Awards

Each year, the Common Good International Film Festival has audience members vote for their favorite feature film. In addition to the audience discussions following each film, a special jury (comprised of the Faith & Film Class which is held in conjunction with the Festival) deliberates to determine which film best meets the selection criteria: 

1. The film shall exhibit artistic excellence in screenplay, music, and filming technique.
2. The film shall promote the common good, which is defined as a society in which persons and communities care for one another’s well-being.
3. The film shall exhibit sensitivity to the human situation, promoting the dignity of all.
4. As appropriate to the film’s subject matter, the film shall foster ecological responsibility.
5. The film shall cultivate a realistic hope of creative transformation.

Congratulations to our 2021 Award Winners!

• Whitehead Award for Best Feature Film
  • Kuessipan (Canada) Director Myriam Verreault
• Audience Award for Feature Film
  • Invisible Hand (USA) Directors Melissa A. Troutman and Joshua B. Pribanic
• Award for Best Short Film
  • In Lorton’s Darkroom (USA) Director Karen Ruckman

Previous Award Winners

2020 Awards

• Whitehead Award for Best Feature Film
  • Binti (Belgium, Netherlands) Director Frederike Migom
• Audience Award for Feature Film
  • One Last Deal (Finland) Director Klaus Härö
• Award for Best Short Film
  • I Am Skylar (Canada) Director Rachel Bower

2019 Awards

• Whitehead Award for Best Feature Film
  • Nosotros (Spain) Director Felipe Vara de Rey
• Audience Award for Feature Film
  • Close Knit (Japan) Director Naoko Ogigami
• Special Award for Artistic Excellence
  • Loving Vincent (Poland/United States) Directors Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman
• Special Award for Ecological Responsibility
  • Dreaming of a Vetter World (United States) Director Bonnie Hawthorne

2018 Awards

• Whitehead Award for Best Feature Film 
  • The Dark Horse (New Zealand)  Director James Napier Robertson
• Audience Award for Feature Film
  • My Love, Don’t Cross That River (South Korea) Director Mo-young Jin
• Honorable Mention (Jury Award)
  • The Breadwinner (Ireland)  Director Nora Twomey

2017 Awards

• Jury Award for  Whitehead Award for Outstanding Achievement: VIVA (2015) Cuba,  Director Paddy Breathnach
• Jury Award  Whitehead Award for Best Feature Film: VIVA (2015) Cuba,  Director Paddy Breathnach
• Millennial Jury Award  Whitehead Award for Best Feature Film VIVA (2015) Cuba,  Director Paddy Breathnach
• Audience Award VIVA (2015) Cuba,  Director Paddy Breathnach

2016 Awards

• Jury Award for  Whitehead Award for Outstanding Achievement: Everywhere and Forever: Gustav Mahler’s Song of the Earth (2013) United States, Director Jason Starr
• Jury Award  Whitehead Award for Best Feature Film: Marie’s Story (2014) France, Director Jean-Pierre Améris
• Audience Award: Marie’s Story (2014) France, Director Jean-Pierre Améris

2015 Awards

• Jury Award: Corazon de Leon (2013) Director
• Audience Award:

2014 Awards

• Jury Award: Shun Li and the Poet (2011), Italy, Director Andrea Segre
• Audience Award: Touch of the Light (2012), Taiwan, Director Jung-chi Chang
• Audience Award: English -Vinglish (2012), India, Director Gauri Shinde

2013 Awards

• Jury Award: Your Beauty is Worth Nothing (2012), Austria, Director Huseyin Tabak
• Audience Award: Dearest (2012), Japan. Director Yasuo Furuhata
• Audience Award: Almanya (2011), Germany. Director Yasemin Samdereli

2012 Awards

• Jury Award: Gold and Copper (2011), Iran. Director Homayoun Assadian
• Best Documentary: Crime After Crime (2011), USA. Director Yoav Potash

2011 Jury Award

• Troubled Water (2008), Norway. Director Erik Poppe

2010 Jury Award

• Departures (2008), Japan. Director Yojiro Takita

2009 Jury Award

• The Visitor (2007), USA. Director Thomas McCarthy

2008 Jury Award

• Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (2005), Hong Kong/China/Japan. Director Yimou Zhang

2007 Jury Award

• Tsotsi (2005), UK/S. Africa. Director Gavin Hood

2006 Jury Award

• The Syrian Bride (2004), France/Israel. Director Eran Riklis

2005 Jury Award

• The Barbarian Invasions (2003), Canada. Director Denys Arcand

2004 Jury Awards

• Best Feature Film: Gaz Bar Blues (2003), Canada. Director Louis Bélanger
• Best Film Short: Aftershock (2003), France. Director Michael Bergmann

FILM ARCHIVE