GI Film Festival Last updated December 08, 2025 Venues Venues in the Washington, D.C. have included the Embassy of Canada , Angelika Film Center at Mosaic, Cannon House Office Building , Howard Theater , Carnegie Institution for Science and the US Navy Memorial Theater , among others. Venues in San Diego have included the USS Midway Museum , Balboa Theatre , Village Theaters in Coronado , UltraStar Cinemas and DoubleTree hotel in Mission Valley , [ 4] as well as the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park . [ 5]
Notable events 2017 Notable attendees in DC: Judd Nelson [ 13] On May 17, filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick presented over an hour of preview footage from his latest PBS series The Vietnam War at San Diego's Balboa Theatre . In attendance were several guests who were interview subjects in the film. [ 14] On October 18, the west coast opening night film was The 2 Sides Project. Award winners 2008 Feature Narrative: Soldier's Heart – Anthony Lover (Executive Producer). Documentary Short: Spitfire 944 – (dir. William Lorton). Narrative Short: God and Country – (dir. Daniel Piatt). Feature Documentary Winner: Brothers at War – (dir. Jake Rademacher) Family Film: The Flyboys – (dir. Rocco DeVilliers) Founder's Choice: The Last 600 Meters – (dir. Michael Pack ). American Pride Film: SWIM – by Chantz Hoover. 2009 [ 18]
Feature Documentary - Perfect Valor Feature Documentary Runner-Up - Bedford: The Town They Left Behind Best Narrative Feature - Everyman's War Founder's Choice Award - The Triangle of Death Best Documentary Short - A Touch of Home Best Narrative Short - Witt's Daughter Best Student Film - Kapisa Best First Time Filmmaker - The Inheritance of War Best Military Family Film - Lioness Best Short Film - Looking Back 2011 Military Channel Award - Shepherds of Helmand , directed by Gary Mortensen Best International Film - The Telegram Man (Australia), by James Francis Khehtie Best Student Film - Thule , by Robert Scott Wildes Best Narrative Short - A Marine’s Guide to Fishing , by Nicholas Brennan Best Documentary Short - Last to Leave , by Pat Clark Best Narrative Feature - Flag of My Father , by Rodney Ray Best Documentary Feature - Patrol Base Jaker , by David Scantling Founder's Choice Award - The Wereth Eleven, by Robert Child 2012 Best Documentary Feature - Lost Airmen of Buchenwald (dir. Mike Dorsey) Best Documentary Short - Survive. Recover. Live (dir. Ivan Kander) Best International Film - Bridges: A Living Graphic Nove l (dir. Miguel Pate) Best Narrative Feature - Memorial Day (dir. Sam Fischer) Best Narrative Short - 8:46 (dir. Jennifer Gargano) Best Short Short - The Jockstrap Raiders (dir. Mark Nelson) Best Student Film - Stateside (dir. Jacob J. Tanenbaum) Founder's Choice Award - (dir. Stephanie Argy and Alec Boehm) The Military Channel Award - The Borinqueneers (dir. Noemi Figueroa Soulet) 2013 Best Short Short - Fallout , (dir. Peter Carruthers) Best Student Film - Choice , (dir. Michael Chan) Best International Film - Gefallen , (dir. Christoph Schuler) Best Narrative Short - The Fifth Horseman , (dir. Kari Barber (VFX Reel) Best Documentary Short - The Real Inglorious Bastards , (dir. Min Sook Lee ) Best Documentary Feature - Honor Flight , (dir. Dan Hayes) Founder's Choice - 16 Photographs at Ohrdruf , (dir. Matthew Nash) 2014 Best Short Short - The Knee Deep Sailor (dir. Tyler Elliot) Best Student Film - Kingdom Coming (dir. Alex Fofonoff) Best International Film - Last Call (dir. Camille Delamarre ) Best Dramatic Feature - Field of Lost Shoes (dir. Sean McNamara) Best Narrative Feature - Fort Bliss (dir. Claudia Myers) Best Narrative Short - Present Trauma (dir. Mark D. Manalo) Best Documentary Short - Travis: A Soldier’s Story (dir. Jonathon Link) Best Documentary Feature - Rickover (dir. Michael Pack) Founder's Choice - Riding My Way Back (dir. Robin Fryday and Peter Rosenbaum) American Heroes Channel Award - Forgotten Flag Raisers (dir. Dustin Spence) Best Original Screenplay - Christmas Leave written by David Brock Best Music Video - Nothing Real (dir. Reed Simonsen) 2015 [ 19]
Veteran Filmmaker Award (Short) - Day One (dir. Henry Hughes) Veteran Filmmaker Award (Feature) - Haebangchon (dir. James William III) Best Student Film - Drone (dir. Justin S. Lee) Best International Film - Who’s Afraid of the Big Black Wolf (dir. Janez Lapajne) Best Short-Short - Beautiful Sunse t (dir. Karen Weza) Best Documentary Short - The Next Part and Climb (dir. Erin Sanger and Ivan Kander) Best Narrative Short - Birthday (dir. Chris King) Best Documentary Feature - The Millionaire’s Unit Best Action Feature - War Pigs (dir. Ryan Little ) Best Narrative Feature - Kajaki (dir. Paul Katis) American Heroes Channel Award Winner - The MIAs on Tiger Mountain (dir. Norman Lloyd ) Best Screenplay - Text Messages to God written by David Bryant Perkins) Founder's Choice Award - Nomadic Veterans and Battle Scars (dir. Matthew R Sanders and Danny Buday ) 2019 San Diego: [ 21]
Best Actor: Frankie Muniz ( The Black String ) Best Actress: Scottie Thompson (#3 Normandy Lane ) Best Narrative Short: #3 Normandy Lane (dir. Brenda Strong ) Best Documentary Feature: The Donut Dollies (dir. Norm Anderson) Best Documentary Short: Remains (dir. Joe Day and Jose Rodriguez) Best Student Film: A Rodeo Film (dir. Darius Dawson) Best First Time Filmmaker: Brenda Strong (#3 Normandy Lane ) Best International Film: Entrenched (dir. Joseph Chebatte) Best Film Made By or Starring Veterans or Military: War Paint (dir. J.C. Doler and Taylor Bracewell) Founder's Choice Award: Homemade (dir. Jason Maris and Danielle Bernstein) 2022 San Diego: [ 22]
Museum of Photographic Arts
Best Documentary Short: Veterans Journey Home: On Black Mountain (dir. Frederick Marx) Best Narrative Short: American Hero (dir. Manny McCord) Best Local Narrative Short: My Happy Place (dir. Devin Scott) Best Student Film: BRAKE (dir. Aja Weary and Amanda Richardson) Best Actor: Evan Hall, Shell Shocked (dir. Paula Cajiao) Best Actress: Jomarla Melancon, Blood and Glory (dir. Satinder Kaur) Best Narrative Directed by Military or Veterans: THAT NIGHT (dir. Samuel Gonzalez Jr.) Best Narrative Starring Military or Veterans: Landing Home (dir. Douglas Taurel) Best Documentary Made by Military or Veterans: Walk With Frank Best Documentary Feature: Dear Sirs - (dir. by Mark Pedri) Local Choice Award: We All Die Alone (dir. Jonathan Hammond ) Founders’ Choice Award: HERE. IS. BETTER. (dir. Jack Youngelson) Best First-Time Director: Ryan Mayers and Matt Mayers, Walk With Frank This page is based on this
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