Meet the Winners of the Third Annual World Food Forum Film Festival 2023

This year, the WFF Film Festival reached a record high of about 500 films submitted by young talented directors from over 70 countries, twice the submission amount of last year. Even though this made choosing the finalists and winners in the five categories even more difficult, we are happy to announce that our jury, a diverse team of incredible filmmakers and industry experts, have chosen the cream of the crop.

These are this year’s categories and winning short films:

Best Fiction Movie

68.415, directed by the Italian filmmakers Antonella Sabatino and Stefano Blasi. In a dystopian world, we follow the protagonist Giulia who undergoes a special and brand-new food re-education program. But what looks like a sparkling innovation from the outside turns out to hide a dark secret. With much creativity and a thrilling at atmosphere the directors succeed in addressing issues such as food and water scarcity, plastic pollution and more.

Best Documentary

Hortus, directed by Maël Henaff, who takes us on a journey to the east of France, specifically the restaurant of the three-star Michelin chef Laurent Petit, where we get an exclusive look into not only his kitchen – but the restaurant’s own garden. This is where the magic happens: the gardener Lionel Perron guides us through the place that does not only provide the fresh produce for team’s creations but also the main inspiration for the chef himself.

Best Focus on Agrifood Systems

Bauxite or Bauxita directed by young journalist and film director Thamra Pareira’s uncovers the dangers that environmentalists are facing in Brazil. The rural community of Belisário holds the country's second largest bauxite reserve, right below one of the most bio-diverse areas in the world: the Atlantic Forest. The small community was shaken when the beloved Gilberto, a Franciscan Friar, received a death threat followed by the lines: "you've been talking against mining way too much".

Best Cinematography

La Cosecha by director Samuel Díaz Fernández tells the story of Nolvia Castillo, who immigrated to the US from Guatemala and explores what food means to her, how she uses it to connect to her culture and how she supports her local community by delivering fresh produce in her neighborhood. Together through food, they navigate the roads of their shared immigrant experience: that which we had, and thus hold on to, and that of what we create for the future.

Best Technical Focus

El Canto del Queztal directed by Austin Faust, guiding us through Chiapas, Mexico while meeting the region’s coffee and cacao producers. Through exploration, the team discovers the dynamics and complexities of the production industry in Southeast Mexico, as well as the supply chain issues faced there. We delve into the importance of sustainable farming & agroforestry, which are critical practices for vitality and continued progress of the planet.

Watch here the full 2023 winning films.