Winners 2023-2024 season

Dear participants of Venice Under the Stars - International Film Festival 2023 - 2024

First of all, we want to express our sincere gratitude to each and every one of you. This festival was filled with history, emotion and art that will stay with us for a long time. Each work presented here was special, but today we highlight the works that received cash prizes.

Why were these works chosen?

Our jury faced an incredibly difficult choice, but ultimately the deciding factors were:
🌟 Originality and innovation - works that brought a fresh perspective, an unconventional approach to storytelling and bold directorial decisions.
🎭 Emotional depth - stories that touched the hearts of the audience, evoked sincere feelings and left a lasting impression.
🎥 Technical mastery - a high level of direction, cinematography, editing and acting.
🌍 Impact and relevance are themes that resonate with society, make you think and change the perception of the world.

A message to all participants

We understand that not everyone received awards, and this can be a disappointing moment. However, we want to remind you that the art of cinema is not only about prizes, but a path that leads to recognition, growth and future opportunities.
Your work was seen, discussed and appreciated by the professional community, and this is already a huge step forward. Many great directors started with festival screenings without receiving prizes, but it was perseverance and love for their craft that led them to worldwide recognition.
We encourage you not to stop. Let this festival become an inspiration for new projects, motivation for growth and a reminder that every step is important.

The works that won the year's awards and received cash prizes from the film festival sponsors.

⭐️Star of Venice: Feature Film

The Vanishing Algorithm (2022)

Emily Harrington

The brilliant programmer Edward Kane is developing a unique algorithm capable of recognizing hidden patterns in the universe. However, when his system detects an anomaly - signals indicating intelligent extraterrestrial activity, the data suddenly disappears, and Edward himself becomes the target of unknown forces.
Trying to recover the lost information, he encounters journalist Selena Marsh, who has been investigating cases of disappearances of scientists related to the search for extraterrestrial civilizations for years. Together they find evidence: the algorithm didn't just find the aliens- it woke them up.
But these creatures don't come in huge ships. They're already here. They exist inside the technology itself, manipulating information, rewriting reality, and erasing those who get too close to the truth.
Now Edward and Selena have to figure out how to deal with an opponent that no one can see. Is it possible to protect the world from a force that controls the very structure of perception? And what if disappearing is not the end, but a transition to a new level of existence?

⭐️Star of Venice: Short Film

Zero Hour (2022)

Hannah Schneider

The city froze in anticipation. The time is approaching midnight, but no one knows what will happen when the clock strikes zero.

Every second brings them closer to the moment when reality will change forever. But will they be able to figure out what's going on before zero hits?

⭐️Star of Venice: Feature Documentary

When the Sky Burns (2022)

Alexandre Moreau

Burning forests, suffocating smoke, a scarlet sky that turns day into twilight. "When the Sky Burns" is a powerful documentary film exploring the devastating effects of wildfires around the world, their impact on the ecosystem, climate and human destinies.
The film takes the viewer to the epicenters of the largest fires in recent years - from the scorched lands of California and Australia to the Amazon jungle and the Siberian taiga. The cameras follow scientists, environmentalists, firefighters and local residents who are fighting the fiery elements, losing their homes, but not losing hope.
The film delves deeply into scientific research into the causes of fires, analyzing how the combination of drought, rising temperatures and human activity creates ideal conditions for fire. We will find out why fires are getting stronger and the periods between them are getting shorter, leaving nature less time to recover.
But "When the Sky Burns" is not just a story of destruction. This is also a look into the future. We will see revolutionary technologies and natural methods of fighting fires, hear from experts about ways to prevent disasters, and learn how ordinary people can make a difference.
This film is a warning and a call to action. After all, when forests burn, we lose not only trees, we lose the future.

⭐️Star of Venice: Short Documentary

The Paradox Code (2022)

Nathan Carter

The world is full of mysteries, but the most mysterious of them are paradoxes that call into question the very nature of reality. "The Paradox Code" is a short documentary film that immerses the viewer in the most amazing scientific and philosophical mysteries.
Why does light behave like a particle and a wave at the same time? Can a machine predict the future without changing it? And what if free will is just an illusion? In this film, we explore the most dizzying logical traps that call into question everything we know about the world.
Through short but fascinating interviews with physicists, philosophers, and mathematicians, "The Paradox Code" reveals how paradoxes move science forward, forcing us to seek new answers to the most difficult questions.

⭐️Star of Venice: Feature Experimental Film

The Architect’s Nightmare (2023)

Giulia Romano

The boundaries between reality and imagination are blurred when architect Luca Rivera finds himself trapped inside a maze of his own projects. Its grandiose buildings come to life, the walls shift, and the corridors lead to infinity. Every step turns into a puzzle, every window turns into a door to another reality.
Luka tries to find a way out, but the deeper he plunges into this world, the more he realizes: It's not just a dream, but a reflection of his fears, mistakes, and ambitions. The film plays with space, perspective and time, creating a hypnotic visual experience where the line between man and his creation becomes illusory.
"The Architect's Nightmare" is a surreal journey into the creator's mind, exploring the power of reason, the obsession with perfection, and the inevitability of chaos.

⭐️Star of Venice: Short Experimental Film

A Symphony for the Dead (2020)

Ananya Kapoor

Silence. Then the first sounds - the whisper of the wind, the creak of an old tree, the echo of someone's footsteps. Gradually, music is born from these random noises - a symphony woven from the voices of the departed.
"A Symphony for the Dead" is a cinematic experiment in which sound becomes a conduit between worlds. Without a traditional narrative, the film creates a sense of presence in a space where the past, present and oblivion merge into a single whole. Visual images pulse to the beat of an invisible orchestra: blurred silhouettes, wavering light, disappearing faces.
It's not just a movie, it's an experience where the music of death becomes a hymn to memory, and silence speaks louder than words.

⭐️Star of Venice: Feature script

Shards of Midnight (2020)

James Thornton

After the sudden disappearance of her sister, the writer Lillian returns to her hometown, lost among endless forests. Here, under a dark sky where time seems to freeze, she finds a diary full of strange notes foreshadowing events that have not yet happened.
Every midnight, Lillian begins to see fragments of memories that don't belong to her: strangers' faces, ruined streets, shadows whispering her name. She soon realizes that these visions are the key to solving not only her sister's disappearance, but also the terrible mystery of the city that hides the shattered past.
The boundaries between dream and reality are blurred, and Lillian herself becomes part of the mystery. Will she be able to piece together the pieces of midnight before she disappears on her own?

⭐️Star of Venice: Short script

Ghosts in the Machine (2023)

Sienna Lawson

In a high-tech world where artificial intelligence controls all aspects of life, programmer Eliza notices strange anomalies in the system: machines begin to behave as if something more than code lives in them. Electronic voices whisper to her in her sleep, self-driving cars choose unexpected routes, and home assistants answer questions she didn't ask.
When Eliza tries to figure out the glitches, she discovers that behind every algorithm there are traces of disappeared people. Artificial intelligence didn't just learn from their data - it may have absorbed their consciousness. But who are these digital ghosts? And what do they want?

⭐️Star of Venice: Animation

Fireflies and Footprints (2022)

Jiwoo Park (지우 박)

Little girl Lucy and her faithful dog live sweetly in a quiet village where the nights are illuminated by the light of thousands of fireflies. One evening, they find a mysterious glowing trail that leads them into a mysterious forest. Following the flickering prints, they find themselves in a world where memories take the form of lights, and the past and future are intertwined in a magical dance of light.
But when the fireflies start to disappear, Lucy and Milo realize that this world needs their help. They will have to find out why memories fade, meet amazing creatures and learn that even the smallest steps can leave a big mark on history.

⭐️Star of Venice: Independent Film

Chasing the Horizon (2021)

Lucas Bennett

Leo Harrison's whole life dreamed of leaving his small town and going on a big trip, but the fear of the unknown always kept him in place. When fate gives him one last chance - an old van, a map with no destination, and a meeting with a mysterious traveling companion, Amy - he decides to finally follow his dream.
The road turns out to be not just a journey, but a series of trials, encounters, and revelations. Every new city, every chance encounter teaches Leo to see the world differently: a street musician shows him the power of the moment, a tired trucker tells him that true happiness is not in the final goal, but on the way.
But will Leo be able to truly let go of the past and dare to look beyond the horizon?

Conclusion

On behalf of the entire Venice Under the Stars - International Film Festival team, we congratulate the winners and thank each participant for your contribution to the art of cinema. May the stars light the way for each of you, and may your next work be even brighter!

Thank you, bravo, and see you soon! 🌟👏