A while back I said that the reason Sean Baker’s Anora resonated so deeply right now revolves around Baker himself, as an uncompromising, inventive and fiercely independent filmmaker at a time when the purity of the form has been buried under so many things, from the dogma that has overtaken Hollywood, to the seduction of streaming as a safe haven for artists, to the use of AI and major IPs. He has tried to stay true to the form, to the art and to the characters whose stories he wishes to tell.
That is a hell of an Oscar story if only that story could be told. Well, now it has been with Neon’s brilliant new featurette:
Finally, it’s time for Sean Baker to take a bow for such an uncompromising career – it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
And speaking of staying true to the form, Chris Gore and Film Threat held their alternative awards ceremony that awards films that they believe are also independent, daring, creative and don’t fit inside the ideologically driven world of what the independent film awards have become. Like Baker, these guys are doing it purely for the love of movies and not for any other reason.
In case you missed it, here is the video of the event:
Here are their nominees and winners:
Film Threat’s Award This! Announces 2024 Winners
Award This! In its 6th Year Honored Indie Filmmakers In-Person on February 2nd, 2025 Watch It Now on YouTube
(LOS ANGELES, CA) Film Threat’s Award This! has become a unique voice for indie film and an annual industry staple. An event with a mission — to champion independent films across a multitude of diverse categories to bring awareness to the growing number of exceptional indies available on DVD, VOD, and streaming services. Film Threat recognizes these films each year with a ceremony hosted by actors, comedians and critics, and the celebration continues at a huge afterparty. See the list of award winners below and watch it on now on YouTube here.
The Award This! nominees were selected from over 2,000 indie films reviewed by Film Threat in 2023/2024. Award This! returned for its sixth year and took place at the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, California on Sunday, February 2nd . Next year’s Award This! will take place on January 31st, 2026.
Film Threat’s Award This! show can also be seen on YouTube now here. Film Threat’s Award This! is the only award show where the general public may attend by simply buying a ticket. (Try getting tickets to the Oscars!)
The nominating board of Award This! is comprised of the staff of Film Threat’s editors and critics which number 30+ worldwide along with an advisory board of media figures and independent film luminaries. And now, may we present the Award This! 2024 winners below.
Award This! Film About Movies or Filmmaking
A Disturbance in the Force
Boutique: To Preserve And Collect – WINNER!
Chasing Chasing Amy
Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story
The Last Movie Ever Made
Masters of The Grind
Award This! Music Documentary
Art Dealers – WINNER!
Freestyle 101: Hip Hop History – WINNER!
Karen Carpenter: Starving For Perfection
Lee Fields: Faithful Man
Squaring The Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis
What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat And Tears
Award This! Socially Relevant Documentary
American Homeboy – WINNER!
Americonned
Great White Summer
Lead and Copper
Queen of the Deuce
Understanding Autism
Award This! Pop Culture Documentary
A Disturbance in the Force
Boutique: To Preserve And Collect
The Donn Of Tiki
Driven: The Tony Pearson Story
Holy Frit – WINNER!
Scooter LaForge: A Life Of Art
Award This! Unreal Outsiders Documentary
Americonned
Chasing Chasing Amy
Married to Comics
Masters of the Grind – WINNER!
Pencils Vs. Pixels
Scooter LaForge: A Life Of Art
BEST DOCUMENTARY
A Disturbance in the Force – WINNER!
Award This! Indie Sci-Fi
Bleak Terminus
Hemisphere
Restore Point
Space Command Redemption – WINNER!
The Keepers of the 5 Kingdoms – WINNER!
Things Will Be Different
Award This! Indie Horror
Abruptio
Hell’s Coming For You – WINNER!
Night of the Harvest
The Quantum Devil – WINNER!
Suitable Flesh
Wineville
Award This! Indie Comedy
Go West
Hundreds of Beavers
Lousy Carter
The Unexpecteds
The Last Movie Ever Made
Yaniv – WINNER!
Award This! Indie LGBTQ+ Themed Film
August at Twenty-two
Chasing Chasing Amy
Enter the Drag Dragon
She Is Conann
Unfix – WINNER!
The Way Out
Award This! Indie Animation
Ah My Goddess: Let’s Save Vic Morrow
Max Beyond
My Love Affair with Marriage – WINNER!
When Adam Changes (Adam Change Lentement)
Award This! Indie Action/Thriller
Bang Bang Betty: Valerie’s Revenge
Death Bitch
The Girl in the Trunk
Night Shift
Pizza Boy Rick – WINNER!
Roadkill
Award This! WTF Indie like “What the Fuck is This Movie Even?
Abruptio – WINNER!
Night of the Killer Bears
Serial Rabbit 7: Critical Rabbit Theory
Spirit Riser – WINNER!
Surfer: Teen Confronts Fear
Worm Pornography
Award This! Indie Romance
A Rocky Mountain Affair
Don’t Say It
Good Bad Things – WINNER!
Molli and Max in the Future
Peak Season
The Burning Season
Award This! Indie Drama
Good Bad Things
The Long Game
Peak Season
Seagrass
Unfix
What Did Deborah Do – WINNER!
Award This! Indie Made for Less Than the Contents of an Oscar Gift Bag (Under $100K)
Oscar’s
Death Bitch – WINNER
Cop vs Killer
The Kingfish 2
Serial Rabbit 7: Critical Rabbit Theory – WINNER!
Straight Through Crew
Best Short
Jane Austen’s Period Drama – WINNER!
Best Director
Director of Abruptio
Evan Marlowe
Best Directress
Directress of Wineville
Brande Roderick
Indie Movie of the Year
Hundreds of Beavers
Check out the official Award This! site for ticket information, including eligibility requirements and don’t forget to follow Award This! on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
