2018 Winners Announced
WINNER
U.S. Documentary
SKID ROW MARATHON
Anthem Grand Prize
An inspiring story of a criminal court judge with a compassionate heart. Compelled by mandatory minimums to impose hefty sentences, he helps formerly incarcerated people when they leave prison by urging them to join his running club. The film follows these amateur runners as Judge Mitchell pushes them through challenging workouts and leads them to […]
Short documentaries
SABER ROCK
Special Jury Prize for Inspirational Heroism
A flamboyant, fiercely loyal interpreter named Saber Rock helps turn the tide of Helmand Province, Afghanistan, against the Taliban and towards the support of coalition forces. As his successes mount, so do the threats against him.
THE HOUSING BUBBLE
Audience Choice, Feature Length
o-written by NY Times bestselling author Tom Woods, the film is a non-partisan, critical examination of the policies and events that led to the biggest crash since World War II. After watching the housing bubble unwind as a painter, Jimmy Morrison traveled the world to ask the people who called it: how did it happen […]
OFF THE GRID WITH THOMAS MASSIE
Audience Choice, Short Film
Off the Grid with Thomas Massie is an intimate look at a Congressman’s quest for a self-sustainable life on his farm in eastern Kentucky. “My philosophy is live and let live: You don’t worry about what somebody’s doing in their hollow, as long as they don’t worry about what you’re doing in your hollow.” Off […]
International Documentary
CYBORGS AMONG US
Best International Documentary
Cyborgs are human beings with electronic devices implanted in their bodies to extend their senses and/or enhance their physical and cognitive capabilities. Technology with the potential for human enhancement is already available, but its use is strictly restricted to remedial (medical) applications. However, the first cyborgs are already crossing the boundaries of their human limits […]
Short narratives
GRINGA
Best Short Narrative
This bilingual short follows an overworked Cuban-American millennial rushing to pack for a trip to Havana. When her eccentric Abuelo drags her on a last-minute hunt for a rare car part, she confronts her own privilege in a race against the clock. This film can be viewed at WatchMPIOriginalFilms.com
International Narrative
THE PECULIAR ABILITIES OF MR MAHLER
Best International Short Narrative
East Germany, 1987: The special investigator Mahler is said to have paranormal abilities. The police assigns him to solve the case of the 6-year-old Henry Kiefer, who is missing for weeks now, before this issue leads to political tensions with the West. But then he brings something to light that makes this family tragedy especially […]
THE INCONSIDERATE HOUSEGUEST
Best Comedy
When an inconsiderate house guest invades your personal space and refuses to respect your boundaries, sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands.
DRAW MY LIFE
Best Libertarian Series
These short films give a brief libertarian commentary on people, events, and philosophies in history while an unseen artist draws the characters. They can be viewed here.
SWEDEN: LESSONS FOR AMERICA?
Excellence in Filmmaking, Documentary Feature
Sweden: Lessons for America? delves into the economic and social landscape of the Swedish scholar’s homeland. Join him to see that the lessons to be learned from Sweden on democratic socialism may not be the ones you expect. You can view the entire film here.
ARE YOU VOLLEYBALL?!
Excellence in Filmmaking, International Short Narrative
A group of Arabian spoken asylum seekers arrive to an English spoken country border and can’t keep going. They conflict with border soldiers everyday till a deaf-mute baby becomes a catalyst for better communication between two groups.
WANDA WOS LORENC: THE WITNESS PROJECT
Excellence in Filmmaking, Short Documentary
World War II started because of an alliance between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. The Nazis and their communist allies made a secret pact to divide up the nation of Poland between them as conquered territory. But brave Polish men and women like Wanda fought back against the invaders that tried to conquer their […]
FROM THE GROUND UP
Best Libertarian Ideals, Documentary Feature
From The Ground Up tells the story of the origin of the angry voter, how they created a stunning election result, and how they changed America by telling everyone that they, too, could influence an election. View the trailer here.
GANDHI VS. JUSTICE
Best Libertarian Ideals, Short Narrative
The story, inspired from true life events, is of a middle class man, Professor Narayan Gandhi , whose small house in an old building which stood in an upscale area of Mumbai, has been usurped by a unscrupulous builder. The builder is required to give Prof. an apartment in the newly redeveloped multistoreyed building constructed […]
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