Film Prize Junior Awards & Prizes
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High School Awards
These accolades were awarded to finalists in the high school division (grades 9 thru 12).
BEST of GENRE
Film Prize Junior films must be submitted in one of five genres: COMEDY, DRAMA, SCI-FI/FANTASY, THRILLER or DOCUMENTARY.
Our Mentor Judges selected the following films as they represented the best of their chosen genre in their division.
BEST COMEDY
I WANT TO BE A COWBOY
Explore Academy High School
BEST DOCUMENTARY
SISTER OF THE CIRCLE
Los Alamos High School
BEST DRAMA
DEPRIVED
Miyamura High School
BEST SCI-FI/FANTASY
THE NEW OLD WITCHES
Santa Fe Preparatory School
BEST THRILLER
HOLY CROSS
Deming High School
BEST ANIMATION
Along with live-action short films, students have the option to submit ANIMATIONS for our festival.
The following films were selected by our Mentor Judges as the best representatives of this technique in their division.
PROJECT BRAENDER
Digital Arts and Technology Academy
FOUNDERS CIRCLE AWARDS
These films were selected both by our Mentor Judges and our Film Prize Junior team for their passion and dedication to their films demonstrated during the 2023 Film Prize Junior Film Festival. Each of these films was awarded a $250 grant to reimburse costs towards production of short films for Film Prize Junior 2024.
IF THESE TREES COULD TALK
Cuba High School
THE INTERVIEWER
Academy for Technology and the Classics
THE GIFT OF DEATH
Explore Academy High School
A COMPLETE GUIDE TO BEING YOU
La Cueva High School
WILDFIRES
Robertson High School
Audience Choice Winners
Festival Audience Choice
This film is selected solely by the in-person audience who watched films and voted during the 2023 Film Prize Junior Film Festival held Friday, April 21st through Saturday, April 22nd.
Virtual Audience Choice
This film is selected solely by the audience who watched films and voted during the 2023 Film Prize Junior Virtual Film Festival held Thursday, April 27th through Wednesday, May 3rd. The winning film was awarded $500 in celebration funds to the student filmmakers.
Best Student Performance in a Film
This performer is selected solely by the audience who watched films and voted during the 2023 Film Prize Junior Virtual Film Festival held Thursday, April 27th through Wednesday, May 3rd.
FESTIVAL AUDIENCE CHOICE
HOLY CROSS
Deming High School
VIRTUAL AUDIENCE CHOICE
IF THESE TREES COULD TALK
Cuba High School
BEST STUDENT PERFORMANCE
P.G.S.
Johnathan Korte,
Robertson High School
Grand Prize Winner
Judge’s Choice
One film from the high school division is selected by the panel of Mentor Judges as it represents the best of the submissions to this year’s festival. The winning film was awarded a $1,500 film equipment grant for the educational institution, $500 cash to the Teacher Sponsor and $500 in celebration funds to the student filmmakers.
DEPRIVED
Miyamura High School
Middle School Awards
These accolades were awarded to finalists in the middle school division (grades 5 thru 8).
BEST of GENRE
Film Prize Junior films must be submitted in one of five genres: COMEDY, DRAMA, SCI-FI/FANTASY, THRILLER or DOCUMENTARY.
Our Mentor Judges selected the following films as they represented the best of their chosen genre in their division.
BEST COMEDY
SCHOOL DAZE
Roots and Wings Community School
BEST DOCUMENTARY
REFUGEE STUDENTS OF MCKINLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL
McKinley Middle School
BEST DRAMA
THE TASTE OF LONELINESS
Taos Integrated School of the Arts
BEST SCI-FI/FANTASY
LET’S WATCH A MOVIE
Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy
BEST THRILLER
HIDEOUS HELDA
Alice King Community School
BEST ANIMATION
Along with live-action short films, students have the option to submit ANIMATIONS for our festival.
The following films were selected by our Mentor Judges as the best representatives of this technique in their division.
THE PROOF IS IN THE JELLO
Questa Homeschool
FOUNDERS CIRCLE AWARDS
These films were selected both by our Mentor Judges and our Film Prize Junior team for their passion and dedication to their films demonstrated during the 2023 Film Prize Junior Film Festival.
Each of these films was awarded a $250 grant to reimburse costs towards production of short films for Film Prize Junior 2024.
ZOMBIE GARDEN
Peñasco Middle School
GETTING THERE
Santa Fe School for the Arts and Sciences
HOMETOWN ROOTS
Springer Municipal Schools
Audience Choice Winners
Festival Audience Choice
This film is selected solely by the in-person audience who watched films and voted during the 2023 Film Prize Junior Film Festival held Friday, April 21st through Saturday, April 22nd. The winning film was awarded a $750 film equipment grant for the educational institution and $250 cash to the Teacher Sponsor.
Virtual Audience Choice
This film is selected solely by the audience who watched films and voted during the 2023 Film Prize Junior Virtual Film Festival held Thursday, April 27th through Wednesday, May 3rd. The winning film was awarded $500 in celebration funds to the student filmmakers.
Best Student Performance in a Film
This performer is selected solely by the audience who watched films and voted during the 2023 Film Prize Junior Virtual Film Festival held Thursday, April 27th through Wednesday, May 3rd. The winning student is awarded a certificate to recognize their efforts in film.
FESTIVAL AUDIENCE CHOICE
WATER, STAR MEDICINE
Turquoise Trail Charter School
VIRTUAL AUDIENCE CHOICE
LET’S WATCH A MOVIE
Mesilla Valley Leadership Academy
BEST STUDENT PERFORMANCE
HOMETOWN ROOTS
Reyna Garcia,
Springer Municipal Schools
Grand Prize Winner
Judge’s Choice
One film from the middle school division is selected by the panel of Mentor Judges as it represents the best of the submissions to this year’s festival. The winning film was awarded a $1,500 film equipment grant for the educational institution, $500 cash to the Teacher Sponsor and $500 in celebration funds to the student filmmakers.
THE TASTE OF LONELINESS
Taos Integrated School of the Arts