Sheldon Woodson is a USN Veteran who served in the military for 24 years and a former realty specialist with the Federal Government who served for 8 years. He’s earned an honorary doctorate in filmmaking, a master’s degree in business management, and a bachelor’s degree in business marketing. He’s a writer, producer, director, editor, and everything else in between when it comes to filmmaking. He’s published three fiction novels and one self-help book. His will to achieve the highest levels of his endeavors is his greatest asset. He started Woodson’s World Studios to make films for various distribution formats to educate via entertainment.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
Coming from a strict religious family, I couldn’t go to movies. It was considered “worldly.” I graduated at 17, left home for college, and decided I would go to hell by seeing a film at the theater. I was blown away. Right then, I decided I wanted to write books that would become screenplays, and eventually films.
-Tell us about your project “The Model, The Mannequin, and Me”.
The MM&M is about a group of fashion designers who are supposed to be working as a team to achieve a big commission from an investor to design clothes. The designers slowly go missing due to simply coming in contact with a misplaced military mannequin developed by the Chinese as an experiment.
-Which Director inspires you the most?
If I’m being honest, it would be John Carpenter’s early work, with movies like “They Live,” “The Thing,” and “Assault on Precinct 13.” However, based on the film business, I admire Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, and Tyler Perry. Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Robert Rodriguez, and John Woo represent the art of film. There are so many more, but these are my top.
-What do you dislike about the world, and what would you change?
Clubism. The brightest light rarely gets seen due to suspension. The world has become a place where if you didn’t go to this school, belong to this club, or are a part of this race of people, you don’t get to be seen. This goes for nepotism, favoritism, religion, and political beliefs. What happened to working hard for something and being rewarded based on your labor? There’s a lot more to this, but I’ll stop here.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
Total immersion, somewhat like cosplay. You step into the theater, put on a device, and you’re in the film. You feel the wind, waves, and heat of an exploding building. You can join the side of the good or bad guy and live or die based on the direction of the script. i.e., no real harm will come to the viewer/participant. Those not going to the theater can experience the same thing with a built-in unit.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
WILD FILMMAKER offers opportunities to be seen, selected, and awarded by the best of the best in the film industry. It provides validation that you, as a filmmaker, are in the right place and time. And if you keep moving forward, the public will notice you, the gods of film will assist you, and the world will watch and be inspired by you.
BEST INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL SHORT FILM, BEST ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY, BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER & BEST PRODUCER
Something ain’t right
By Susan Downs
BEST ARTHOUSE DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR & BEST ORIGINAL INDIE FILMMAKER
Homeless Street Artist
By Tysen Knight
BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR, BEST CAMERA OPERATOR & BEST PRODUCTION COMPANY (Category: Documentary Short)
Déjà Vu On The Ledge
By R. Scott MacLeay
BEST ARTHOUSE EXPERIMENTAL FILM, BEST ORIGINAL FILMMAKER & BEST PRODUCER (Category: Experimental Film)
Downriver
By Andrea Boll
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CHOREOGRAPHER, BEST DANCE MOVIE, BEST SOUND DESIGN & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: International Dance Movie)
Can’t Figure It Out
By R. Scott MacLeay
BEST EXPERIMENTAL EDITING, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST EXPERIMENTAL SCREENPLAY
Virulence
By Christopher Pennington
BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST INTERNATIONAL ORIGINAL INDIE SCREENWRITER
Sundown In Beaver Creek
By Larry Gene Fortin
BEST INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION SCRIPT & BEST AMERICAN INDIE SCREENPLAY
Toddler’s Tears
By Shamil Aliyev
BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT OF THE YEAR & BEST INDIE FILMMAKER ( Category: Documentary Short)
Lambada The Dance of Fate
By Kai Fischer
BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR & BEST INTERNATIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT
Appointment With The Plague Doctor, Lester Haywood
By L. S. Strange
BEST INTERNATIONAL HORROR OF THE YEAR
Boxed In
By Steve Hunyi
BEST INDIE DIRECTOR, BEST PRODUCER & BEST CHARACTERS (Category: International Narrative Short Film)
Caesar
By Reine Johansson
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR, BEST ORIGINAL EDITING & BEST SOUNDTRACK
The Arcangel Of Death
By Vincenzo Amoruso
BEST ARTHOUSE ACTOR 2025
The Dead Ringer
By Suzanne Lutas
BEST WRITER & BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT
Ye Ole Glorya
By Jeffrey Kazanjian
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CAST & BEST EDITING (Category: Arthouse Comedy)
Big Momma Earth
By Jeffrey Kazanjian
BEST INDIE COMEDY OF THE YEAR & BEST SCREENPLAY
Planetary Rebellion
By Fabrizio Fuochi
BEST INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR (Category: International Music Video) & BEST SOUND DESIGNER
Katabasis
By Samantha Casella
BEST EUROPEAN FILM OF THE YEAR, BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Narrative Feature), BEST ACTRESS, BEST LOCATION & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: International Film)
The Broken Road
By Tommy Anderson
BEST SCREENWRITER 2025 (Category: FEATURE SCRIPT)
Thankful
By Earnest Diaz
BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT 2025 & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE SCREENWRITER
Doctor Hyphoteses
By Vicentini Gomez
BEST INDIE FILMMAKER & BEST ORIGINAL ACTING
I Waited for You
By Jennifer Glee
BEST INDIE FILMMAKER, BEST ORIGINAL EDITING & BEST PRODUCER (Category: Arthouse Experimental Film)
Secrets of Montmartre 3
By Michelle Lynn
BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR
Forevermore
By Danilo Del Tufo
BEST ARTHOUSE ANIMATED SHORT FILM & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING
The way of Mizoguchi
By Danilo Del Tufo
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CAMERA OPERATOR & BEST PRODUCTION COMPANY (Category: Documentary Feature)
Alta California
By Lynn Elliott
BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST HUMAN RIGHTS SCRIPT OF THE YEAR
Ghost Town, N.M.
By Lynn Elliott
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER
NeverWere: a Lycan Love Story
By Chris Ross Leong
BEST WRITING STYLE & BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIPT
Revisited – Life is Short
By TerryLee WHETSTONe
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING, BEST INDIE SONG & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER (Category: International Music Video)
Monument to Love
By Jacob Comforty
BEST ORIGINAL FILMMAKER 2025, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST ARTHOUSE EDITING (Category: Documentary Feature)
Hot Afternoons Have Been in Montana
By Ken Kimmelman
BEST INTERNATIONAL VIDEO POETRY, BEST FILMMAKER, BEST ARTHOUSE CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST SOUND DESIGN (Category: Video Poetry)
The Days of Knight: Chapter 3
By John Martinez
BEST ORIGINAL NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SOUND DESIGN, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY SHORT (Category: International Short Film)
Precious the Baby Dragon
By Dr Dawn Menge
BEST BOOK/MANUSCRIPT, BEST CHARACTERS & BEST INDIE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Prodigio
By Don Pasquale Ferone
BEST SONG WRITER, BEST INTERNATIONAL SINGER & BEST SPIRITUAL SONG OF THE YEAR
The Stones of Rome
By Sean Tansey
BEST INSPIRATIONAL SHORT FILM & BEST ACTOR OF THE YEAR (Category: Experimental Film)
The Pathos of Hamlet
By Sean Tansey
BEST PERFORMANCE IN THEATRE/CINEMA
Am I a painter?/Czy jestem malarzem?
By Michał Kucharski
BEST ORIGINAL ANIMATION, BEST POETRY SHORT FILM & BEST NARRATIVE SHORT OF THE YEAR (Category: Animation)
Only in Malibu
By Phoebe von Satis
BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER (Category: International Indie Feature Script)
Gold Glory & Nobility
By Phoebe von Satis
BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT
Malibu Madam
By Phoebe von Satis
BEST CONTEXTUAL DESCRIPTION (Category: International Feature Script)
The Insomnia Experiment
By Phoebe von Satis
BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT 2025
Colombano & La 21Esima Fetta
By Paolo Pier Luigi Guglielmetti
BEST EUROPEAN INDIE FILM, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (Category: Arthouse European Narrative Feature)
The Duchess
By C. Arnold Curry
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CAST, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR & BEST SCEENPLAY (Category: International Arthouse Drama)
The Assassin’s Apprentice 2: Silbadores of the Canary Islands
By Russell Emanuel
BEST ORIGINAL SHORT FILM, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT & BEST ACTING (Category: International Indie Narrative Short Film)
Routine
By Russell Emanuel
BEST PRODUCER, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST NARRATIVE SHORT 2025
Shout It Out
By Hayden Billingy
BEST ARTHOUSE MUSIC VIDEO, BEST SOUND DESIGN & BEST ORIGINAL FILMMAKER (Category: International Music Video)
Mind over Matter
By Pamela PerryGoulardt
BEST FILMMAKER, BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST ARTHOUSE PRODUCER (Category: Super Short Film)
Il Fuoco di Santa Lucia
By Eduardo Cocciardo
BEST EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST BIOGRAPHICAL FILM 2025
In a Whole New Way
By Jonathan Fisher
BEST SOCIAL FILM, BEST INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL FILM, BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER, BEST EDITING & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Educational Film)
Sheldon Mashugana gets Stooged
By Dean Morgan
BEST ARTHOUSE COMEDY, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST CAST (Category: International Comedy)
Sinestesìa
By Gianni Salamone
BEST ARTHOUSE FILMMAKER, BEST PRODUCER, BEST EUROPEAN SONG 2025 & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: International Music Video)
Not Without Gloves
By Lena Mattsson
BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM OF THE YEAR
The Rorschach Test
By Lena Mattsson
BEST DIRECTOR & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: International Experimental Film)
The Oracle
By Anaya Music Kunst
BEST INTERNATIONAL VOICE OF THE YEAR
Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding
By Roger Paradiso
BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: International Comedy)
Medea
By Andronica Marquis
BEST THEATRICAL NARRATIVE SHORT 2025, BEST CAST, BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR & BEST PLAYWRITING
Ideally, a storyteller, trying to give a little hope, to a whole lot of people.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
Age 5. In the back of my parents Chrysler K Car station wagon, a grocery bag full of home-popped popcorn in my hand, at the drive-in movie theater in California, about to see ET for the first time.
-Tell us about your project “Mecca”.
It is the second installment of The Parables Anthology and prequel to the origin story “Good.” It takes place in New York City shortly after 9/11, and follows a gay young professional who arrives in Manhattan to begin working at a top financial firm and almost immediately accidentally kills his boss. No one sees the accident, however, which is mistakenly construed as an attempted sexual assault gone wrong, and rather than endure a scandal and possible liability, the firm does not implicate the young professional but rather promotes him several tiers above what his experience would garner. The movie then shows the audience where the secret knowledge and inner turmoil of the young professional’s burden of thinking his life has been elevated exponentially for killing his superior takes him.
-Which Director inspires you the most?
I have always been a fan of Aaron Sorkin, and The West Wing and American President stand out as inspirations.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
The increasing preciousness of authenticity. It is due for a comeback.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
More dazzling and less original.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
A refreshing safe harbor of excellence in an ocean of disappointment.
Similar to some, identical to none. An Asheboro, North Carolina native with family roots in Pennsylvania and New York. Appalachian State University Graduate. Former expatriate of five years in China. A Husband, a Father and an artist. A lifelong Journalist. A Teacher of seven years. Visual and audio art of all sorts. A poet. A fashion designer. A photographer. A world traveler. I’ve released over 50 film titles, mostly short films and music videos. I have released 8 solo studio albums and the founder of Mightier Than The Sword Records, which turned 20 years old this year.
I have passion, compassion, determination and drive. My experience is extensive, and I am just now realizing the impact that can have to the communities I represent and how I can use that to help build my city up, in what many have called an “artistic revolution”. Right Now, in a Small City in North Carolina, an Artistic Revolution is Happening –
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema? When it comes to being a consumer of cinema, It wasn’t all at once. There wasn’t a definable moment, it was just always there and a major part of me. I fell in love with the cinema going experience first. The rare activity that my parents and I were equally as excited about engaging in, we would have a lot of fun together, and the only real time I felt an authentic connection with them. My parents were always present and still are present in my life, but going to the theatre was a pure connection that I’ve never really felt with them since. Watching E.T. at the drive-in was a very specific moment that my parents noticed I was completely hypnotized by what was on the screen.
When it comes to creating cinematic pieces, there is certainly a defining moment, and that was day one of shooting my first film, ‘Shucks’ seeing my visions play out on the playback screen was the most incredible high, I remember everything from that day, the smells, the weather, the breeze, the teamwork of our small cast. My wife and I were newlyweds at the time, and it was such an amazing feeling to connect with her on a working relationship level. A top five feeling when it comes to my career, and honestly I still get that feeling anytime I film anything for my ongoing ‘Shucks’ cinematic world. When I knew I wanted to evolve that love for cinema into an actual marriage with cinema was the first time I saw my work on the big screen in Hollywood at the TCL Chinese Theatre back in 2023. ‘A Night In Charlotte With Sweeney Ty’ was the first of my films to play at that cinema, which is an incredible honor, and I knew then, I had to put a ring on it, symbolically of course. Since then, I have had a dozen of my films played there, the most recent being the long awaited ‘Shucks’ Hollywood premiere in February 2025.
-Tell us about your project “Shucks”.
Essentially the script, the characters and the lore were all created as a coping mechanism for a close family member who passed away from an overdose. It was a very small cast and crew, a family affair for sure. I was uncertain if we would be able to complete the story and the filming, because I didn’t know how emotional we would get, or if the people involved would tap out or stay in the ring, but we got into a good groove and stayed the course to get it completed.
Aside from the inspiration spawning from my total intrigue of Dante’s Divine Comedy, in particular the Inferno segment, there’s an extensive background story for ‘Shucks’ that hasn’t been publicized…yet. That’s on purpose, because ‘Shucks’ is a silent, but scored black and white 50 minute film, which I scored with my musical background spanning over 20 years. I personally wanted it to be filled with symbolism and a slow burning wave that is up for interpretation, I actually never let the actors or cast ever see the script because I didn’t want them to know, so that they would go with their natural flow more than from the story and I could just direct and not rely heavy on a roadmap as it were. As I add titles, (currently ten released titles) I reveal a little more, but at this point in the evolution I want to hear from other people how the film speaks to them and what it makes them feel like.
– Which Director inspires you the most?
Rob Zombie. His unique and gritty approach for most of his films is an incredible inspiration to me. Also, his extensive appreciation and respect he has for the horror genre has always made me more attracted to his work. And as a musician myself, I have firsthand experience with how difficult of a transition it is from music to filmmaking, especially for the fans and demographic of either. It’s like a lot of times when you transition or evolve from music to something else, you lose respect from some and then never really get it for that thing you are evolving into, but once you can master it, film and music go hand and hand, you can’t have one with the other, it’s a symbiotic relationship that if you can get traction from both can give you some unstoppable momentum, unfortunately with Rob Zombie, he’s been at what seems like a standstill after his rendition of ‘The Munsters’ which way too many people bashed and hated, but me, I absolutely loved it and enjoyed a more bright and vivid approach from him. It was a treat to be able to watch a Rob Zombie film with my son without worrying about exposing him too early to Zombie’s other films.
Nonetheless he is my top tier inspiration, with a close second being Richard Elfman, who also has that musician, director killer combination, his unconventional execution of ‘Forbidden Zone’ alone has him in a whole other level of filmmaking and that kind of determination to make sure his vision is executed the way it should be is admirable and something I strive to do. I also appreciate the fact that he also incorporates live pre-show performances for most of his screenings, with an instrumental ensemble and a bloody burlesque show with his wife Anastasia Elfman who is ‘Bloody Bridget’ from his most recent directing effort. I have been fortunate enough to call them friends in the past two years and learning from them has really fortified my trajectory in filmmaking, where I would also like to use some live performances with some of my screenings in the future, of course paying homage to their approach. I also pull inspiration from Kubrick, Lynch, and up and coming director Sean Haitz from ‘Cannibal Comedian’.
-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?
The stigma that comes with addiction and those who are addicted to various substances. I really wish that hatred towards them was longer an option. It’s a luxury to be sober, I mean really, you have to look at it like that, most people don’t have the intricate support system and the love that helps nurture and recover an addicted person, it’s almost like you have to approach those situations like you are a brand new parent and the addicted person is a newborn baby, they need everything that comes with that experience and many people don’t have the endurance to do that over and over again. However, I know there are places, such as one in my hometown of Asheboro that are fully committed and fully active in doing just that, Susan E. Hunt & Chip Womick at Keaton’s Place, my hope is that many many many more establishments like this become a mainstay in cities all across the world.
‘Cause look, I’ve been on all sides of that, I’ve been severely addicted, I’ve gone cold turkey, I’ve stopped for months, just to attempt to make up for the time I didn’t in a weekend, I’ve had some of the people I love the most fall victim to the vicious cycle and pay the ultimate price, I’ve been crass and hateful to people I love who are in the clutches of the addiction, I’ve ignored it, I’ve tried to help, I’ve loved, I’ve fought them, I’ve fought for them, I’ve empathized, I’ve sympathized, I was embarassed, I was proud of who they were and could be and not once through all those have I felt like I’ve done the right thing, it’s such a delicate situation . As cliche and overused as this phrase is, in the blink of an eye your life can change, and oftentimes it’s not through any fault of your own, and even when it is, I mean, who doesn’t want to feel good? We are all searching for the highs we got when we were kids growing up, a substance is something that is actually accessible and quick.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
It’s scary what can happen. I’m pretty nervous about it, but equally as excited. A.I is both a threat and a tool, and within 100 years it will be an undeniable force in the creative process of filmmaking. I worry when it’s time to “compete” with the machines, and how that will play out. I also worry about when everyone associated with certain films are dead and gone and the rights become someone else’s, what can happen with those, like who can add and take away from it, it’s happened a lot already, but will that continue?
I feel that the cinema going experience will remain in high demand, because of the very reasons I mentioned before about why I fell in love with it. Screens will get bigger, higher definition and we will see more virtual reality type films come into play, with some that kind of let you choose your own story as it progresses, like those books from the 1980s I read as a kid. I think arthouse survives and thrives. Drive-In has an opportunity to flourish if people give it a chance again. Unfortunately, I feel like in the next 1-10 years we will all face different levels of censorship, especially in the USA, but that won’t last. Art is revolutionary in nature, and is resilient, because there are few people who can actually take the world’s imagination and put it on a screen, that’s what has always made cinema magical and always will.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
I first heard about WILD FILMMAKER a few years ago when I had a positive experience with 8 & Halfilm Award in Cannes, and was pleased to hear from Michele Diomà last week. I am still learning about WILD FILMMAKER, but what I see so far has been something that aligns with my goal set, I love the tendencies to use black and white and also that it’s on an International scale. There are a lot of filmmaking communities that are 100% transactional, while others help those filmmakers who commit and/or financially support to these communities on different levels. I’ve been a part of both, and I hope to actually grow with WILD FILMMAKER and not just have a one and done relationship. I’d also love to see WILD FILMMAKER have a presence at our next Mightier Than The Sword Awards at Sunset Film Festival in 2026!
I don’t know exactly. I think Alberto Martín-Aragón is a defeated and melancholic man who makes surreal and dreamlike short films to alleviate the loneliness of his shipwreck.
-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?
When I saw Barbara Stanwyck weep desperately in the final scene of “Meet John Doe,” a 1941 film directed by Frank Capra. I was twelve years old, and it was the first time I thought cinema could be more beautiful and truer than life.
-Which director inspires you the most?
Many directors inspire me. I’ll name four of them: Béla Tarr, Luis Buñuel, Pier Paolo Pasolini, and David Lynch.
-What don’t you like about the world and what would you change?
I don’t like people who are obsessed with always winning. Many of these people tend to dedicate themselves to politics, which has become an undignified and despicable activity carried out by charlatans and ruffians.
-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?
I think that in 100 years there will be no humanity, nor will there be cinema. I hope I’m wrong.
-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?
WILD FILMMAKER is an indispensable and providential community because it gives visibility to many bold and visionary filmmakers who often lack the financial support necessary to bring their work to large audiences.
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST EDITING (Category: International Arthouse Comedy)
Iriso
BEST ARTHOUSE DRAMA OF THE YEAR
Artists and Aliens
BEST INSPIRATIONAL DIRECTOR, BEST SCI-FI & BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Menti Minda Mothertongue
BEST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL FILM & BEST EDITING (Category: Experimental)
Out of State-A Gothic Romance
BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE OF THE YEAR, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER, BEST SOUND DESIGNER & BEST INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION COMPANY
Boxed In
BEST FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR, BEST ORIGINAL IDEA & BEST ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE SHORT FILM
Waiting On Love
BEST INTERNATIONAL SUPER SHORT FILM, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: Super Short Film)
Koorts
BEST FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST AMERICAN SCREENWRITER
Searching for Camelot
BEST DIRECTOR 2025, BEST EXECUTIVE PRODUCER & BEST EDITING
Valentine’s Law
BEST PILOT TV & BEST INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION SCRIPT
Remnant
BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Narrative Feature), BEST INDIE NARRATIVE FEATURE, BEST INDIE CAST, & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Duchess
BEST INTERNATIONAL DRAMA, BEST ACTOR/ACTRESS & BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: International Drama)
Something ain’t right
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING & BEST CAMERA OPERATOR (Category: Documentary)
Katabasis
BEST EUROPEAN NARRATIVE FEATURE, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST ORIGINAL CINEMATOGRAPHER
Nossos Caminhos (Our Paths)
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT
The Days of Knight: Chapter 3
BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST ARTHOUSE DIRECTOR, BEST ORIGINAL SCORE & BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT (Category: Narrative Short)
The Arcangel Of Death
BEST EUROPEAN ARTHOUSE SHORT FILM & BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTING
Omnipotent Resolution
BEST DIRECTOR 2025 (Category: Dance Movie) BEST INTERNATIONAL SONG, BEST CHOREOGRAPHY & BEST INTERNATIONAL DANCE MOVIE
The Assassin’s Apprentice 2: Silbadores of the Canary Islands
BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT 2025, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT, BEST CAST & BEST INDIE FILMMAKER
Routine
BEST ORIGINAL DIRECTOR 2025, BEST INDIE SHORT FILM & BEST PRODUCER
The Pathos of Hamlet
BEST VIDEO POETRY & BEST ORIGINAL ACTOR
The Stones of Rome
BEST AMERICAN INDIE NARRATIVE SHORT FILM, BEST EXPERIMENTAL CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST ARTHOUSE EDITING
Am I a painter?/Czy jestem malarzem?
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING, BEST ORIGINAL PRODUCER (Category: Animation) & BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR
Not Without Gloves
BEST EUROPEAN EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM, BEST EXPERIMENTAL ACTRESS & BEST INDIE INSPIRATIONAL FILM
The Rorschach Test
BEST DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR (Category: International Experimental Film)
Alta California
BEST AMERICAN FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST INDIE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Pirandello’s Wife
BEST INTERNATIONAL SCRIPT & BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT
Uncle Franco’s Birthday Suit
BEST INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT
Doctor Hyphoteses
BEST ARTHOUSE COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR
Planetary Rebellion
BEST ARTHOUSE MUSIC VIDEO & BEST SONG WRITER
5 Marzo 1955 Una canzone per Carla
BEST EUROPEAN SUPER SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR
Risveglio Planetario
BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEO & BEST INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKER (Category: Music Video)
Eye of the Storm
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL DOCUMENTARY, BEST AMERICAN DIRECTOR & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING
The Ballad of Lulu and Dad
BEST INDIE SCREENPLAY & BEST ARTHOUSE ORIGINAL NARRATIVE SHORT
The series eleveN fiftY originates from one question:
“How is Cinema doing?”
Is what is being produced by the audiovisual multinationals and distributed on platforms still Cinema?
George Orwell once said: “A day will come when WAR will be called PEACE and FREEDOM will be called SLAVERY.”
Words can be the most powerful tool for bluffing.
So, if someone starts calling CINEMA what is actually a mix of propaganda and marketing, those who have seen the films of Federico Fellini, Stanley Kubrick, Orson Welles, François Truffaut, Akira Kurosawa, Sidney Lumet, etc., could defend themselves against such a LIE.
But how many people have actually seen the films of these great directors?
We live in a cinematic era where Francis Ford Coppola, the director who created the most brilliant saga in the history of American cinema, The Godfather, the most remarkable pacifist work of art, Apocalypse Now, and more recently the greatest independent film in the history of cinema, Megalopolis, is awarded the Razzie Award for Worst Director of the Year.
Therefore, there are two answers to the initial question of this editorial, “How is Cinema doing?”
First answer: The film industry has fallen into the hands of someone who hates Cinema and wants to destroy it.
Second answer: What is called Cinema today is not really Cinema.
Solution?
A GREAT RESET!
The first episode of our series “eleveN fiftY” is the first step!
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE ANIMATED SHORT FILM 2025 & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Animation)
The Girl Made of Earth and Water
BEST ORIGINAL SUPER SHORT FILM
Roses are Blind
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCREENPLAY & BEST CAST (Category: International Thriller)
Darker Realities
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT
The Great Animal Escape
BEST INDIE WRITER & BEST ORIGINAL BOOK
Downriver
BEST INTERNATIONAL DANCE MOVIE 2025 & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Dance Movie)
The Insomnia Experiment
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER (Category: International Short Script)
The Wood Ranch Country Club
BEST ARTHOUSE SHORT SCRIPT OF THE YEAR
Split Endz
BEST INTERNATIONAL WRITER & BEST ORIGINAL WRITING STYLE (Category: International Short Script)
The Mint
BEST INDIE SHORT SCRIPT 2025
Adelaide’s Magic Sunglasses
BEST ORIGINAL CHARACTERS (Category: International Short Script)
K Bender (The Bloody Benders)
GRAND JURY PRIZE (Category: International Short Script)
Hummel
BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENWRITER (Category: International Short Script)
The Hallmark Couple
GRAND JURY PRIZE (Category: International Feature Script)
Magic Moment
BEST ARTHOUSE MUSIC VIDEO 2025, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST PRODUCER (Category: International Music Video)
Black Wolf
BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT & BEST INDIE PRODUCER
Secrets of Montmartre 2
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE SCRIPT 2025
The Adventures Of CJ
BEST PILOT TV/TELEVISION SCRIPT OF THE YEAR & BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER (Category: Television Script)
L’Amour est temps de reflets
BEST ROMANCE SHORT FILM, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (Category: Indie Narrative Short), BEST INDIE SCREENPLAY SHORT & BEST EUROPEAN FILMMAKER
A Perfect Love
BEST ARTHOUSE DOCUMENTARY SHORT & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Documentary)
Because We Are Too Many
BEST ARTHOUSE DRAMA & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE DIRECTOR 2025
Planetary Rebellion
BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE MUSIC VIDEO, BEST EDITING & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Indie Music Video)
5 Marzo 1955 Una canzone per Carla
BEST DIRECTOR (Category: International Super Short Film)
Risveglio Planetario
BEST SONG WRITER & BEST SOCIAL MUSIC VIDEO
Homeless Street Artist
BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT, BEST DIRECTOR & BEST EDITING (Category: Documentary Short)
Revisited – Life is Short
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CAMERA OPERATOR & BEST SONG 2025 (Category: Music Video)
Borderline Justice
BEST FEATURE SCRIPT 2025 & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER
Alta California
BEST WRITING STYLE, BEST INDIE FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST INDIE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Sheldon Mashugana gets Stooged
BEST INDIE DIRECTOR & BEST SCREENPLAY (Category: International Comedy)
Lambada The Dance Of Fate
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL SCRIPT, BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTHOUSE SCRIPT & BEST ORIGINAL SCREENWRITER
Am I a painter?/Czy jestem malarzem?
BEST FILMMAKER OF THE YEAR, BEST ORIGINAL PRODUCER & BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM 2025
Colombano & La 21Esima Fetta
BEST INDIE FILM, BEST CAST & BEST ARTHOUSE PRODUCTION COMPANY (Category: Narrative Feature)
On My Special Day
BEST FILMMAKER, BEST INDIE PRODUCER & BEST EDITING (Category: Arthouse Narrative Short)
Ye Ole Glorya
BEST INTERNATIONAL COMEDY & BEST ACTING (Category: International Comedy)
Big Momma Earth
BEST INDIE DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR (Category: International Comedy)
Silver Heels
BEST ARTHOUSE BOOK/MANUSCRIPT OF THE YEAR & BEST ORIGINAL WRITER
Eye of the Storm
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTOR (Academy Award Winner Robin Williams – Lifetime Achievement Award), BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Documentary) & BEST ARHOUSE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Wave Man
BEST EUROPEAN FEATURE SCRIPT OF THE YEAR
The Arcangel Of Death
BEST INTERNATIONAL YOUNG ACTOR 2025 & BEST EUROPEAN ACTING
The Days of Knight: Chapter 3
BEST INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER & BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT (Category: Narrative Short)
Amen-Amen-Amen: A Story of Our Times
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST EDITING (Category: International Documentary Feature) & BEST ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2025
Monument to Love
BEST DIRECTOR, BEST HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENTARY, BEST ORIGINAL CAMERA OPERATOR & BEST ORIGINAL EDITING (Category: International Documentary Feature)
Nossos Caminhos (Our Paths)
BEST SCEENWRITER OF THE YEAR (Category: International Feature Script)
Neshoba: The Price of Freedom
BEST PRODUCER & BEST INDIE FILMMAKER (Category: Documentary Feature)
The Broken Road
BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR (Category: Feature Script)
Adelaide’s Magic Sunglasses
BEST INTERNATIONAL SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR (Category: Short Scrip)
Hummel
BEST ORIGINAL WRITER (Category: Short Script)
K Bender (The Bloody Benders)
BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT SCRIPT OF THE YEAR
The Wood Ranch Country Club
BEST ORIGINAL IDEA
The Insomnia Experiment
BEST ARTHOUSE SHORT SCRIPT
Atlas of Uncertainty
BEST EUROPEAN INDIE PROJECT & BEST SOUND DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
The Duchess
BEST DRAMA OF THE YEAR, BEST ARTHOUSE SCREENPLAY, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTOR/ACTRESS (Category: International Drama)
Thankful
BEST INDIE SCREENWRITER 2025, BEST ORIGINAL FEATURE SCRIPT & BEST IDEA OF THE YEAR (Category: Feature Script)
The Assassin’s Apprentice 2: Silbadores of the Canary Islands
BEST ARTHOUSE NARRATIVE SHORT 2025, BEST SCREENPLAY SHORT, BEST CASTING DIRECTOR & BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIE FILMMAKER
Routine
BEST ORIGINAL SHORT FILM, BEST EDITING & BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER (Category: International Narrative Short)
Doctor Hyphoteses
BEST ORIGINAL ACTING & BEST COMEDIAN 2025
Omnipotent Resolution
BEST POETRY SHORT FILM, BEST INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL, BEST INDIE SONG OF THE YEAR, BEST CHOREOGRAPHER & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: International Musical)
Fire Flies
BEST FEATURE SCRIPT
Walking In Memphis
BEST INTERNATIONAL PILOT/TV SCRIPT
The Dead Ringer
BEST ARTHOUSE FEATURE SCRIPT 2025 & BEST INDIE WRITER
Not Without Gloves
BEST EUROPEAN SHORT FILM, BEST EXPERIMENTAL DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR & BEST INSPIRATIONAL FILM
The Rorschach Test
BEST FILMMAKER & BEST EDITING (Category: International Experimental Film)
Katabasis
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM, BEST CAST, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY & BEST DIRECTOR (Category: Narrative Feature)
The Donbass Children
BEST HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENTARY FEATURE & BEST EUROPEAN DIRECTOR (Category: Documentary)
Grey Lines
BEST FILMMAKER, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY & BEST DRAMA SCRIPT (Category: International Arthouse Drama)
I am a director and screenwriter, a filmmaker if we want to simplify, passionate about cinema since I was very young. For years, I have dedicated myself to independent cinema, creating projects that reflect my personal taste, often focused on thrillers and narrative experimentation. I watch a lot of films and TV series, constantly seeking new inspiration from the international cinematic landscape. I like to define myself as “an eternal dreamer with a camera always in hand.”
-How did your passion for the Seventh Art begin?
My passion began when I was little, watching old films on TV with my parents. I clearly remember the magical feeling of seeing moving images capable of telling incredible stories. At 13, I received my first Super8 camera and started making small silent films with friends and family as amateur actors. Everything was very spontaneous and handmade, but the magic of cinema was already there: since then, I haven’t stopped telling stories through images.
-Tell us about your work as an Independent Filmmaker.
Being an independent filmmaker is an ongoing adventure full of creative and organizational challenges. It often means working with limited budgets, solving problems with creativity, and quickly adapting to unpredictable situations. However, creative freedom is priceless: I can explore original ideas, experiment with different languages, and develop projects that truly reflect my personal vision. Each project is a growth, a piece that adds to the path I’m building film by film.
-Soon, there will be an exhibition in Naples dedicated to the legendary singer-songwriter Pino Daniele. How will you be involved?
Yes, I am very happy to participate in the “Spiritual” exhibition dedicated to the great Pino Daniele. Some of my unpublished photographs taken during the filming of the music video “Se Mi Vuoi,” where Pino duets with Irene Grandi, will be displayed. It was my first real job, and the excitement of being there with an artist of that caliber is still vivid in my memories. Sharing these images today feels like opening a small personal chest, giving others an intimate and sincere glimpse of that moment.
-What do you dislike about the world, and what would you change?
I don’t like the superficiality and the rush of the contemporary world. Often, I see a race toward success and instant consumption, forgetting fundamental values like empathy, listening, and depth. If I could change something, I would want more slowness and authenticity in human relationships, more attention to the details that make every person and every moment special. I believe that cinema can help us with this, educating us to look beyond appearances, rediscovering the pleasure of reflecting and truly feeling.
-If you could have a conversation with a great filmmaker in cinema history, who would you choose and what would you ask them?
Without a doubt, Alfred Hitchcock. I am fascinated by his unique way of building suspense and emotionally manipulating the audience. I would ask him how he managed to keep the enthusiasm and creativity alive despite the pressures of large Hollywood productions. Maybe I’d also ask for some practical advice on how to maintain narrative tension without ever losing the audience’s attention. A nice chat over a cup of English tea, in short.
-What is your impression of Wild Filmmaker?
I really like Wild Filmmaker because it represents a place where those who love independent cinema can find inspiration, resources, and most importantly, a sharing of ideas. It’s stimulating to see how much passion and effort are put into creating a community of enthusiasts and professionals who view cinema as a collective adventure, outside of more traditional circuits. In short, it’s a necessary and beautiful project, made by true lovers of cinema.
