The 2023 Phoenix Film Festival Copper Wing Award Winners

The Phoenix Film Festival awarded the 2023 Copper Wing Awards as part of the closing night events for this year’s film festival.

Awards were given out in thirty different categories for both the Phoenix Film Festival and the International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival.

The Copper Wing Awards were awarded to the following features for the following categories.

FEATURE FILM AWARDS

Best Picture: The Duel

Best Documentary: Speller

Best Director: Mike Chesilk, Hundreds of Beavers

Best Screenplay: Justin Matthews & Luke Spencer Roberts, The Duel

Best Ensemble: Brutal Season

Special Achievement in Acting: Vivian Kerr, Scrap

Community Spotlight Best Feature: Junho

WORLD CINEMA AWARDS

Best World Cinema Feature: Our Father, the Devil

Best World Cinema Documentary: Go Through the Dark

Best World Cinema Director: Yunhong Pu, Go Through the Dark

Best World Cinema Short: Plus

SHORT FILM AWARDS

Best Live Action Short: The Breakthrough

Best Documentary Short: Hope Breakfast Bar

Best Animated Short: Tomato Kitchen

Best College Short: The Tale of Captain Fortyhands

Best African American Directed Short: Little Trumpet

Best Asian American Pacific Islander Short: The Last Thing Lost

Best LatinX Directed Short: Keep/Delete

Best LQBTQIA+ Directed Short: Sparkle

Best Native American Directed Short: Remember the Children

INTERNATIONAL HORROR & SCI-FI FILM FESTIVAL

Best Horror Feature: Mind Body Spirit

Best Horror Short: Madame Hattori’s Izakaya

Best Sci-Fi Feature: Once Upon a Time in the Future 2121

Best Sci-Fi Short: That’s Our Time

FOUNDATION AWARDS

Donor’s Choice Award- Showcase Film: Spinning Gold

Donor’s Choice Award – Competition Feature Film: Spellers

Donor’s Choice Award – Competition Short Film: INGOLSTADT

Volunteer of the Year: Hunter Brockman

ARIZONA FILM AWARDS

Best Arizona Feature: The Last Movie Ever Made

Best Arizona Short: Wake-Up

Arizona Filmmaker of the Year: Nathan Blackwell  

The Phoenix Film Festival will return next year, for its 24^th year, in Spring of 2024.

And the Peoria Film Fest is making its return from October 20^th – 22^nd at Harkins Arrowhead Fountains.

For more information, call 480-513-3195 or go to www.phoenixfilmfestival.com and www.peoriafilmfest.com