Dana Point Film Festival
The 2023 Dana Point Film Festival is a wrap!
Thank you to our sponsors, the community of dana point, our filmmakers, and festival goers.
Below Are Our Winners & Honorable Mentions
BEST FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY
BEST FEATURE SHORT DOCUMENTARY
KILLER DANA AWARD (BEST BIG SURF FILM)
Bruce Brown Ocean Legacy Award
Trident Award (Ocean Courage)
Women In Film Award (Feature Film):
Susan Cooper
Women In Film Award (Short):
Lucy Smalls & Maddie Meddings
Best Conservation (Feature)
Best Conservation (Short)
Best Ocean Mini Short Film
Best Animated Short
Best Ocean Adventure Feature
Best Ocean Adventure Feature International
Best Ocean Adventure (Short)
Best Ocean Adventure (Short) Surf
Best Ocean Exploration
Best Ocean Exploration (Shorts)
Best Ocean Solutions Feature
Best Ocean Solutions (Short)
Best Foreign Documentary for Surf (Feature)
OceanX (The Red Sea Shorts)
Untangled
Keep It A Secret
Best Foreign Documentary Short (Surf):
A new wave
Best First-time Filmmaker:
Cynthia Fernandez
Best Education Feature
Best Student Short Film
Theo Bader- Junior
Sadie Mann- Senior
Chloe Bowman- Junior
Shaina Mandala- Senior OF: Tam High School in Mill Valley, CA FOR: Untangling a Solution
Best Local Student Film
Best Student Director and cinematography
Student Finalist and Notable Mention
Best Emerging Filmmaker
Adian McCormack (Connected) Dana Hills H.S.
Rality Created by a student at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, Ca
Nate Lazarus – Junior
An Ocean’s Advocates
Created by students at Dana Hills High School in Dana Point, Ca
Max Rottach (freshman)
Oliver Mattos (freshman)
Jude Micheal Rodricks (Connecticut’s Connection to the sea)
Best Underwater cinematography
Best cinematography (Short)
Best Local Filmmaker Award (Feature)
Best Local Filmmaker Award (Short)
Howard Hall (Soul of the Ocean)
Part of the water
Shawn Wehan (Skip – Tall Ships, Mariners & the Sea)
Best International Ocean’s Short:
Gardening Marine Forests: A hands-on approach to restoration
Audience Award
Inpriraitonal Award
Inpriraitonal Award (International Feature Film)
Dirty old wedge
For the dream
Sagres
Audience Award
Honorable Mention For Creativity
Honorable Mention For Animation
Honorable Mention For Anamation
Honorable Mention For Conservation
Honorable Mention For Surf
