The National Screen Institute (NSI) has announce the winners of its latest NSI Online Short Film Festival, with Matt Handy’s Bosco’s Guitar winning the A&E Short Filmmakers Award for best film.
The 22-minute drama, which follows a young musician orphaned by the Burundian genocide who is taken in by a member of the group responsible for his mother’s death, was written by Kelly Rothberger and produced by Steffen Schier.
Along with the best film award, Handy was awarded a $1,250 cash prize. Johntae Lipscombe was also awarded for his work in the film. He picked up the Brian Linehan Actors Award along with a $1,000 prize.
Molly McGlynn was awarded the $1,000 Corus Fearless Female Directors Award for her short Given Your History, which follows two sisters who are struggling years after the death of their mother. The 14-minute drama was produced by Laura Perlmutter. McGlynn’s latest short, 3-Way (Not Calling), world premiered at TIFF this year.
The awards were selected by independent jury members Karen Swerdfeger, John Kozak and Sharon Switzer.