• Feature Screenplay Golden Lion Award
  Sophronia L.
• Short Screenplay Golden Lion Award
  Culling Hens
• Jury Awards
  Best Actor: Jeffrey Buckner Ford
  Best Actress: Aitana Sanchez-Gijon
  Best Cinematography: The Frost
  Best Directing: Elephants
  Best Editing: The Frost
  Best Score: Slim
  Best Sound Design: The Frost
  Best Story: Crippled
  Audience Choice: Running Away with Blackie

2009

• Best of Show
  Proud Iza
• Clyde “Sappo” Black Sweet Home Alabama Award
  Eugene Walter: Last of the Bohemians
• Professional Documentary Golden Lion Award
  The Day After Peace
• Professional Narrative Golden Lion Award Short
  Proud Iza
• Professional Full-Length Narrative Golden Lion Award
  A Line In The Sand
• Professional Animation Golden Lion Award
  Ate’Ao Tect To do Mundo (To the Top of the World)
• Faculty Golden Lion Award
  Honorable Mention-Seed to Stalk – A Sorghum Tradition
• Student Narrative Golden Lion Award College
  Land Gewinnen (Gaining Ground)
• Student Documentary Golden Lion Award College
  Attack of the Sea Slugs
• Student Animation Golden Lion Award College
  Sebastian’s Voodoo
• Young Filmmakers Golden Lion Award 9-12
  Two Wolves
• Young Filmmakers Golden Lion Award K-8
  Honorable Mention - Adventures Through Time

2008

• Best of Show
  The Sunday Man
• Clyde Sappo Black Sweet Home Alabama
  Like Moles, Like Rats
• Professional Full-Length Narrative
  The Flyboys (Golden Lion)
  Greetings from the Shore (Honorable Mention)
• Professional Short Narrative
  Hartslagen (Golden Lion)
  Son (Honorable Mention)
• Professional Documentary
  Mr. Dial Has Something to Say (Golden Lion)
  The Sweet Lady With the Nasty Voice (Honorable Mention)
• Animation
  Simulcra (Golden Lion)
  A Faerys Tale (Honorable Mention)
• College Student
  The Sunday Man (Golden Lion)
  The Vaudevillian (Honorable Mention)
• Faculty
  Horsepower (Golden Lion)
  Scripture Cake (Honorable Mention)
• Golden Lion Young Filmmaker K-8
  Prank Call (Golden Lion)
• Golden Lion Young Filmmaker 9-12
  Schaffenskrise (Golden Lion)
  Speaking Truth to Power: The Story of the Farm Labor Committee (Honorable Mention)
• Music Video
  Siempre Pude Ver

2007

• BEST OF SHOW
  Binta and the Great Idea
• SWEET HOME ALABAMA
  Richard Johnson: Hill Country Troubadour
• PROFESSIONAL FULL-LENGTH NARRATIVE
  Beautiful Dreamer
• PROFESSIONAL SHORT NARRATIVE
  Binta and the Great Idea
• PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTARY
  Richard Johnson: Hill Country Troubadour
• PROFESSIONAL ANIMATION
  Big Dreams
• MUSIC VIDEO
  Everything You Said
• FACULTY
  Eric Essix: At Home
• STUDENT COLLEGE NARRATIVE
  Dancing Ground
• STUDENT COLLEGE DOCUMENTARY
  Saying I Do
• STUDENT COLLEGE ANIMATION
  Mirage
• YOUNG FILMMAKERS - GRADES 9-12
  The First Day at the Firm
• YOUNG FILMMAKERS - GRADES K-8
  Unexpected News

2006

• BEST OF SHOW
  Chasing Daylight
• SWEET HOME ALABAMA
  Charles Moore: I Fight with my Camera
• PROFESSIONAL FULL-LENGTH NARRATIVE
  Self-Medicated
• PROFESSIONAL SHORT NARRATIVE
  Vietnam Light
• PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTARY
  Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea
• PROFESSIONAL ANIMATION
  Joyride
• PROFESSIONAL MUSIC VIDEO
  Wont it Be!
• FACULTY
  Root Doctor
• STUDENT SHORT NARRATIVE
  Chasing Daylight
• STUDENT DOCUMENTARY
  Our Road to Kosovo
• STUDENT ANIMATION
  Juxtaposer
• LION CUB
  The Gnome Diaries

2005

• Professional Short Narrative
  The Victim
• Professional Documentary
  Kathryn: The Story of a Teller
• Professional Animation
  Captain Amazing-Lad
• Professional Music Video
  Ride to Live, Live to Ride
• Faculty
  Minnie Adkins: Portrait of a Folk Artist
• College Short Narrative
  David & Dee
• College Animation
  9
• High School Short Documentary
  If This is the Will of God...Who Needs God?
• High School Animation
  Pet Store
• Best of Show - Professional
  Kathryn: The Story of a Teller
• Best of Show - Student
  9

2004

• Professional Full Length Narrative
  Lightning Bug
• Professional Short Narrative
  The Bug Man
• Professional Documentary
  The Enemy
• Professional Animation
  Blue
• Faculty
  Dead Write
• College Narrative
  Rabbit Cage
• College Annimation
  Teddy's End
• High School Narrative
  A Girl and a Boy
• High School Animation
  Under Construction
• Lion Cub
  I Am Kudzu, What Can I Do For You?
• Best of Show - Professional
  Lightning Bug
• Best of Show - Student
  Teddy's End

2003

• Full Length Narrative
  Standard Time
• Professional Short Narrative
  Abracdabra
• Professional Short Documentary
  Pol'e Pol'e
• Music Video
  Lilith
• Animation
  Intelligent Life
• Faculty
  Doppelgangster
• Student Short Narrative
  Birth of a Rebellion
• Student Short Documentary
  Mistaken Identity: Sikhs In America
• Lion Cub
  A Day In The Life Of Zach and James
• Best of Show - Professional
  P.S. Your Cat Is Dead
• Best of Show - Student
  One Small Step: The Story Of The Space Chimps

2002

• Professional Full Length Narrative
  Growing Up Still Born
• Professional Short Narrative
  E=mc3
• Professional Short Documentary
  The FBI Files
• Professional Music Video
  CP Video - We Are the Shoals
• Faculty
  Chronicle of an American Suburb
• Student Full Length Narrative
  Red Light Green Light
• Student Short Narrative
  Noble Chrome Pirates
• Student Short Documentary
  Peace on the Highway
• Student Music Video
  My Chaos

2001

• Professional Full Length Narrative
  A Good Baby
• Professional Short Narrative
  APOGEE
• Student Full Length Narrative
  Kites Toward Heaven
• Student Short Narrative
  Flowers & Freckle Cream
• Best of Show - Professional
  A Good Baby
• Best of Show - Student
  Flowers & Freckle Cream

2000

• Professional Full Length Narrative
  Southern Heart
• Professional Short Narrative
  Fifty Odd Dollars
• Professional Short Documentary
  Brad Austin: Making Music
• Professional Music Video
  You Need a Rock
• Student Full Length Narrative
  Campus Under Siege
• Student Short Narrative
  Heart Of The Warrior
• Student Short Documentary
  Street Life: Poems From The Block
• Student Music Video
  A Song for Mama
• Best of Show - Professional
  Fifty Odd Dollars
• Best of Show - Student
  Heart of the Warrior

1999

• Professional Full Length Narrative
  Night Orchid
• Professional Short Narrative
  Detached
• Professional Short Documentary
  Roses of Crimson
• Professional Music Video
  Some Broken Hearts
• Student Short Narrative
  Screwed
• Student Short Documentary
  PaPa
• Student Music Video
  It Weeps in My Heart
• Best of Show - Professional
  Night Orchid
• Best of Show - Student
  Screwed

1998

• Professional Full Length Narrative
  Cut
• Professional Short Narrative
  Regina
• Professional Short Documentary
  Horace: The Bridge Builder King
• Professional Music Video
  The Lewis Family Live and Pickin
• Student Full Length Narrative
  The Watershed
• Student Short Narrative
  Rough Crossing
• Student Short Documentary
  Americana: Forever A Rebel
• Student Music Video
  Crowded Street