Coast Film & Music Festival Announces Sixth Annual Event Awards; Coast Film Foundation Confers MacGillivray Freeman Environmental Awards
Laguna Beach, CA (December 10, 2024)—The Coast Film & Music Festival (CFMF) is pleased to announce the awards for the sixth annual event, held across multiple venues in Laguna Beach, CA, from November 9-17. The film committee watched over 400 films this year to get to the 80 great movies included in this year’s festival.
"The caliber of submissions this year was extraordinary, showcasing powerful storytelling from environmental conservation to cultural preservation. We're honored to have shared these films with our audiences and proud to recognize these outstanding works. Congratulations to all the filmmakers - your vision and craft continue to inspire us, and we look forward to welcoming you back to CFMF next year," said Ben Warner, co-founder of Coast Film & Music Festival.
The winners are:
The Best Feature Award went to Brendan Bellomo and Slava Leontyev's Porcelain War. This powerful documentary follows three Ukrainian artists defending their culture during the Russian invasion. Armed with cameras, guns, and their art, they transform tragedy into beauty through porcelain sculptures, capturing their hopes and defiance amid war's destruction.
The Audience Choice Award went to TGR's Todd Jones and Clayton Vila’s Falling into Place: The Kai Jones Story, the Southern California Premier. Born into Teton Gravity Research, Kai Jones became a pro skier at twelve. After earning four consecutive Skier of the Year nominations, he suffered a near-fatal backcountry injury at sixteen. The film chronicles his challenging journey back to the mountain.
The Best Short went to Joshua Canon's Mama's Sundry. Artists Bertram Williams and Talibah Safiya combat food desert conditions in South Memphis through their neighborhood garden initiative, Mama's Sundry. Their collaborative movement demonstrates how art and agriculture can unite to nurture sustainable community change.
The Spirit Award went to Ben Sturgulewski's Champions of the Golden Valley. In remote Afghan villages, young athletes from rival ethnic groups discover a shared passion for skiing. When their country collapses and many become refugees, these skiers must draw on lessons learned in their homeland's mountains to rebuild their lives.
The Stoke Award went to Nicholas Maher's You and That Thing You Love. Nick Mullins, a teenage skater on the verge of turning pro, loses his sight after a seemingly benign accident leads to catastrophic illness. The film chronicles his incredible fight to reclaim his passion and life.
The WaveMaker Award went to John Shenk and Bonni Cohen's In Waves and War. The film follows Navy SEAL Marcus Capone's journey from battlefield trauma to healing through groundbreaking psychedelic therapy. Supported by his wife Amber, their experience leads them to help other veterans while Stanford research illuminates the path from warfare to wellness.
The Cultural Maverick Award went to Ben McQueen's Let It Kill You: The Arto Saari Story. Skateboarding legend Arto Saari reflects on his 25-year career and bold life transitions, from Finnish prodigy to skating icon, as he relocates his family to Oahu's North Shore to pursue surfing and photography.
The MacGillivray Freeman Environmental Filmmaker of the Year Award went to Lindsey Hagen's Oyster. In Cape Cod, the Massachusetts Oyster Project combats nitrogen pollution through shell recycling. By diverting oyster shells from landfills to support new oyster growth, the program helps restore and maintain thriving coastal ecosystems.
The MacGillivray Freeman Environmental Filmmaker of the Year Runner-Up Award went to Amy Bowers Cordalis’ Undammed.
The MacGillivray Freeman Environmental Filmmaker of the Year Honorable Mention went to Dominic and Nadia Gill's Planetwalker. After a 1971 San Francisco Bay oil spill, John Francis gave up motorized transport and took a vow of silence, walking across America for seventeen years. His remarkable journey revealed how human connections lie at the heart of ecological awareness.
Award winners will receive cash prizes alongside a unique, handcrafted trophy created by World Champion Bodysurfer and artist Mark Cunningham. These distinctive awards feature elements personally collected by Cunningham from the ocean floors of Hawaii and beyond. Each piece is sustainably sourced and carefully transported to Laguna Beach, embodying both artistic excellence and environmental responsibility.
About Coast Film & Music Festival
Coast Film & Music Festival, founded in Laguna Beach, California in 2019, is an annual celebration of outdoor-inspired cinema, culture, and community. CFMF's diverse programming includes films, panels, music, art, and outdoor experiences designed to entertain, inform, and inspire audiences. The festival is committed to nurturing young filmmakers and sharing unique voices through innovative mentoring and educational programs. In 2022, they established the Coast Film Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to purpose-driven filmmaking that drives positive change through storytelling.
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