Curtains up - the big reveal is here! The six category winners were just announced at a glamorous awards night held in the Cary Grant Theatre at the Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.
A real buzz can be felt in the air tonight as filmmakers, press, media and leading voices in the industry have donned their best black-tie attire to celebrate the success of international talent making waves in the film community.
Chosen from over 8,400 films by more than 5,000 filmmakers across 148 countries and territories, the six winners have impressed the judges and audiences alike with their distinctive storytelling, captivating cinematography and unique approaches to the art of filmmaking.
FICTION
Imogene by Katie Blair (United States)
The award for the Fiction category was presented to Katie Blair by Dylan Leiner (Executive Vice President of Acquisitions, Production and Business Affairs, Sony Pictures Classics).
NON-FICTION
Ìrún Dídì by Olawunmi Hassan and Adaobi Samson (Nigeria)
The award for the Non-Fiction category was presented to Olawunmi Hassan by Nekesa Moody (Editorial Director, Hollywood Reporter).
ENVIRONMENT
Wildmen of the Greater Toronto Area by Solmund MacPherson (Canada)
The award for the Environment category was presented to Solmund MacPherson by David Ohana (Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, United Nations Foundation).
ANIMATION
Ángulos de la Hora (Hour Angle) by Kyle Novak (Czech Republic)
The award for the Animation category was presented to Kyle Novak by Carolyn Giardina (Variety, Senior Entertainment Tech & Crafts Editor)
STUDENT
Anguish by Raheem Razak (AFDA, South Africa)
The award for the Student category was presented to Raheem Razak by Ken Morisawa (Senior General Manager, Imaging Maketing Division, Global Sales and Marketing, Sony Corporation).
FUTURE FORMAT
PARASOMNIA by Cristian Daniel (Uruguay)
The award for the Future Format category was presented by Kate Reid (BSC Cinematographer & Sony Future Filmmaker Awards 2024 Jury Member).
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards jury as a whole spoke on this year’s winning and shortlisted filmmakers:
This year’s winners traverse borders and cultures, a global gathering of creative talent set to make their mark in our industry. The winners each approach their stories with originality; from a portent of an eroding society, to a surreal take on family pressures, to an animated love story suspended in time: we were struck by the ingenuity of these filmmakers and their fresh perspective on the world. It is with great pleasure we celebrate the winners, as well as the wider cohort of 30 filmmakers who comprised this year’s shortlist, and we look forward to watching as they take their next steps in cinema.