Over 30 films were selected for exhibition and/or competition at the 2017 Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival held at Music Box Theatre, 3733 N Southport Avenue, in Chicago from August 3-10. Of those films, the top award-winners are narrative short Closer Than They Appear with 5 awards and narrative feature Monkey receiving 7 awards, including Best of Fest. Gold Star takes home the Audience Favorite.
Best Original Score
Anatoliy Zubkov, Closer Than They Appear
Best Production Design
Holger Isenberg and Fabienne van de Koolwijk, King Grandpa
Best Sound
Closer Than They Appear
Best Editing
Zoritsa Kotseva, Monkey
Best Cinematography
Alexander Stanishev, Monkey
Best Supporting Actress
Catherine Curtin as “Deanne” in Gold Star
Best Supporting Actor
Leonid Yovchev as “Penev” in Monkey
Best Achievement for a Young Actor
Daniil Izotov as “Kolya” in Closer Than They Appear
Best Actress
Aleksandra Kostova as “Maya” in Monkey
Best Actor
Arjun Radhakrishnan as “Shreepad Naik” in Shreelancer
Best Screenplay
Dimitar Kotzev and Ivan Markov, Monkey
Best Director
Nataliya Belyauskene, Closer Than They Appear
Best Music Video
Stung
Best Documentary Short
Cliff, Superfan
Best Documentary
Everything in the Song is True
Best Narrative Short – Drama
Closer Than They Appear
Best Narrative Short – Comedy
Das Paket
Best Narrative Feature
Monkey
Best of Illinois
Spaceman.
Audience Favorite
Gold Star
Best of Fest
Monkey
