♪♪♪ Merrick McCartha: Watching movies is both deeply personal and a shared experience with others.

In a dark theater you may find yourself effortlessly laughing or crying along with the crowd.

But it's also just as possible to feel solitude in that room, as if the story's playing out just for you.

Just 100 years ago, the film industry was still in its infancy.

Silent films were in their heyday and feature films were just a novelty.

In the 1920s, as the world recovered from World War I and the Spanish 'Flu pandemic, people needed an escape from their day-to-day troubles, and it was movies that gave it to them.

During that decade, Hollywood was established, an American cultural institution that would change the world forever.

Movie studios perfected a system for mass producing films and they created significant film genres like melodrama, Western, historical epic, romantic comedy, slapstick, science fiction, horror, and fantasy.

2020 brought obstacles few could anticipate.

From a modern pandemic to worldwide social change and challenging economic times, one thing became clear: art and artists and their stories keep us going.

Tonight, we come together to recognize our local film community and to celebrate San Diego's own spirit and resilience.

We also look back on the last 100 years of cinema to learn about films and film movements from around the world that have emerged from equally challenging times.

Filmed at the beautiful Lot La Jolla, Film Consortium San Diego, Heartland Films, and KPBS proudly present San Diego Film Awards 2020, happening in 2021.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ William Wall: In the 1920s the most famous person in the world was a movie star named Charlie Chaplin.

But by the end of the 1920s, disaster struck.

Talkies, movies with recorded sound, threatened the very nature of Chaplin's iconic silent character.

Sound design caused a seismic shift in the film industry and Charlie knew The Tramp would soon diminish into history unless he adapted.

Luckily, he did.

In 1936, Chaplin made "Modern Times," using expensive sound design in place of actually having his Tramp character speak.

He followed up with "The Great Dictator" in 1939, now with fully recorded dialog which earned Chaplin's first Academy Award nomination for acting.

Jewish barber: I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor.

William: So now, in the spirit of that pioneering era of filmmaking, here are the nominees for Best Sound Design.

male announcer: The nominations for Best Sound Design are Christopher Marino for "Wolf on A Leash."

♪♪♪ announcer: Tyler J. French for "Phase."

[muffled arguing] announcer: Patrick Jerry for "Tick."

♪♪♪ William: And the winner is Patrick Jerry for "Tick."

Patrick Ryan: Hello, debonerosá*.

My name is Patrick Ryan, I'm a musician and an artist.

I'm so honored and grateful to receive this award for Best Sound Design for my contributions to "Tick."

Being a part of the team creating and producing this chilling and mysterious short film was an incredible experience.

And I would like to give special thanks to Bradley Dunn, Ben Wilson, and Dean Aguilará* for their vision and for presenting me with the opportunity to be a part of it all.

Until next time, thank you.

William: Inspired by the surrealist art movement, filmmakers in 1920s Germany began experimenting with expressionism on the movie screen.

Instead of depicting reality, they began to delve into visual esthetics that were so powerful and strange they still haunt us to this day.

These real expressionist filmmakers fired against Western conventions and bourgeoisie German culture by building impossible sets using high angles, deep shadows, and extreme camera tilting.

They were looking for a way to capture people's attention, and it sure worked.

The production design of films like "Metropolis" and "Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" were echoed by later directors such as Ridley Scott and Tim Burton.

Here are the nominees for Best Production Design.

announcer: The nominations for Best Production Design are Brooklyn Cardenas for "Tick."

announcer: Alexandra Khadyrke, Teresa Hunt, and Liliya Donnelly for "Reveal."

male: Hey, groovy dogs.

male: Your family's definitely gonna keep this day interesting.

announcer: Caitlin Goebel for "Wolf on A Leash."

[smoke alarm sounding] female: Go get your hair, Ronny.

announcer: Nicole Valencia for "The 5th of November."

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪ ♪ Happy birthday ♪ announcer: Larry and Leah Freeland for "A Gunman's Hand."

male: Bottle.

♪♪♪ William: And the winner is the production design team from "A Gunman's Hand."

Larry Freeland: I wanna thank you all for the Production Design Award.

Leah, my wife, and I both appreciate the hard work everybody put in to making this production and I wanna also thank Brendan McCarthy and Brian Harrington for the town use from Brian and the great work Brendan McCarthy put in to this.

Again, thank you all for the award.

Jodi Cilley: As movies grew in popularity all over the world, film movements within local communities started to break out.

One of the earliest movements was the Soviet Montage theory.

Pioneered by film teacher, Lev Kuleshov, these filmmakers turned editing from a simple mechanical process into an art form by adding meaning and order to the edit.

Of course, they never had editing software, digital backups, or instant file uploads, but they still developed techniques we use to this day.

The nominees for Best Editing are-- announcer: The nominees for Best Editing are Tyler J. French for "Phase."

[TV playing in background] male: [on TV] Hazel?

female: [on TV] Yeah?

male: [on TV] Do you wanna get married?

announcer: Lucas Eubank for "It's Ya Boi."

♪♪♪ announcer: Bradley Dunn for "Tick."

♪♪♪ male: I dunno.

Maybe I am losing it.

female: Adam, Adam.

announcer: Kyle Bronson for "Wolf on A Leash."

♪♪♪ Jodi: And the winner is Tyler J. French for "Phase."

Tyler French: Thank you very much for this award.

This really means a lot to me as the editing process is one of my favorite parts of the entire filmmaking journey, so to even be mentioned amongst these other talented filmmakers in the category, is a great, great honor.

And thank you to Kimmy Weinberger for trusting me with your baby and for sitting in the edit bay with me and just for being a great friend and an inspirational human being.

Love you, miss you.

Bye, bye y'all.

Brandy Shimabukuro: The San Diego film industry is made up of a resilient dedicated group of enterprising artists, storytellers, and professionals.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, its impacts brought devastation across all aspects of the entertainment industry.

Production ground to a halt from commercials to features, but with each threat to their livelihood, San Diego-based talent and crews fought tirelessly for their craft and the ability to film in the city they love.

The Spirit of San Diego Award recognizes homegrown talent that spotlights our city's spirit, culture, and communities.

The nominees for the Spirit of San Diego Award are-- announcer: The nominations for Spirit of San Diego are "Last Chance" by You Don't Know Jack Films.

male: Are you-- male: You can call me Logan.

male: Okay, Logan.

announcer: "Entrenched: Prologue" by a Face of Change.

♪♪♪ male: Yes, sir.

announcer: "Leave 'em Laughing" by Northside Pictures.

female: The second greatest entertainer in the whole wide world is about to begin.

Please, please, take your seats.

Take your seats.

Brandy: And the winner is "Entrenched: Prologue" by a Face of Change.

male: Okay, I'm gonna make this short and sweet.

First off, I wanna thank the City of San Diego for not only giving us such a beautiful town to live in but also an amazing town to be filmmakers in.

Secondly, you also provided us with an amazing group of people.

The servicemen and women of San Diego as well as the veterans who all came together and helped us make this project a reality.

Thank you all.

Merrick: Prior to COVID-19, over 50 filmmakers from San Diego gathered together to produce a tribute film for the San Diego film community and Jodi Cilley, the founder of San Diego Film Awards.

Merrick: "Panic at Parq" shows us the many challenges we face producing the Film Awards and making the difficult decisions we often have to make as filmmakers.

Tonight we'll be watching clips from that film and, as you will see, I was always on board to host the show.

Shannon: Hey, guys, sorry I'm late for the shoot.

I was just at the celebration for [inaudible] blood drive.

How's it going?

Jordan: Terrible, that's how it's going.

David: Keep it down, you'll wake up Joe.

Joe: [snoring] Shannon: What, what's going on?

Sue: It looks like the entertainers you lined up for the Film Awards aren't going to make it.

Shannon: What?

Sue: It appears that they all got snowed in at the airport in Burlington.

David: I knew we shouldn't have booked acts exclusively from Vermont.

Shannon: What are we gonna do?

David: Well, Sue and I have been scrambling to try and find replacements.

And Jordan has spent the whole morning freaking out.

Jordan: Hey, we're all just as freaked out here.

Well, except for Joe.

Sue: Every decent musical act is booked up this weekend.

David: Hey, why don't we reach out to Merrick McCartha.

I mean, that guy'll do anything for the San Diego Film Awards.

Jordan: Yeah, but ever since that dude moved to Hollywood he's got too big for this britches.

David: Merrick, too big for his britches?

Are you nuts?

He'll do anything for the San Diego Film community.

[phone ringing] female: Merrick McCartha's office.

Yes, give me just one moment and I'll check.

Merrick!

San Diego Film Consortium wants to know if you can help again this year.

Merrick: You got to be kidding me?

I'm working on a real project.

male: I told you to pack it.

Merrick: You pack it.

Merrick: And Gerard, I want you to be more authentic, okay?

Just be real.

female: I regret to inform you but Mr. McCartha is booked for the entire year, you have a great day.

Laura Castaneda: Actors are the face of every film.

One leading performance can make us change perceptions and bring a greater understanding to entire generations.

Benjamin Braddock: Elaine!

Elaine!

Laura: It can destigmatize, break down stereotypes, and lay the groundwork for new relationships.

This award looks at some of the most significant and compelling performances in San Diego.

These are the nominees for Best Lead Actor in a Short Film.

announcer: The nominations for Best Lead Actor in a Short Film are Manny Fernandes for "Polka."

♪♪♪ announcer: Ricky Mehigh for "It's Ya Boi."

male: All right, guys, that's it for the most dangerous game challenge, hit that Like and Subscribe button, I'm out here, I'm working my butt off.

I'm coming up with ideas."

announcer: Mark Atkinson for "The Power Agent."

Dad: Just be myself, basically.

Ah, Charlie, I don't know what to do.

I don't know what to do.

Charlie: You can act like a man.

announcer: Marc Sylwestrzak for "Reaching for Sky."

male: Yeah, I am.

Mallory: What are you doing here?

male: Mallory, I was worried about you.

Mallory: Well, I'm fine so you can go.

announcer: Randy Davison for "Limbo."

male: Grabbed a latte, stopped for that yellow light instead of speeding up.

Fifteen more minutes if you would have waited.

You could have saved yourself and us, frankly-- announcer: Shane Allen for "Limbo."

male: I'm just saying that it isn't entirely an honest living.

male: You think we're bad guys?

You think we're bad people?

male: Well, no.

male: Exactly.

Laura: And the winner is Manny Fernandes for "Polka."

Manny Fernandes: Thank you to the San Diego Film Consortium, thank you to Phillip and Christina and everybody else on the crew of "Polka."

I'd name you all but I'm sure I'd forget somebody.

Special thanks to Andy Brame who wrote and directed this piece.

Thank you for trusting me with this character, and thank you to my wife and children for always putting up with all these weird things that I do.

Laura: An actor's performance gives us a glimpse into a stranger's world a few minutes at a time.

Whether it's a story about falling in love or exploring a haunted house, these performances make the most of the old saying, "Do a lot with a little."

These are the nominees for Best Lead Actress in a Short Film.

announcer: The nominations for Best Lead Actress in a Short Film are Dana Powell for "To the Grave."

female: Hey, honey.

male: Hi.

female: I am ruining our son's childhood.

I've made these muffins a million times.

They're horrible, I don't know why.

announcer: Rachel Alig for "Wolf on A Leash."

female: Just do it, just do it.

female: Hello?

female: [screaming] announcer: Shelly Ro for "White Ink."

female: Yeah.

female: Congratulations.

female: I'm gonna go get my stuff.

female: I'll go get the beers.

announcer: Hannah Logan for "Reaching for Sky."

Mallory: Would it be so small and now I feel trapped and now I'm afraid, I'm afraid.

male: Everybody's afraid sometimes.

Mallory: [screaming] announcer: Beccy Quinn for "Phase."

Jessica: I'm sorry, but I am, and I was just someone before this who--it's not easy for me.

announcer: Cory Lynn Hammond for "Never Famous."

female: And he wanted me to audition for his latest film.

It felt like I had won the lottery.

And the approval was nice, my dad was an-- Laura: And the winner is Rachel Alig for "Wolf on A Leash."

Rachel Alig: I am honored to be able to call myself an actor and to make art with people like you.

To the entire cast and crew of "Wolf on A Leash," this award belongs to you as much as it does to me.

Thank you.

Sue Vicory: W.C. Fields famously said, "Never work with children or animals."

Daniel Holt: Oh-- Sue: It's sort of an unwritten rule in Hollywood.

male: Shut up, shut up.

Sue: But then again, Arnold Schwarzenegger made "Kindergarten Cop" and that movie is chock full of kids and animals.

It's awesome.

So every rule has its exceptions, and the next nominees are further proof.

The nominees for Best Child Actor are-- announcer: The nominations for Best Child Actor are Faithe Herman for "The Flourish."

Jasmine: I don't wanna hang.

I'm not scared of anyone like you.

male: Well, maybe you should be.

announcer: Gigi Fenner for "The Unauthorized Adventures of Mary-Ashley Olsen."

MKA FAN 4444: Cool screen name.

Ignore Little Bit, she's a dweep.

female: Cool, thanks, MKA FAN 4444. announcer: Charlie Krapf for "The Power Agent."

Dad: I dunno, maybe I need a new head shot.

Charlie: Your head shot is perfect.

I made it myself, you know?

When I first signed you, I saw something in you.

Daniel: And the winner is Faithe Herman for "The Flourish."

Faithe Herman: Thank you so much, San Diego Film Awards.

I am extremely honored to be presented with this award.

When Miss Shannon invited me to bring Jasmine alive, I was more than happy.

To film a movie in my city was so much fun and especially supporting Miss Shannon and the crew.

Jasmine's determination to follow her dreams and be the best no matter what, inspired me.

You're never too young to achieve greatness.

You have to believe in yourself and have faith.

Again, thank you so much and have an amazing night, everyone.

Merrick: Preparation, it's essential, especially for actors and auditions.

I mean, it can be tough to get through.

It can even be scary.

I mean, there might be lots of distractions, but once you go through the process, you know you're just gonna nail it.

♪♪♪ female: Thank you so much, San Diego.

Thank you.

♪♪♪ female: We are the super-volunteers.

female: Super-volunteers.

male: Film, the final frontier.

male: Here we go, eh, huh?

♪♪♪ Lori Jones: I'm here to audition.

I'm Lori Jones.

Do you know Lori Jones?

♪♪♪ female: You must let me explain.

Ah, I don't remember.

female: Wait, I have to audition?

Oh, no, I don't audition.

female: And scene.

male: Hey, man.

Jodi: As a film teacher, I spent over a decade teaching classes to rooms mostly filled with young men.

However, in the last two years, that's changed drastically, and I've seen a flood of young women enter my classroom, ready to be filmmakers.

The future of film is female.

The floodgates have opened.

Tonight, we're going to honor two powerful and influential women in our community.

First, we're honoring Sue Vicory.

Sue is a inspiration to the city and to so many of us.

Her steadfast support and dedication as a producer, director, mentor, and role model, is deeply appreciated by so many.

Although she supports us all, she particularly supports the women in our film community through creating spaces for female friendship and collaboration.

Because of her service and commitment to the ladies in our community, I'm proud to reveal that the Women in Film Award will now be called the Sue Vicory Women in Film Award in her honor.

And tonight, that award will be given out to another incredible woman in the San Diego film community.

She's a producer, writer, and the owner of local production company, American Dream Cinema.

She's a proud veteran of the U.S. Army, and she attended San Diego City College.

She's been working in the TV and film industry since 1981.

Her work has won many awards including San Diego Film Awards, Emmys, and Tellys.

I'm proud to present this year's Women in Film Award to Jeanne Scott.

Jeanne Scott: It's a huge honor to accept the Award of San Diego Women in Film, and I wanna thank the San Diego Film Awards very much for honoring me with this award.

I worked at San Diego in 1984.

First thing, I started doing stage managing for a brand new format show called "Shopping Channel."

But after that I've done tons of things and now I'm producing and doing films and I just wanna thank you very much for promoting women and recognizing us.

Thank you.

Sue: Oftentimes, it takes one person with a vision to change the world.

The My Power of One Award is given to someone in the film community who has selflessly inspired and empowered others.

This year I'd like to personally honor someone who served the San Diego Film Awards for five consecutive years.

He is a producer, a writer, and an editor, and he first joined the San Diego Film Awards in 2015 as associate producer and assistant director.

He stepped up to direct the show in 2019 at the amazing Parq Nightclub and was recognized with an Emmy nomination for directing by the Pacific Southwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

It is our pleasure to announce this year's winner of the My Power of One Award.

Daniel: Joe Castanho.

Joe Castanho: Wow, thank you, Sue, and thank you, Daniel.

I am honored and humble and happy to accept the My Power of One Award from Heartland Films for my work as director and producer of the San Diego Film Awards.

I can tell you, that was not done in a vacuum.

Hundreds of people put in thousands of hours of work.

I'm proud to have led the team, I'm proud of the shows we've put together.

I'm proud of all the filmmakers who submitted a film for an award.

I'm impressed by all the films that were nominated and I admire the filmmakers who put together a piece of art worthy of the San Diego Film Awards.

Thank you, Sue Vicory, and thank you, Jodi Cilley, for entrusting me with the show all these years, and especially, thanks to my wife, Lilly, who supports and encourages me to come out and play with you bunch of crazies.

Nancy Worlie: At the GI Film Festival San Diego we tell truthful stories of what is happening in our world.

Films are often a response to those real-world events.

Having said that, it's no surprise that some of the most influential films and movements have been born from massive conflicts.

World War I gave us German expressionism.

World War II gave us Italian neo-realism, and conflicts like Vietnam and the Iraq War gave us "Platoon," "Full Metal Jacket," and "The Hurt Locker."

While many like to escape reality, presenting the truth on film is equally, if not more, important today.

These are the nominees for Best Short Documentary.

announcer: The nominees for Best Short Documentary are Bill Wisneski for "The Roads Most Traveled: Photojournalist Don Bartletti."

male: It was like something you can't even imagine in a movie.

announcer: Ron Major for "American Refugee."

male: From extremist people came a grace that they convey.

They paint it in white and they send a message to me saying, "Don't do that again."

announcer: Jared Jacobsen for "Mike's Words."

There's no pill you can take for social issues.

I mean, everyone feels different, but when you're so obviously-- announcer: Alexis Spradic for "The Last Harvest."

male: Beautifully grown and we just couldn't get 'em picked.

male: [speaking foreign language] Nancy: And the winner is Bill Wisneski for "The Roads Most Traveled: Photojournalist Don Bartletti."

Bill Wisneski: It was truly an honor for all of us at Palomar to be able to tell Don's amazing story.

You know, his work is a great example of the power of a photograph to be able to cause us to feel humanity for another.

A photograph can inspire us to take action to improve the world we live in.

Don would tell you that we need photojournalists now more than ever to shed light on those important issues which often lurk in the darkness.

We appreciate so much you honoring us with this award.

Thank you.

Antonio Iannotta: Right out of World War II the Italian neorealist directors had to create in a country that was in ruins.

With their cities and studios destroyed, and their country in deep recession, these mostly veteran directors radically changed their approach to filmmaking by shooting in the streets, casting non-professional actors, and telling unfiltered stories of real people in postwar Italy.

They gave birth to true guerilla filmmaking and their films inspired new faith in the artistic, cultural, and humane quality of Italian cinema.

The spirit of these trailblazers lives on in the directors we see here tonight.

The nominees for Best New Director are-- announcer: The nominations for Best First-time Director are Troy Paul Bloom for "A Rehearsal."

Claire: Do you love me?

male: Put it down, Claire.

Claire: I said, "Do you love me?"

male: Jesus!

Claire: Aghh!

[gun firing] announcer: Leah Lombos for "Let's Eat."

male: [speaking foreign language] announcer: Brendan Milove for "It's Ya Boi."

male: I love burritos.

I just can't bring myself to do it again.

Where is everyone?

♪♪♪ announcer: Carla Nell for "The Unauthorized Adventures of Mary-Ashley Olsen."

female: Yup, she's a faker of fakes.

female: You guys, it's true.

I'm not Mary-Ashley Olsen.

announcer: Bradley Dunn for "Tick."

♪♪♪ Antonio: And the winner is Bradley Dunn for "Tick."

Bradley Dunn: Hi guys.

Just wanted to say thank you to the San Diego Film Awards, the whole organization, everyone who put this on and is putting this event together.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate the nomination and the award.

This short film was my first one.

I directed and edited it, and it was so much fun to be able to dig into this project and be a part from the very beginning to the very end.

I just wanna thank my crew.

Without you guys, it would not have happened.

It took an army and it took a lot of people who believed in me, who believed in the vision, who believed in the project, who donated their time and their effort.

And just wanna say thanks to my crew and my family and, again, to the San Diego Film Awards.

Antonio: Inspired by cinema from around the world, a new generation of French filmmakers, some of them film critics, rejected what they consider unimaginative films being churned out at the time in France.

Their solution?

Make up their own rules and tell stories in ways never before seen on the silver screen.

French new wave films changed the world forever and put forward the idea of the director as auteur, the concept that the director was the artist whose vision was being brought to life.

Tonight, we look at our own auteurs, perhaps tomorrow's iconic filmmakers.

The nominees for best directing in a short film are-- announcer: The nominees for Best Director are Kimberly Weinberger for "Phase."

female: Really translated to expand within.

So what are we doing?

As humans, we instinctually look for polarity.

So today, you are-- announcer: Andrew Brame for "Polka."

♪♪♪ announcer: Jacqueline Grajales for "White Ink."

Sophie: You're in love with him and that's why you don't want me to marry him.

Lou: I am not in love with George.

Sophie: Then what is it?

Lou: Sophie, just drop it.

Sophie: No, why don't you support-- announcer: Michael Brueggemeyer for "The Perfect Life."

female: Sorry.

female: Betty, take it easy, okay?

She's in a delicate condition.

male: No, I'd actually like to talk about this.

I don't understand how-- female: I'm sorry.

announcer: Luke McCain and Ryan Knight for "Wolf on A Leash."

♪♪♪ Antonio: And the winner is Luke McCain and Ryan Knight for "Wolf on A Leash."

male: All right, thank you so much.

As two local guys who met in elementary school and made our first films in high school here, and then we went on to study film in college here in San Diego to win this award at the San Diego Film Festival, it really just makes it incredibly special.

We love this city and we wanna keep telling stories here.

male: Just wanna thank our families, our friends, and the entire production team for all their support in everything that we do.

Thank you again for this really awesome award.

We're insanely proud of it.

♪♪♪ Merrick: Yeah, the San Diego red carpet is a little bit different than the L.A. red carpets.

I mean, it's not all the glitz and glamour but, you know what?

We make up for it in camaraderie and spirit.

You know, it can be quite a party and you don't wanna miss it.

Ken Gora: This is Ken Gora.

I'm at the San Diego Film Awards talent auditions at the fabulous Parq Nightclub.

We're about to meet these superstars on our very own red carpet.

Could I have that red carpet please?

male: We good to go, baby.

Brian Hu: Throughout the history of film, are there more captivating shots than the ones that introduce us to the woodcutter in Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon"?

We see him as flashes of light and shadow, cast by leaves in a forest.

Or how about the work of the world's greatest contemporary cinematographer, Mark Lee Ping Bin, whose hypnotic slow motions and luscious colors have made films like "In the Mood for Love" amongst the most iconic of the century?

I could go on and on.

Cinematography summons the senses and the imagination.

We salute the cinematographers in San Diego that follow in the paths of these all-time greats.

The nominees for Best Cinematography are-- announcer: The nominees for Best Cinematography are Jamie Allender for "Wolf on A Leash."

[smoke alarm sounding] announcer: Tyler J. French for "Phase."

♪♪♪ ♪ If I found you, if I found you ♪ announcer: Ben Wilson for "Tick."

♪♪♪ announcer: Len Savage for "Reveal."

♪♪♪ ♪ 'Cause I've been searching for you for a lifetime ♪ ♪ I didn't wanna ♪ announcer: Ray Gallardo for "The Fifth of November."

♪♪♪ Brian: And the winner is Tyler J. French for "Phase."

Tyler: First of all, I would like to thank this film's incredible director, Kimmy Weinberger.

I take so much joy in photography and cinematography so to have a chance to be behind the camera on a project like this with this many moving pieces and this many great actors, is--it's a real, real pleasure.

So thank you, Kimmy.

And thank you to Jodi and the rest of the Film Consortium for this great honor and for doing everything that you do to bring this film community together.

Wedad Schlotte: Arabic screenwriters have been making a name for themselves in films for over 50 years.

From Baghdad to Casa Blanca, post colonial periods give rise to films that shed a light on gender, political, social, economic, and religious conflicts.

The first Arabic language film to ever be nominated for an Academy Award for screenwriting was "The Battle of Algiers" in 1969.

Today, we have witnessed a substantial rise in Arab women screenwriters who are artistically reshaping their identities in the act of protest with their films.

Film can play a crucial role at changing the world, because it's a universal language and the writers lead the way.

Here in San Diego, we honor writers from our community, who are already doing so.

The nominees for Best Writing are-- announcer: The nominations for Best Writing are Kimberly Weinberger for "Phase."

male: So listen to your body.

We are here if you have any problems or need any kind of support.

female: My assistant will lead you.

announcer: Luke McCain and Ryan Knight for "Wolf on A Leash."

female: You get to choose how you remember them, and this morning-- announcer: Carla Nell for "The Unauthorized Adventures of Mary-Ashley Olsen."

male: Besides, watching TV helps keep their mind off of things.

male: Eventually, you're gonna have to have a conversation.

announcer: Devon Scott for "The Man I Want to Be."

male: Would I bring to my father the most manly man on the planet?

I took what I thought was the easy way out.

announcer: Michael Brueggemeyer and Marianne Bates for "The Perfect Life."

male: What?

No, please you can't, no.

female: My sister will not have a Negro child.

She won't bring that-- announcer: Andrew Brame for "Polka."

♪♪♪ announcer: Christopher Lusti and Chris Cashman for "Leave 'Em Laughing."

male: Indian chiefs?

We could recreate civilization.

Wedad: And the winner is Luke McCain and Ryan Knight for "A Wolf on A Leash."

male: Thank you so much for this award for writing.

Two years ago we set out to make a unique film about how you remember someone after they're gone, and we're incredibly proud of what we created.

male: You know, we set out to do this, you know, our first time making a short film as a directing duo and as a writing duo and we're really excited with how it came out and glad that we, you know, did enough to win this award.

Ethan Van Thillo: Hollywood's made-for-profit movies are classified as first cinema.

Second cinema's Europe's esthetics-driven art films.

In the '60s and '70s, another classification of cinema emerged across Latin America and Africa.

Third cinema was a grassroots film movement led by those who were left voiceless by colonialism and capitalism.

Third cinema gave them a voice and their movies brought worldwide attention to the struggles unfolding across the continents.

Today, we honor and celebrate the stories of our own multi-ethnic and binational community.

This year, the Binational Award goes to filmmaker known for using the power of media to tell stories about unsung heroes whose lives inspire us.

An award-winning filmmaker, producer, social activist, and president of Espinosa Productions, we are proud to present this award to Paul Espinosa.

Paul Espinosa: My deepest thanks to the San Diego Film Consortium for this amazing honor.

There are so many people that I've had the opportunity to work with over the last 40 years, people on both sides of the border who've helped me to have a wonderful career.

I'd like to thank all of them along with the hundreds of individuals who've shared their stories with me from "The Lemon Grove Incident" to "The New Tijuana," from "The Hunt for Pancho Villa," to "In the Shadow of the Law."

I literally couldn't have made these films without the enormous trust that so many of these people placed in me to tell their stories.

Our binational region is a fantastic arena to be telling stories in, and I encourage all of the talented filmmakers out there to go out and capture the transformative energy of the men and women of our region.

John Decker: We believe in the power of story and film to educate, inspire, and create change.

Not just internationally, but locally.

For over 60 years, KPBS has been a partner to the community, created specifically to provide voice to those without power and report on the whole fascinating range of human activity.

We are especially proud to have partnered with the Film Consortium for seven years now in helping you tell that story.

San Diego's filmmakers document our city, educate us on the challenges our own communities face, and help us celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of our people and our communities.

The nominees for Best Documentary Feature Film are-- announcer: The nominations for Best Documentary Feature are "One More Win" by Amy Lerner.

male: You must first finish.

male: Rodney Hall and Larry Minor cross the finish line with a new record for four-wheel drive vehicles.

Rod Hall: My name is Rod Hall.

announcer: "Singing Our Way to Freedom," by Paul Espinosa.

male: I'm proud [inaudible].

Proud because I have survived cultural denials and attacks on my soul.

announcer: "Libertas" by Mark Vizcarra.

male: But I go into a tavern, all smashed up, broken glass.

There was--there was nothing.

announcer: "Chèche Lavi, Looking for Life," by Sam Ellison.

♪♪♪ announcer: "The City's Champions," by David Pradel.

♪♪♪ John: And the winner is Amy Lerner for "One More Win."

Amy Lerner: Wow, what an honor.

Thank you so much to the San Diego Film Awards.

I'd like to say thank you as well to my co-director, Richard Heeley, our editor, David Arshadi, directors of photography, Rupert Smith and Robert Angelo, and our creative director, Iain Greenway, as well as everyone who worked on the film and put up with 16-hour days down the Baja Peninsula, a ton of dust, all kinds of other things.

We did it!

Thank you so much.

Merrick: I feel the need.

The need for speed.

Merrick: I feel the need.

The need for speed.

Merrick: I feel the need.

The need for speed.

Merrick: Casting a film is tough and making the right decision can be critical to a film's success.

I mean, that's why producers and directors get paid the big bucks.

They might make it look easy but they have a whole methodical scientific process for making the right choices to bring their film to the height of success.

Check it out.

Shannon: Well, this is the moment of truth.

David: Should we wake Joe for this?

Jordan: Nah, poor guy's pretty tuckered out.

Sue: Well, to be honest, I thought all the acts were pretty good.

David: I agree.

I mean, some of them pretend to be my friends so I can't really be that impartial.

Shannon: What do you think?

Jordan: I don't know.

What do I know about talent?

I'm a writer.

Sue: I just wish we could choose all of them.

Shannon: Me too.

This is just such a big decision.

Jordan: Well, better you than me, I just don't wanna disappoint anybody.

David: I think you'd be used to that by now.

Jordan: You know what, tough guy?

I've had just about enough of your--now, are you happy, you woke up Joe?

Shh, it's okay, buddy, it's okay.

Joe: Let's get these auditions started, eh people?

Lazy punks.

Mark Christopher Lawrence: Acting is probably the most competitive business in the world.

Because for one thing, everyone thinks they can act.

If you wanna be a doctor, a lawyer, or compose music, society accepts the necessity for training.

But almost everyone thinks acting is easy.

Well, it ain't.

And tonight's actors are living proof of how far dedication to your craft can make you stand out in the crowd.

These are the nominees for Best Lead Actor in a Feature Film.

announcer: The nominations for Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film are Nick Young for "Friend of the World."

Gore: Far better outcome, if you ask me.

Gore: And fate has narrowed it down to-- announcer: Mark Anthony Cox for "Simple Twist."

Mike Chance: And I love you.

[car horn] Mike: And I love your mom more than anyone on this planet, including you, will ever know.

announcer: Carr Cavender for "To Hell and Gone."

male: You shouldn't have messed with me, man.

male: Oh, yeah, why is that?

Mark: And the winner is Carr Cavender for "To Hell and Gone."

Carr Cavender: Hey, everybody.

Carr Cavender here.

What an honor to win this award.

I loved playing the character of the stranger in "To Hell and Gone," and I'm so glad everyone enjoyed the character and enjoyed the movie.

Thank you to Film Consortium San Diego and thank you so much to everyone who voted for me.

It's an honor.

So, thank you so much.

I hope everyone has a wonderful summer and we'll see you guys next year.

Merrick: Ooh, anticipation.

You memorized your lines, you went through the preparation, you went to the audition.

You nailed it, and now you're just waiting to hear that call that you got the part.

Sue: Well, that's just it.

You were so good, we were afraid you'd outshine the other performers.

And that's what I call the power of one.

Jordan: Mark, what do you want me to tell you?

It wasn't my decision to make.

Yeah, well, I don't care for your attitude either.

You know, this is why you're not booking gigs.

David: No, you didn't get the part.

Randy, are you crying?

There's no crying at the Film Awards.

Shannon: I know, I'm so, so sorry.

David: Stop, stop crying.

Shannon: Okay, just between us, I want to hire you but David refused.

You know how he can be.

David: You, stop crying!

Merrick: Okay, so you didn't book the part, but that's fine.

You worked hard, you persevere, and you will get there because there's no such thing as an overnight success.

When you're walking across the stage, accepting that award, moments like this are what it's all for.

Mark: It has been said that great actors do very little acting at all.

They simply reveal themselves to the world.

These are the nominees for Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film.

announcer: The nominations for Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film are Noor Razooky for "Continuance."

♪♪♪ announcer: Denice Riddle for "Becoming Lola."

female: So much I can feel it in my soul and making people laugh just makes my day.

announcer: Susan Gayle Watts for "To Hell and Gone."

female: What you running from, but if you all ain't on the same page now, the immediate future don't look too bright.

Mark: And the winner is Susan Gayle Watts for "To Hell and Gone."

Susan Gayle Watts: First, I'd like to thank Kyle Moore for writing such a wonderful script.

Wonderful for all.

I'd like to thank Carr Cavender for producing the film; the other actors, especially Robert Graham Morgan.

He was amazing to play with.

And most of all, I'd like to thank the crew.

They worked so hard in that Arizona heat.

It was wonderful working and playing with all of you guys.

Thank you.

Mark: They say the more the merrier, and they're not mistaken.

When you multiply the energy of an actor willing to give everything on set, you can be sure your film will be packed with interesting dynamics in the story you want to tell.

These are the nominees for Best Ensemble Cast.

announcer: The nominees for Best Ensemble Cast are "The Perfect Life."

♪♪♪ ♪ I like the beach or in the sun ♪ ♪ The two of us will have some fun ♪ ♪ Sipping drinks down by the shore, well ♪ announcer: "It's Ya Boi."

Trev: Boy Trev.

Alex B, Vicky B. Vicky: [inaudible] Vicky, you know me.

Trev: Chesser, Mack.

Mack: Yo, follow me on Twitch.

Every time I get a kill on "Fortnite," my gross sister has to burp the name of one of my-- announcer: "Reveal."

Gary: When I am born, will I wear pink or blue?

Where am I?

female: In the closet, Uncle Gary.

female: Okay, let's go, guys, c'mon, everybody-- announcer: "Entrenched: Prologue."

female: But she already has another handsome [inaudible] announcer: "The Unauthorized Adventures of Mary-Ashley Olsen."

male: Time to sign the kids up again for Little League.

male: Mm-hm.

male: Who's in this year, huh?

Should be a great team.

I heard the coach is-- announcer: "Tech Week."

♪♪♪ ♪ Noises ♪ ♪ There's so much stuff to see during Tech ♪ ♪ I like the sounds and noises ♪ ♪ There's so much stuff to see during Tech ♪ Mark: And the winner is "The Perfect Life."

Christyn Chandler: On behalf of the amalgamated Grommets.

Shannon Taylor: We all sincerely wanna thank you for this award.

Charles Maze: We especially want to thank all the cast, crew, family, and locally owned businesses that supported us during the shoot.

Christyn: And we couldn't have done it without you.

Shannon: We couldn't have, we just won an award so thank you.

Christyn: Thank you.

Connie Charelli: Oh my goodness.

What an amazing moment.

Thank you, everyone, so much.

This was easily one of the best casting crews I have ever worked with, I love you all.

Congratulations and thank you.

Lisa Winans: Thank you, San Diego Film Awards.

"The Perfect Life" has a perfect team, and I was absolutely honored to be a part of it.

Charles: This is my first film with the Grommets and, to be honest, I'm not exactly sure what an amalgamated Grommet is, but I think they're awesome.

Jodi: As history has shown us, out of disaster and darkness often comes incredible filmmaking.

Creativity survives and, in fact, thrives in the face of adversity and, tonight, we recognize the filmmakers of San Diego that embody that ethos.

I've personally had the honor of helping to build San Diego's film community for nearly a decade and I'm so proud of what we are becoming.

Through the hard work and dedication of hundreds of people, we have built a new film community that continues to grow and thrive.

Tonya Mantooth: As we look to the future, we wanna find ways to all come together, to support each other, and to continue to create and help build a community you and I are proud to be a part of.

To our local film community, we want you to know that we're finding new ways to support you.

San Diego International Film Festival and Film Consortium San Diego are joining forces to support our local filmmakers to help build our own emerging industry.

Together, we're creating opportunities to have your voices heard worldwide.

Peter Preston: A great short film can be a flash of brilliance.

These stories give us a glimpse into the lives of different people and characters from all walks of life.

female: I'm getting married.

Peter: Then the film ends, short and sweet.

We go about our day, yet we may find ourselves remembering these stories days, weeks, or even years later.

Sometimes, it only takes a few minutes to leave a lasting impression.

The nominees for Best Short Film are-- announcer: The nominations for Best Short Film are "Polka" by 2010 Productions.

♪♪♪ announcer: "The Perfect Life" by the Amalgamated Grommets.

female: --it had to do with our careers, you couldn't give a damn, but when you bring a mixed baby into the world.

male: This is what you want?

female: I don't know what I want.

male: I love you.

female: I love you.

announcer: "Leave 'em Laughing" by Northside Pictures.

male: I'm not myself tonight.

male: I'm not myself tonight.

male: I woke up this morning with my head on my pillow.

announcer: "Phase" by Second Sister Films.

female: I feel powerful.

♪♪♪ announcer: "Wolf on A Leash" by Tribal Films Inc. ♪♪♪ [screaming] announcer: "It's Ya Boi" by the Swell Boys.

♪♪♪ Peter: And the winner is "Wolf on A Leash" by Tribal Films Incorporated.

male: Thank you so very much.

Best Film is an incredible honor.

There were such great, great films in this category.

We are so honored.

Thank you to our entire production team, to our actors and actresses for the long days on set.

Yeah, thank you to everyone, our friends, our family.

male: Thank you so much, guys.

You know, we can't believe that we won this.

This is the big one, you know.

This was something that we're so passionate about and for us to win this award means the world to us.

Thanks again.

male: We're so honored, thank you.

male: Love you, Caitlin.

Tonya: By the time an audience sees a feature film on screen, thousands of hours of work from hundreds of people have already been invested.

Tonight, we wanna shine a light on the San Diego filmmakers who've taken that ultimate challenge of long-format feature and conquered it.

We're here to celebrate all of the hundreds of people and thousands of hours of work.

The nominees for Best Feature Film are-- announcer: The nominations for Best Narrative Feature are "To Hell and Gone" by Aravaipa Productions.

male: Ten, nine.

announcer: "Simple Twist" by Shane Allen and Motive Force Productions.

male: You need to teach me your style.

Need to start popping.

It's for my kid.

male: Yeah?

male: Ballroom dancing's on Sundays.

announcer: "Friend of the World" by Brian Butler.

female: You save anybody?

It seems a little empty down here.

male: This sector is reserved for the elite.

Tonya: And the winner is "To Hell and Gone" by Aravaipa Productions.

Carr: Hey, everybody.

Carr Cavender here, producer of "To Hell and Gone."

Thank you so much for this award.

Winning Best Feature--Narrative Feature is super-special.

I really wanna thank Film Consortium San Diego for the opportunity and everyone who voted for us.

So glad you guys enjoyed the movie and so glad to be part of this awards ceremony.

Thank you so much and we'll see you guys next year.

Merrick: Wow, what a wonderful night.

We have reached what we call in the film business the end of the line.

Thanks so much to the amazing presenters and congratulations to the wonderful and talented filmmakers.

As for me, I'm gonna get back to what I miss most: this.

Remember this?

And this?

And, ooh, my God, this?

Remember this?

And shushing, remember shushing?

Yes, yes!

Shush you too!

I miss this!

♪♪♪ female announcer: Support for this program comes from the KPBS Explorer Local Content Fund, supporting new ideas and programs for San Diego.