On May 3, Birmingham-Southern’s Media and Film Studies Program announced the winners of the second annual Hilltop Film Festival of Diversity and Inclusion. The six main awards – the Golden Ginkgoes – honored filmmakers and their work at an international level.

The festival aims to spark discussions about and appreciation for genres, narratives, and directors representative of racial and ethnic minorities, the LGBTQ+ community, and other perspectives lacking support and recognition from the mainstream film industry. Along with panels focused on underrepresented groups in film, the festival aims to showcase work from creatives all over the world.

Here are the winners of the 2021 Golden Ginkgoes:

Best Music Video: “Confessions,” Taiwan

Best Animated Short Award: “Horns” directed by Daniel Udobnyj, Russia
Description: A short history of self-discovery of one guy with horns.

Best LGBTQ+ Short Award: “Encounter” directed by Ivan Lowenberg, Mexico
Description: Araceli and Lulu have been together and away from their families for many decades. Now that they are old, they only depend on each other and no one else. In another part of the city, Julian struggles to explore his identity while living under the umbrella of his conservative mother and macho-minded grandfather. A sudden event will draw an unexpected path between Arcelia and the young Julian.

Best Documentary Award: “Raizes – A Piano in the Amazon” directed by Carla Ruaro and João Santos, Brazil
Description: The pianist Carla Ruaro and her team embarked on a 40-day expedition which involved hoisting a piano onto a boat and traversing the Brazilian Amazon. In collaboration with local composers, the aim of this independent project was to take contemporary Amazonian music to remote riverside communities and an instrument they’ve never seen before. Through the acquisition and transportation of the instrument to the workshops and musical presentations for the communities along the river margins, the project also strengthens the bonds which hold together the riverside communities, an appreciation of the value of communities and artists.

Best Narrative Short Award: “Refuge” directed by Mehmet Tığlı, Turkey
Description: This is the true story of an Iraqi male college student and a female rape victim from Syria, who come across each other in Istanbul. While the Iraqi man is trying to get away from Istanbul as soon as possible in order to continue his education in Italy and meet his lover there, the only thing that the woman wants is to stay alive and feel secure.

Audience Award: “The Fairy Tale” directed by Seung jae Lee, South Korea
Description: Hyun-woo confesses to Eun-jung but gets rejected. Then, Eun-jung hands Hyun-woo a fairy tale book… Hyun-woo gradually learns about the secret of Eun-jung.

View clips from the winning shorts in the festival awards video below.

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