Past Awards by Year
2024
Friday’s screening of “Sound of Metal” was well-attended and was followed by audience questions and conversation with local filmmarker, Darius Mardar.
Saturday featured our largest selection of short films from local filmmakers ever— surpassing the 2022 record-setting number of entries. The following short films won awards:
Best Documentary: “Home” by Clara Delacruz.
Best Natural World: “A Year on the Dam” by Sarah Welch and the Hilltown Land Trust.
Best Music Video: “I Was a Fool” by Brendan Leowolf.
Best Animation: “The Valley” by Peter J. Moser.
Best Original Concept: “Waiting for Sea Serpents” by Ben Tobin.
Best Local Humor: “Play It Again Sam” by Stewart “Buz” Eisenberg and Mary Patierno.
Grand Prize: “Deep Sea” by Cole Whitaker (not yet available online)
Audience Choice Award: “Deep Sea” by Cole Whitaker
2023
Many thanks to all the filmmakers and volunteers who came together to make 2023 a spectacular event. Thanks to the program advertisers and the Mass Cultural Council for supporting this wonderful community experience.
The Friday documentaries highlighted the work of two extraordinary women. The night opened with Alice: At Home with Alice Parker directed by Eduardo Montes-Bradley. The film explored the life and work of pioneering world-renowned composer, conductor, and teacher Alice Parker, who lives in Hawley. After the screening, Alice herself (still energetic at 97!) deftly led the audience in song which filled the upper town hall.
The second film of the evening was Ruth Stone’s Vast Library of the Female Mind, directed by Nora Jacobson, about the poet who nurtured a community of writers. Beloved by many, Ruth’s house in Goshen, Vermont became a mecca for students, poets, friends and family members. There she inspired people to make art and write, not only through activities such as the “poetry game”, but by providing solace and nurture, surrounded by nature and camaraderie. She visited Ashfield a number of times, often as the guest of Jan Freeman, who at the time published Stone’s work through Paris Press. A post screening panel including local poets Jan Freeman and Abbot Cutler, was moderated by Buz Eisenberg.
Saturday’s short film competition and gala event included 23 films, interspersed by very short (30 second) entries on the theme of “How do you say Hilltown?” The festive event was highlighted by the presence of the real life Baby Cecil B. DeMille who was born in Ashfield (played by the fabulous Pluto Kirilenko) who vamped at a selfie booth with audience members who donned top hats, boas, and glasses to have their picture taken with the iconic FilmFest mascot.
Youth: Slo-Mo-Splash Wyeth Miller, Leo Sasso-Fallon, Indigo Coleminer, Elliott Franetovich
Music Video: Good News Jake Slater
Documentary: Take a Deep Breath Gerard McGovern and Tamsen Merrill
Animation: Claude Peter J. Moser
Narrative: Stitching Seams Andrea Rosel
Tip of the Hat: Hilltown's Wildlife Highway Hilltown Land Trust
Grand Prize: Dragon Skills Dave Russo and Madeline Leue
Audience Choice: Dragon Skills Dave Russo and Madeline Leue
2022
It was a wonderful weekend, kicked off with a friends and family sneak peak of the documentary Ariel Phenomenon, directed by local filmmaker Randall Nickerson. The post-screening discussion featured a dynamic discussion and Q&A with Nickerson, and the film’s editor, Ashfield’s own Christopher Seward.
Saturday featured our largest selection of short films from local filmmakers ever. It was an extraordinary evening capped off with the following awards:
Grand Prize
The Magical Forest & The Things, Dave Russo & Calliope Mary
Best Film, Youth
Half-Productive Nonsense, Josh Ferrara
Technical Achievement
The Elevator of Earthly Destruction, Melissa McClung
Best Documentary
The Three Sisters, Tamsen Merrill
Best Animation
Baking Biscuits, Brendan Leowolf
Audience Choice Award
The Magical Forest & The Things, Dave Russo & Calliope Mary
2019
Grand Prize
Father Roy Snipes, Mary Patierno
Best Musical Score & Audience Choice
Roosters and Birds, Brendan Leowolf
Best Actor: Nate Ruth
The Double Life Of Hugh, Ben Tobin
Best Comedy
Out Of Gas, Bruce Lessels
Best Animation
The Run, Mac Sloan Anderson
2018
Grand Prize
Hilltown 6, Ben Tobin
Tip O’ The Hat Award
A Monster Behind Me, Parker (Gussie) Smith
Best First Time Entry
Outside In, Randall Nickerson
Best Comedy
TV Dreams, Ben Murray
First Prize, Youth & Audience Choice Award
Rewind, Liam O’Shea
Best Documentary
The Giant Hunter, Jim Viera
2017
Technical Achievment Prize
What She Saw, Tamsen Merrill
Best Non-Profit Film
The Land Is My Inspiration, Franklin Land Trust/Melissa Patterson
Grand Prize & Audience Choice
The Book Club, Tobias LaMontagne
2016
Grand Prize & Audience Choice
A Little History, Ben Murray
First Prize, Youth
One Shot Mission, Tobias LaMontagne
Technical Achievement Award
WZRD, Galen Knowles
Tip O’ The Hat Award
Pranksters, Ainsley Murray, Alysha Parshall, Ashlee Townsley
Best Original Score
The Sky On His Back by Nicky Royston, film by Ben Tobin
Best Nartrative & Best Actor
Butter Man, Noel Anderson
Best Documentary
Spring Shearing, Tamsen Merrill
2015
Music Video Prize
Nightlight, Alouette Batteau, Amelia Nields-Chalfont, Isabella DeHerdt
First Prize, Youth
Save Our Spoons, Sophia Wernick
Best Narrative & Best Actor
The Salesman, Ben Tobin
Best Documentary
Reverse 911, Dave Fessenden
Technical Achievement Prize
Annabelle, Manfred Gabriel
Grand Prize & Audience Award
The List, Tobias LaMontagne
2014
Grand Prize
3 Days of the Demon, Nicholas Lund-Ulrich /Kerry Carlock
Best Narrative Entry& Audience Choice
One Small Cookie, Noel Anderson
Best Documentary
Summer, Myles Cheda
Technical Achievement Prize
Or Else I Shall Be Lost, Ben Tobin
Best Historical Film
Barefoot Allen, Tamsen Merrill
2013
Grand Prize
Country Guy, Eli Catlin & Jackson Reeeves Henning
First Prize, Youth
Travel On, Alouette Batteau, Amelia Chalfant, Isabella DeHerdt
First Prize, Adult
The Journey Of Alden Wakefield, Ben Tobin
Music Video Prize
An Afternoon In Ashfield, Myles Cheda
Technical Achievement Prize
The Sword, Tobias LaMontagne
Audience Choice & Golden Googles Award
Alas, Michelle LaRoque
2012
Grand Prize
Cynthia, Jude Elbaum & Kate O'Shea Ph.D.
First Prize, Adult
The Recent Excitement In Ashfield, David Fessenden
First Prize, Youth & Audience Choice
Speak Up, Isabella Deherdt
Music Video Prize
ABC Rap, Liam O’Shea
Technical Achievement Prize
Imaginarium, Ben Tobin
Special Low-Tech Award
Als’ Thrifty Country Wisdom, Patty Pieropan Dong
2011
Grand Prize & Audience Choice
A Fowl Of The Law, Noel & Silas Anderson
First Prize, Youth
Words, Words, Mere Words, Liam Quinn
First Prize, Adult
We’ve Come To Sing, David Fessenden & Jon Bos
Ashfield History Prize
Journey’s End Farm, Kate O’Shea & Mary Leue
Technical Achievement Prize
Anna and Her Tribe, Ben Tobin
Music Video Prize
Play Like A Girl, Mary Patierno
2010
Grand Prize & Audience Choice
The Adventures of Professional Man, Ben Murray
First Prize, Adult
Pancaper Two, Gayle Kabaker
First Prize, Youth
The Adventures of Bob, Theo Gabriel
Ashfield History Prize
Willy, David Fessenden
Technical Achievement Prize
School Bus Times, Gregory Thorp
Music Video Prize
Lighthouse, Evan Yeardon
Tip O’ The Hat Prize
Baba O’Riley, Henry Lombino
2009
Grand Prize
The Great Ashfield Pancaper, Gayle Kabaker
First Prize, Adult & Audience Choice
Dancing Queens, Nancy "Satch" Hoff"
Ashfield History Prize
Stocking The Food Pantry, Tamsen Merrill
Ashfield Resident Prize
Locavore, David Fessenden
First Prize, Youth
History In Free Fall, Galen Knowles
2008
Grand Prize
Ashfield On His Mind, Cicily Corbet
First Prize, Adult & Audience Choice
Flustered, Ben Murray
First Prize, Youth
Ashfield Artist, Bennett Duchin
Ashfield Resident Prize
Everything Practical, Practically Anything, Liz Castro
2007
Grand Prize
Three Seasons Of Winter, David Fessenden
Audience Choice
Invasion, Ben Murray
Co-First Prize
A Lifetime In Ashfield, Bennett Duchin
Co-First Prize
Home For The Holidays, Nick Lund-Ulrich