CIFF

Centrally Isolated Film Festival is a showcase of student short films. The festival takes place in Ithaca every Spring, and submissions open late Fall. To stay up-to-date, follow CIFF on Instagram. We use FilmFreeway for submissions.

Call for Submissions!

The 11th Annual Centrally Isolated Film Festival (CIFF) is seeking submissions from student filmmakers!

  • Submission is free and due by March 8, 2024.
  • Students can submit narrative, documentary, or experimental student films under 20 minutes for the competition.
  • $200 awards for best films! (1st place per category and the audience award)
  • Selected films will screen on May 4 & 5, 2024.

List of CIFF Awardees

2023 Awardees

Narrative Film Award
Turkey on Rye, Lucas Huie, USA, Towson University

Honorable Mention
Happy Anyway, Ahmet Serdar Karaca, Turkey, University of York

 

Documentary Film Award
Digital Realism, Mikaela Zuiderduyn, Australia, Curtin University

Honorable Mention
The Good Harvest, Melanie Cedeño-Lopez, USA, University of Central Florida

 

Experimental Film Award
Lone Star State, Sarah Soucek, USA, Bard College

Honorable Mention
WALD, Christian Groen, USA, Chapman University

 

Audience Choice Award
Walk With Me, Kofi King, USA, Columbia University

Honorable Mention
It Lives With Me, Kenneth Ikaika Aune, USA, Cornell University

2022 Awardees

Best Narrative Film
Tha Magik Change—Monami Roy

Best Documentary Film
Bee Conscious—Kate Campolieta, University of Connecticut

Best Experimental Film
Plastic Ecosystem—Stevie Gan, University of Southern California

Audience Choice Award
The World’s Greatest Neighborhood Watch Specialist—Jack Muench, Cornell University

2021 Awardees

Best Narrative Film
The Bag—Sam Azghandi, Syracuse University
Honorable Mention: Remember Me in Therapy—Jacob Mollot, Ithaca College

Best Documentary Film
What An Ivy League Restaurant Taught Me About Success—Ryan Ng
Honorable Mention: Jornada—Mary Conlon, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

Best Experimental Film
Bibi Amir—Zelikha Zohra Shoja, Syracuse University
Honorable Mention: Pictorial Abstraction—Nick Rockwood, Binghamton University

Audience Choice Award
La Cena Italiana—Alex Chu, Colgate University
Honorable Mention: Panto—Justin d'Emilio, Ithaca College

2020 Awardees

Best Documentary
The Butterfly Effect—Jeremy Coyle, Cornell University

Best Narrative Film
Distant Interiors—Kieu-Anh Truong, Syracuse University

Best Experimental Film (tie)
In Transit—Ruby Que and Iyanah Bativala, Cornell University
Untitled—Wanrong Zhen, Syracuse University

Audience Award
정리해 (Make it Clean)—Nicholas (Nick) Fletcher, Sergio Muñoz, and Hyunjun (Alex) Ryu, Syracuse University

2019 Awardees

Best Documentary
Ms. Jackson—Nate Bellavia, Rochester Institute of Technology

Best Narrative Film
an American family—Kieu-Anh Truong, Syracuse Universiity

Best Experimental Film
CRW no. 1—Katiana Weems, Syracuse University

Audience Award
XXX—Danial Khan, Syracuse University

2018 Awardees

Best Documentary
DACAmented—St. Clair Detrick-Jules, Brown University

Best Narrative Film
O.B. and the Galactic Three in: The Staff of Funk—Evan Montgomery, Ithaca College

Best Experimental Film
Building Room—Claire G. McClusky, Ithaca College

Audience Award
ZVOOV—Lee Manor, SUNY Purchase

2017 Awardees

Best Documentary
Pig—Holly McHahon, Rochester Institute of Technology

Best Narrative Film
What Comes From a Swamp—Tyler Macri, Ithaca College

Best Experimental Film
Astral Migrant—Emilio Seri, City College of New York

Audience Award
Let's Rob a Fucking House—Casey Creveling, Ithaca College

2016 Awardees

Best Narrative Film
How They Fall—Tyler Macri, Ithaca College

Best Documentary Film
Paul's Ride—Benjamin Davis, SUNY Purchase

Best Experimental Film
Trash Fever—Kristi Gogos, Ithaca College 

2014–15 Awardees

Best Narrative Film
Pluto—Christopher Maher, Ithaca College

Best Documentary Film
Beats of the Southern Style—Samantha Yu and Adam Mantell, Ithaca College

Best Experimental Film
Burn After Viewing—Daniel Torres, Cornell University

Audience Award
Kids Making Things Happen—Jake Geller and Jesse Kreuzer, Cornell University

2013 Awardees

Best Film
Winter Rye—Victoria DeMartin, SUNY Purchase

Best Screenplay
The Playground—Rachel Ellicott, Cornell University

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