2023 Hobnobben Finalists Have Been Selected
The anticipation is over as the 2023 Hobnobben Film Festival proudly unveils its award finalists. Distinguished jury members convened on Sunday, September 30, to make their selections in a diverse array of categories that celebrate excellence in cinema. The festival's commitment to showcasing a broad spectrum of cinematic talent is evident in the categories for this year's awards:
Narrative Feature
Unscripted Feature
Animated Short
Unscripted Short
Fiction Short
Student Work: High School and Undergraduate
First-Time Filmmaker and Advanced Student
Indiana Reels
WTFw: What the Fort Wayne?!
Guests can look forward to an enchanting evening that includes an Awards Ceremony at Fort Wayne Cinema Center and an After-Party at JK O’Donnell’s. Once the winners have been announced, all attendees are invited to the Main Theater to enjoy the feature film, Everybody Wants to be Loved.
The Nominees
Narrative Feature
Elephant
No No Girl
The scent of the wormwood
Feature Length – Unscripted (documentary)
The Bright Path: The Johnny Bright Story
Greener Pastures
Liminal: Indiana in the Anthropocene
Unscripted Short
Inside the Beauty Bubble
Kambana
Friday Night Blind
Mirrors (Espejismos)
Mariupol Ukraine
Indiana Reels
Gun Control
Romanus
Safe Place
Animated Short
Deadline
FLOWER
Why the Dogs and Wolves Fear Each Other
First-Time Filmmaker and Advanced Student
ANACONDA
Captain Brovary
Good Cuban Girls
I Am More Dangerous Dead
Trapped
Student Work: High School and Undergraduate
Aisle 5
Betsy
Clown West
The First Gardener
Jouissance
Metanoia
Paper Chasers
Troll the Dice
Fiction Short
A Few Steps Further
Attendant – Shell of a Life
Black Maria
Finger
Hedgehog
I AM POEM
The Killjoy (Ingen tid å miste)
Last Chance
RE:ACTING
SOLO UN ENSAYO
WTFw: What the Fort Wayne?!
Creatures Part 1
Kogershin
I Am Light
In addition to recognizing excellence in traditional categories, Hobnobben proudly presents the third annual Jen Lynn Award. Named in honor of two dedicated Hobnobben supporters, this award acknowledges films that contribute to the rich tapestry of LGBTQIA+ storytelling. This year's jury celebrates four finalists in this category, a testament to the exceptional skill and craftsmanship evident in LGBTQIA+ narratives from around the world.
Jen Lynn Award Finalists:
Elephant
Inside the Beauty Bubble
I AM POEM
Jouissance
Meet the Jury
This year the Jury consisted of several storytellers, all with connections to Indiana. When asked about the Jury process, Dr. Danee Pye said, “I love the films that the Hobnobben programming committee picks. They're always eye-opening. The films I’ve screened have made me think, made me laugh, broken my heart, and forever changed the lens through which I view the world. Beyond the delight of experiencing cinematic treasures from across the globe, the discussions amongst my fellow jurors have been invaluable. Film has a way of getting people talking about topics that we might otherwise avoid as a community. I am grateful to everyone involved in spotlighting these stories that grant us a glimpse of the world through someone else’s eyes and celebrate the human experience in all its colors.”
Dr. Danee Pye (She/Her/Hers): President/Founder of Common People United and Professor at Temple University; Passionate about artful communication, digital experiences, and convincing people to go to community college.
Christer Watson (He/His): Data Scientist at Nationwide Insurance and Programming Lead, Hobnobben Film Festival; “I care about movies, science, and a well-rounded education.”
Emmanuel Ortiz (he/him/él): Writer and community organizer; Member of the Secret Society of Nerds of ColorFilm Fanatics
Fredrick McKissack (he/him): Editorial page editor for The Journal Gazette
Dr. Stephanie L. Young (she/her/hers): Associate Professor in Communication Studies and Director of the Basic Course at the University of Southern Indiana; research interests include rhetorical criticism, popular culture, gender and sexuality studies, autoethnography, and issues of race and identity.
The Hobnobben Film Festival, now in its eighth year, showcases diverse stories and voices that are typically excluded from the mainstream film industry, offering a one-of-a-kind festival that invites participants to see themselves on screen — and be seen by others. The festival is supported by local sponsors and community members and is an annual fundraiser for Fort Wayne Cinema Center, a not-for-profit arts organization founded in 1976.
