From staff reports
The 2023 Oil Valley Film Festival featured 26 films, representing eight different countries, at the eighth annual Oil Valley Film Festival from Sept. 8-10.
The festival was composed of competitive sections for American and international narrative and documentary films, both feature-length and short. It was presented in-person at the Oil City Library and The Pointe in downtown Oil City.
The 2023 Oil Valley Film Festival was presented by and in partnership with Austin Ink, Robot Blonde, InkTip, Virtual Pitch Fest, The Oil City Library, and The Pointe, with support from Arts Oil City and the Oil City Main Street Program.
Best Picture — Narrative Feature: “Not For Nothing”, directors Tim Dowlin, Frank Tartaglia
Best Picture — Documentary Feature: “Broken Worlds: The Island”, director Robyn Flanery
Best Picture — Narrative Short: “Our Males and Females”, director Ahmad Alyaseer
Best Picture — Documentary Short: “Teacher”, director Adam Gacka
Special Jury Prize — Outstanding Achievement in New Media Production: “The Cannibals”, directors Kim Hopkins, Abigail Breslin
Special Jury Prize — Outstanding Achievement in New Media Production: “The Sherwood Family Commune”, director Luke Booth
Special Jury Prize in Dramatic Acting: Jacqueline Bisset for “Loren & Rose”
Special Jury Prize in Comedy Acting: Abigail Breslin for “The Cannibals”
Outstanding Achievement in Lead Acting, Feature: Carlos Antonio Leon for “Miki Maniaco”
Outstanding Achievement in Supporting Acting, Feature: Vic DiBitetto for “Not For Nothing”
Outstanding Achievement in Supporting Acting, Short: Jack Forcinito for “The Countryman”
Best Director, Narrative Feature: Tim Dowlin, Frank Tartaglia for “Not For Nothing”
Best Director, Narrative Short: Andy Kastelic for “The Countryman”
Best Director, Documentary Feature: Kristina Atovska for “Siren Lullabies”
Best Director, Documentary Short: Adam Gacka for “Teacher”
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography, Narrative Feature: Adam Ninyo for “I Want to Live on Mars”
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography, Narrative Short: Jannis Schelenz for “The Countryman”
Outstanding Achievement in Documentary Cinematography, Feature or Short: Justin Grubb, Alex Goetz, Michael Clark for “Hellbent”
Best Editing, Feature — Narrative or Documentary: Nick Everhart, Andrew Keenen-Bolger for “The Nana Project”
Best Editing, Short — Narrative or Documentary: Chris Witt for “Hedgehog”
Outstanding Screenwriting — Screenwriting Competition, Feature: “Worth the Weight” by Peter Panagos
Outstanding Screenwriting — Screenwriting Competition, Short: “Deep Time” by Dan LaTourette-Ocasio
Outstanding Screenwriting — Screenwriting Competition, TV Pilot: “Hunt Man’s Land” by Ryan Skinner
