Shared Earth Foundation Award for Advocacy
Established for the 2014 Festival, this award recognizes a film that inspires advocacy in response to a compelling environmental challenge. The award includes a $10,000 cash prize.
Winner: TIGRE GENTE
A Bolivian park ranger and a young Hong Kongese journalist risk their lives to investigate a new, deadly jaguar trade that’s sweeping South America. Along the way, they grapple with questions of empathy, responsibility, and bridging a cultural gap to prevent the jaguar trade from spiraling out of control.
Directed by Elizabeth Unger
(USA, 2021, 86 min.)
Read more about this award here.
William W. Warner Beautiful Swimmers Award
Established by the Warner/Kaempfer family for the 2015 Festival in memory of author William W. Warner, this award recognizes a film that reflects a spirit of reverence for the natural world. The award includes a $10,000 cash prize.
Winner: BEANS
Twelve-year-old Beans is on the edge: torn between innocent childhood and delinquent adolescence; forced to grow up fast to become the tough Mohawk warrior she needs to be during the Indigenous uprising known as The Oka Crisis, which tore Quebec and Canada apart for 78 tense days in the summer of 1990.
Directed by Tracey Deer
(USA, 2020, 92 min.)
Read more about this award here.
Eric Moe Award for Best Short on Sustainability
Founded in 2013 by Julia and Richard Moe in memory of their son, Eric, to honor his strong interest in film and commitment to sustainability, this award recognizes a short film that best captures efforts to balance the needs of humans and nature. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize.
Winner: BREAKING TRAIL
Emily Ford sets out with Diggins, a borrowed Alaskan Husky sled dog, to become the first woman and person of color to thru-hike the 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail in winter. As the 69-day journey through subzero temperatures tests her physical and mental endurance, Emily and her canine protector develop an unbreakable bond as they embrace the unexpected kindness of strangers and discover they’ve become figureheads in the movement to make the outdoors more accessible for everyone.
Directed by Jesse Roesler
(USA, 2021, 30 min.)
Read more about this award here.
Flo Stone & Roger D. Stone Award for Outstanding Artistry in Filmmaking
With generous support from the Farvue Foundation and Wallace Genetic Foundation, we are pleased to present this award for the first time as part of our 30th Anniversary Festival! With this Award, we honor DCEFF Founder Flo Stone, as well as both Flo and Roger’s enthusiasm and passion for originality and innovation in filmmaking, while also providing the resources necessary to advance the careers of emerging filmmakers who push the boundaries of what film can accomplish.
Winner: Sara Dosa (Director, FIRE OF LOVE)
Winner: Sara Dosa (Director, FIRE OF LOVE)Katia and Maurice Krafft loved two things — each other and volcanoes. For two decades, the daring French volcanologist couple roamed the planet, chasing eruptions, documenting their discoveries. Ultimately, they lost their lives in a 1991 volcanic explosion, leaving a legacy that forever enriched our knowledge of the natural world. Director Sara Dosa and the filmmaking team fashion a lyrical celebration of the intrepid scientists’ spirit of adventure, drawing from the Kraffts’ spectacular archive. Fire of Love tells a story of primordial creation & destruction, following two bold explorers as they venture into the unknown, all for the sake of love.
Directed by Sara Dosa
(USA, 2022, 93 min.)