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  Spring 2021 WINNERS
In order to insure that each film is studied and rated on an individual basis, DWBFF has instituted a system where entries do not compete against each other, but instead are recognized for their own individual merits.
For all intents and purposes, they compete against themselves:  each entry is judged on individual merits and scored on an inherent value system.

The judges focus is on your film when it is your turn to be evaluated, not on all the other films that are in cue: this insures that they will not have comparisons going on in their minds when they should be focusing entirely on YOU.


Judges score entries on a performance scale and winning entries are recognized and awarded not only for Best Of Festival &  Best Of Show, but also for two Awards of Excellence levels,two Awards of Merit levels, a Kudos Endeavor Award, or no award.

Best Of festival & Best of Show honors are granted to the top scoring entry/entries for each season;  Awards of Excellence are granted to entries with truly exceptional artistic and technical achievements; and Notable achievements are recognized at the  Merit and 'Kudos' award levels.


The number of awards granted at any given level will fluctuate based on the total number of entries received for each competition deadline.






Best of Festival and Best of Show films are selected by category and region.
Not all categories had a Best of Festival winner

Age Of No Fear
Director Olga Slobodchikova
Revolution and Reform (Student)
United States



Beating SuperBugs: Can We Win?
Director William Mudge
Science
United States



The Cost of Denial
Director Huw Christie
Health
United States



THE GAME. Gambling between life and death.
Director Manuela Federl
Social Issues
Austria



Killing the Shepherd
Director TA Opre
Social Issues
Cinematography (sub-category)
United States

Cinematography: OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE


Kiss the Ground
Directors Josh Tickell, Rebecca Tickell
Environmental
United States



Twilight of the river king
Directors David Álvarez , Jorge Álvarez Chachero
Wildlife/Nature/Animals
Spain
SELFISH
Directors SANTINI Stéphane, ANDRE Géraldine, HOENIG Laurence, BERNARD Pierre-Yves
in Human Spirit
Switzerland




Best Of Show
5ta Ruta
Directors Nelson Ramirez, Luisana Bertorelli
in Human Spirit
United States

Bridge of Power
Director Jenson Hagen
in Health
United States

Caleb and the Perfect Order of Things
Director Tyson Hunsaker
Biography
United States

Catherine's Kindergarten
Directors Kaye Cleave, James Daggett
in Human Spirit
Australia

The Clown Without A Mask
Director Oskar Dektyar
in Travel/Culture/Arts, Editing (sub-category)
United States

The Earned Life
Directors Patryk Wezowski, Kasia Wezowski
Docu-drama Feature
United States

Not One More
Director Cameron Leingang
Revolution and Reform
United States

OCEAN SOULS
Director PHILIP HAMILTON
Wildlife/Nature/Animals
United Kingdom

The Revolution Generation
Directors Josh Tickell, Rebecca Tickell
Social Issues
United States

Still I Rise
Director Jeni Lee
in Docu-drama Short
Australia

Treasures Of The Chesapeake
Director Christopher Lapinski
Environmental
United States

Xylella Fastidiosa - The Apocalypse of Salento
Director Paola Ghislieri
Environmental
Italy

Outstanding Excellence
Backstreet to the American Dream (English Subtitles) (US) Social Issues, Research, Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE

OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: Research
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery
BANACH. BETWEEN SPIRIT AND MATTER (Poland) Biography OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Catching Giants (US) Wildlife/Nature/Animals  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Cirque du Cambodia (US) Travel/Culture/Arts  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Corridor of Hope (Singapore) Human Spirit  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Dear Homeland (US) Biography OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Discovery Mode (US) Social Issues OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Expedition Ayiti (US) Travel/Culture/Arts OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
False Alarm (US) Revolution and Reform  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Great White Encounters (UK) Wildlife/Nature/Animals  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Guardians of the Forest (US) Social Issues  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Hayat (Austrailia) Social Issues  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Hockey 24: A Film by Canada (Canada) Sports, Editing OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: Editing
"I will speak, I will speak!" (Netherlands) Biography  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
In a Whole New Way (US) Social Issues, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational, Narration Talent OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: Viewer Impact: Motivational/ Inspirational, EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Narration Talent
In their eyes (France) Biography  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Island of the hippos (Spain) Wildlife/Nature/Animals  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Lion on the Mat (US) Biography  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
The Man Who Fell From The Sky (UK) Human Spirit OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
On The Brühl | A Documentary Short (US) Religion/Faith  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Our State. Their Lives. Your Call. (US) Social Issues, Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery   OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE

OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery  
Medical Racism: The New Apartheid (US) Health  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
My Two Lives, Creative Response to the Holocaust (Australia) Human Spirit  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Rosemary's Way (Australia) Human Spirit, Social Issues, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: BOTH
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational
Running Club (Australia) Sports  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
the underworld (Italy) Docu-drama Feature OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
You're Smarter Than You Look (US) Social Issues  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE



Excellence Award Winners
Act Of Union (Ireland) Revolution and Reform EXCELLENCE
Ars Natura (Switzerland) Wildlife/Nature/Animals, Cinematography EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE: Cinematography
Barefoot Doctors FLC (US) Health EXCELLENCE
BATMAN AND ME (Australia) Docu-drama Feature,Travel/Culture/Arts  EXCELLENCE
Biting the Bullet (Australia) Human Spirit EXCELLENCE
Black Bauhinia (UK) Revolution and Reform EXCELLENCE
The Book of Curses (Israel) Religion/Faith  EXCELLENCE
Caffeine & Gasoline: Evolution of the American Rocker (US) Sports, Original Score  EXCELLENCE

OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: Original Score 
THE CELINE ARCHIVE (US) Biography, Research EXCELLENCE
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: Research
Comfort Zone (Georgia) LGBT EXCELLENCE
The Difference (US) Human Spirit, Original Score,  Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE: Original Score
EXCELLENCE: Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational 
Documentary of The Church of Almighty God | The Appearance and Work of Almighty God (Part 1) (Republic of Korea) Religion/Faith  EXCELLENCE
Dreaming of Jerusalem (US) Travel/Culture/Arts, Cinematography, Direction  EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE: Cinematography
EXCELLENCE: Direction
Educating A Nation (US) Docu-drama Short  EXCELLENCE
Everything In Hardware (US) Biography, Original Score, Narration Talent EXCELLENCE OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: Original Score EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Narration Talent
For the Life of Me (US) Biography EXCELLENCE
From the Ground Up (US) Social Issues  EXCELLENCE
Healthcare America: Uniting Our Voices (US) Human Spirit  EXCELLENCE
I’m An Electric Lampshade (US) Docu-drama Feature EXCELLENCE
Just Being There (US) Social Issues, Original Score EXCELLENCE: Social Issues
EXCELLENCE: Original Score
Kensington in Crisis (US) Social Issues, Original Score EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE: Original Score
Khacchad:Mule (UK) Wildlife/Nature/Animals  EXCELLENCE
Life without Limits (UK) Human Spirit, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE: Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational
Like Father Like Daughter (US) Health  EXCELLENCE
The Magic of Auchendarroch (Australia) Human Spirit,
Travel/Culture/Arts,
Original Score 
EXCELLENCE: Travel/Culture/Arts
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Human Spirit
EXCELLENCE: Original Score 
Mom & M (US) LGBT  EXCELLENCE
MOM's: More Than An Organic Market (US) Environmental, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational  EXCELLENCE
EXCEPITONAL MERIT: Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational 
My Mum: The Solicitor (UK) Social Issues EXCELLENCE
Now I am an Axolotl (Mexico) Environmental  EXCELLENCE
OUT LOUD (US) LBGT, Editing, Cinematography, Original Score, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational, Direction  EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE: Editing
EXCELLENCE: Cinematography
EXCELLENCE: Original Score
EXCELLENCE: Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational,
EXCELLENCE: Direction
Outlawed: A Punk Rock Uprising (US) Revolution and Reform, Social Issues  EXCELLENCE: BOTH
Passage To Sweden (US) Religion/Faith  EXCELLENCE
PAULETTE (US) Social Issues  EXCELLENCE
Saving Beauty: Learning to Live with the Rare Ones Among Us (US) Environmental  EXCELLENCE
The Skin You're In (US) Social Issues EXCELLENCE
Tapeball (US) Sports  EXCELLENCE
THIRSTY & DROWNING IN AMERICA (US) Social Issues, Research, Narration Talent, Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational, Direction EXCELLENCE
EXCELLENCE: Narration Talent
EXCELLENCE: Research
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT:  Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery
EXCELLENCE: Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational
EXCELLENCE:Direction
A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps (US) Social Issues  EXCELLENCE
We, the Voyagers: Our Vaka (US) Travel/Culture/Arts EXCELLENCE
The Wheels of Wonder (Australia) Social Issues EXCELLENCE
Whisper of Stones (Kazakhstan) Social Issues  EXCELLENCE
Young Chinese nun seeks path to peace from music (China) Religion/Faith  EXCELLENCE
Zhuravlev Avenue (Russian Federation) Science  EXCELLENCE


Exceptional Merit
After Multatuli left  (Indonesia) Social Issues EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
always the same (Croatia) Sports EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
The Author (US) Docu-drama Feature, Religion/Faith  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Docu-drama Feature
EXCELLENCE: Religion/Faith
The Berrigans: Devout and Dangerous (US) Revolution and Reform  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Boy From Nowhere (Philippines) Docu-drama Feature  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Chained Pen (Hungary) Social Issues EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
A Cruel Turn (Australia) Social Issues  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Dubliner (Russian Federation) Docu-drama Feature EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
EDEN TRIBAL (France) Social Issues  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Elders' Room (Canada) Social Issues  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Everything That Could Have Been (Norway) Biography, Travel/Culture/Arts, Cinematography  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: BOTH
EXCELLENCE: Cinematography 
Forgiveness? (Switzerland) Religion/Faith  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
GURU IN DISGRACE (Netherlands) Religion/Faith  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Heart of the Bear (US) Environmental  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Hola Yumbo (Netherlands) LGBT  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
I Rock (Canada) Youth Issues  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
"I'm Just a Layman in Pursuit of Justice"; Black Farmers Fight Against USDA (US) Social Issues EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
In the Wine Dark Sea (US) Travel/Culture/Arts EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Jade Doskow: Photographer of Lost Utopias (US) Travel/Culture/Arts EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Jean-Marc Brignot and the things of Sado (France) Travel/Culture/Arts  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Las Gardenias (Colombia) Social Issues  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Let's Talk "Mental Health In Color" (US) Docu-drama Feature  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Letters to Eloisa (US) Biography  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
The Life We Make (US) Travel/Culture/Arts  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Living With Ghosts (US) Science  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Lockdown Lunch Club (South Africa) Youth Issues EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Lost in Berlin (US) Religion/Faith  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Love Is Something (US) Human Spirit  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Memories of Mortlake (UK) Docu-drama Short  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
My darling, who are you? (Italy) Health  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
My Life in Limbo (Canada) Human Spirit  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Operation Camanducaia (Brazil) Social Issues  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
The pictures come at night (Germany) Human Spirit  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
A Poet's Childhood - Awakening to Consciousness (US) Travel/Culture/Arts  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Quarantined Faith: Rome, Religion and Coronavirus (US) Religion/Faith  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Right Now I Want to Scream: Police and Army Killings in Rio - the Brazil Haiti Connection (UK) Revolution and Reform  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Rival Queens (US) Docu-drama Feature EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
“Second Chance” (US) Health  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Shifting of Seasons (SOS): Spring (US) Environmental EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Simhona (Israel) Social Issues, Research  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Social Issues  EXCELLENCE: Research
Solitude (Italy) LGBT  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Song Of Little Saigon (US) Travel/Culture/Arts EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Original Score: EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
SURVIVING THE SILENCE: The Untold Story Of Two Women In Love Who Helped Change Military Policy (US) LGBT  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Tarkine Together (Australia) Environmental  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Terminally Optimistic (US) Human Spirit, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
EXCELLENCE: Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational 
The Unlikely Story of the Lesbians of First Friday (US) LGBT, Editing, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Editing
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational
Unlocking Doors of Cinema (Lebanon) Biography  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Utopia Of the Outraged (Chile) Social Issues  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Voices of Karamushi (Japan) Travel/Culture/Arts  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
You Can't Leave Because You Can't Leave (US) Revolution and Reform EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
Your Face (Korea, Republic of) Human Spirit  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT




Merit
80.000 Schnitzel (Germany) Religion/Faith  MERIT
Archeology of the workers´dignity (Germany) Revolution and Reform  MERIT
Athos, the world's brightest peak (Greece) Religion/Faith MERIT
Bodhi (US) Docu-drama Feature, Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery  MERIT
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery 
Caramujo (US) Social Issues  MERIT
Diamond Boys (UK) Social Issues MERIT
Fathima The Oracle (India) Religion/Faith  MERIT
Four Doors Forty Maqams (Turkey) Religion/Faith  MERIT
The Front Lines (US) Docu-drama Short MERIT
THE GODDESS IN THE POOL (Argentina) Travel/Culture/Arts  MERIT
Harriet & Her Husbands (US) Human Spirit  MERIT
Is this Queensland in the 20s? (Australia) LGBT  MERIT
It's Beautiful (US) Travel/Culture/Arts  MERIT
Luigi Zanuso – From Erotism to Diogene (Italy) Human Spirit MERIT
Mangueira in 2 Beats (Brazil) Social Issues  MERIT
Mutanuka and Syasiya (Netherlands) Travel/Culture/Arts MERIT
My Sister Hali (US) Human Spirit, Sports, Original Score  MERIT: BOTH
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Original Score 
Nailing It (Malaysia) Animated MERIT
Navigating Rough Waters: How to Stop Past Wounds from Stealing Future between Korea and Japan (Korea, Republic of) Social Issues MERIT
Olympic Trials and Tribulations (US) Sports  MERIT
One for the Other (India) Youth Issues  MERIT
Reality Show (US) Human Spirit  MERIT
SAMIRA'S DREAM (NDOTO YA SAMIRA - ORIGINAL TITLE) (Ireland) Biography  MERIT
Searching for my Voice (Canada) Religion/Faith  MERIT
SENIOR DISCOUNT'd (US) Docu-drama Short  MERIT
Sentimental Education (Korea, Republic of) Docu-drama Feature  MERIT
Six Feet Of Separation (US) Docu-drama Feature, Human Spirit, Narration Talent MERIT: BOTH
MERIT: Narration Talent
SOLDIERS: Six Stories, Six Wars (US) Docu-drama Feature, Original Score, Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery, Direction, Cinematography, Editing MERIT
EXCELLENCE:Original Score
MERIT:Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery MERIT: Direction
MERIT: Cinematography
MERIT: Editing
Three Days In June (US) Social Issues MERIT
The Tour Of Dreams (Estonia) Religion/Faith  MERIT
TRIP TO THE TAX PARADISE (Spain) Social Issues  MERIT
The Visitor (US) Biography, Cinematography  MERIT: Biography
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT:Cinematography 
Wandering...But Not Lost (US) Human Spirit  MERIT
Water (US) Social Issues  MERIT
Women beyond the walls (France) Religion/Faith MERIT
Yoga Therapy for Life (US) Docu-drama Short, Original Score,  Viewer Impact:Content/Message Delivery  MERIT
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Viewer Impact:Content/Message Delivery
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT: Original Score


Kudos Endeavor
“1” The Message (US) Human Spirit KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD
THE BACK (Spain) Docu-drama Short,
Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational
KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD: BOTH
Behind the Name SHAKESPEARE: Power, Lust, Scorn & Scandal (US) Biography, Travel/Culture/Arts, Research, Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational, Direction KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD: BOTH
KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD: Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery
KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD: Impact: Motivational/Inspirational, Direction

MERIT: Research
MERIT: Narration Talent 
Ek Notun Probhat (A New Dawn) (India) Docu-drama Short  KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD
Miracle! Mother Nature has appeared to me (Italy) Human Spirit  KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD
O (Belgium) Docu-drama Short KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD
Psycho Corpsie (US)  Social Issues  KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD
Taint in the Lush Green (India) Social Issues  KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD
Wrestling against all odds (India) Docu-drama Short KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD

Sub-Categories
 
Community Through Crisis: a Vermont story (US) Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery  EXCELLENCE
The DS King (Netherlands) Direction  MERIT
Fighting the Flames (Australia) Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational  EXCELLENCE
Fired Up (Australia) Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
God's Grace and All Things Beautiful (Canada) Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
THE GOLDEN RING PORTAL (Canada) Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational  EXCEPTIONAL MERIT
The Great Artist (US) Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Healing the Children: Neiva Mission 2019 (US) Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Keep Saray Home(US) Direction (sub-category)  EXCELLENCE
Kippy, Pray for the Dead and Fight like Hell for the Living! (US) Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational  KUDOS ENDEAVOR AWARD
Ready to Roll: China's Inline Skating Seniors (China) Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
A Road Trip to New Ross (US) Original Score  OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
SanDance! A Journey to the Heart of San Culture (South Africa) Original Score (sub-category) EXCELLENCE
A Supercut of Supercuts: Aesthetics, Histories, Databases (US) Research OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
Trauma To Triumph - The Rise of the Entrepreneur (US) Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery, Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational EXCELLENCE: Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery
OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: Viewer Impact: Motivational/Inspirational
Unbecoming (Helen McNamara & Marc Swersky) (US) Original Score  EXCELLENCE
UNDER THREAT (Poland) Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery EXCELLENCE
The Voice of Sierra Nevada (UK) Research  EXCELLENCE
YOU ARE HERE (US) Viewer Impact: Content/Message Delivery EXCELLENCE