The New Hampshire Film Festival recognizes the best artists and works across several categories by presenting our celebrated solid granite awards, affectionately known as the Grannys. The Granny is a celebration of the Festival’s award-winning films, filmmakers, screenplays and screenwriters, while also paying homage to our beloved Granite State. Weighing in at 20 pounds, the Granny is surely the most physically significant award in the film industry.
The New Hampshire Film Festival was named an Academy Award® Qualifying Festival for the Short Film Awards by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences beginning with the Festival’s 20th annual edition. Short films that receive the Festival’s Animation Shorts Jury Award, Documentary Shorts Jury Award or Live Action Shorts Jury Award may now qualify to enter the Short Films competition for the concurrent Oscar® season. Recipients of these qualifying festival awards will be eligible for consideration in the Animation Short Film, Documentary Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories of the Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the films otherwise comply with the Academy rules.
The New Hampshire Film Festival bestows seven juried awards each edition. Jurors are selected from a pool of film industry professionals, short and feature-length filmmakers, and previous award-winners, including members of the Academy.
GRAND JURY AWARD — NARRATIVE
GRAND JURY AWARD — DOCUMENTARY
Feature-length narrative and documentary films in the Festival lineup without a distribution agreement in place at the time of submission are eligible for these awards. The top films that meet these criteria, as determined by the Festival’s film programming team, are presented as nominees to the respective Narrative and Documentary Grand Juries for award viewing. The prize package for each award includes $2,500 and an introductory meeting with a distributor.
SHORTS JURY AWARD — LIVE ACTION
SHORTS JURY AWARD — DOCUMENTARY
SHORTS JURY AWARD — ANIMATION
Highlighting the New Hampshire Film Festival’s love of the short subject medium since its inception are three juried short film awards. All live-action, documentary and animation short films in the Festival lineup are eligible. The top short films in each category, as determined by the Festival’s film programming team, are presented as nominees to the respective Live Action Shorts Jury, Documentary Shorts Jury and Animation Shorts Jury for award viewing. The Shorts Jury Awards for Live-Action, Documentary and Animation each include a prize of $1,000 and qualification to submit the winning film for Oscar® consideration if all other rules per the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are met.
Short films in the Festival lineup with designation as a New Hampshire film are eligible for this award, whether live-action, documentary or animation. New Hampshire-affiliated films include those in which any credited actors, directors, producers, crew members, or writers are New Hampshire residents, or have lived in the state for at least two years; or films which were shot in New Hampshire; or films which are set in New Hampshire. The top short films that meet this criterion, as determined by the Festival’s film programming team, are presented as nominees to the New Hampshire Jury for award viewing.
All feature-length screenplays accepted into the New Hampshire Film Festival’s Screenplay Competition per its submission rules are eligible for this award. Three finalist screenplays, as selected by members of the screenplay committee, are publicly announced prior to the Festival event dates. These finalist screenplays are presented as nominees to the Screenplay Judge for award review. The Best Screenplay Award includes a one-week residency at the Star Island Family Retreat & Conference Center, located on the Isles of Shoals, including room and board for two guests.
Each edition, the New Hampshire Film Festival bestows five awards decided upon by the Festival’s film programming team.
BEST FEATURE – NARRATIVE
BEST FEATURE – DOCUMENTARY
All feature-length narrative and documentary films in the Festival lineup are considered for these awards. Winners receive the Best Feature Narrative Award and Best Feature Documentary Award, respectively.
BEST SHORT – COMEDY
BEST SHORT – DRAMA
All narrative short films in the Festival lineup, including live-action and animation, are considered for these awards. Designation of a short film as a comedy or drama is at the discretion of the Festival’s film programming team. Winners receive the Best Short Comedy Award and Best Short Drama Award, respectively.
Films of any length submitted as a student film and accepted into the Festival lineup are considered for this award only. Designation as a student film is reserved for films produced while its filmmaker(s) was enrolled at an educational institution. The winner receives the Best Student Film Award.
Another sure measure of success for filmmakers is winning over the crowd. The New Hampshire Film Festival bestows two awards decided upon by the Festival audience, factoring in votes via mobile app, screening attendance, social media attention and festival buzz.
AUDIENCE CHOICE — NARRATIVE
AUDIENCE CHOICE — DOCUMENTARY
All feature-length narrative and documentary films in the Festival lineup are eligible for these awards. After all eligible films have completed their screenings during the Festival, the audience data is compiled and reviewed by the Festival’s film programming, marketing and leadership teams to determine the respective winners.
The New Hampshire Film Festival is dedicated to promoting films, filmmakers, producers and actors who hail from the state. The Festival’s New Hampshire Day & Night Program represents the entire first day of the Festival and concludes with an exclusive awards ceremony that same evening. This unique, important program spotlights the creative film talent alive and well in the state. New Hampshire is known for its independent spirit, so it is no surprise to see this reflected in the independent film community.
THE VAN MCLEOD AWARDNamed for Van McLeod, the late Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Cultural Resources, this award honors an individual who hails from the state of New Hampshire and who has made a significant contribution to the film and/or television industry. An icon in the state’s cultural community, Van’s work has had an enormous impact on New Hampshire’s film industry.
All New Hampshire-affiliated directors with at least one film in the Festival lineup are considered for this award. The winner is decided upon by the Festival’s film programming team.
BEST NEW HAMPSHIRE FEATURE – NARRATIVE
BEST NEW HAMPSHIRE FEATURE – DOCUMENTARY
Feature-length narrative and documentary films in the Festival lineup with designation as a New Hampshire film are eligible for these awards. New Hampshire-affiliated films include those in which any credited actors, directors, producers, crew members, or writers are New Hampshire residents, or have lived in the state for at least two years; or films which were shot in New Hampshire; or films which are set in New Hampshire. The respective winners are decided upon by the Festival’s film programming team.
BEST NEW HAMPSHIRE SHORT – NARRATIVE
BEST NEW HAMPSHIRE SHORT – DOCUMENTARY
Narrative and documentary short films in the Festival lineup with designation as a New Hampshire film are eligible for these awards. New Hampshire-affiliated films include those in which any credited actors, directors, producers, crew members, or writers are New Hampshire residents, or have lived in the state for at least two years; or films which were shot in New Hampshire; or films which are set in New Hampshire. The respective winners are decided upon by the Festival’s film programming team.
All New Hampshire-affiliated actors with at least one film in the Festival lineup are considered for this award. The winner is decided upon by the Festival’s film programming team.
