The ninth Friends Film Festival is themed "Occupational Drama", as chosen by FFF8 winner Bill Calabrese and will take place in January 2025

Compliation by Nick Schiarizzi


#FFF 8 - Heist

FFF8, took place on June. 21, 2024 and was themed "Heist", as chosen by FFF7 winner Phil Echinauer.

Bang!

DIRECTOR

Kevin + Wesley

Found guilty of Pathological plagiarism and disorderly editing with intent to disturb the peace

Best chase scene involving, but not limited to, a car and/or horse


Audience Award Winner!

Viscoso y Verde

Director

Bill Calabrese

Found guilty of Extra virgin larceny, Guilty of mishandling of Nut Thins – and also Murder

The James Beard Award for gourmet theft


Heists

DIRECTOR

Bráulio Amado

Found guilty of Gross gastrointestinal malfeasance

The Jonestown Award for scatological fever dream


POST DEADLINE SUBMISSION

Heist within a Heist

DIRECTORS

Sam and Chelsea


5 D's of Deception

DIRECTOR

Harish Bhandari

Found guilty of CCW, PIP, B&E and, last but not least, SPF

The Karl Marx Award for use of sunscreen to undermine capitalism

Anne's Award:
The Bad Influence Award


IPhones are bad and should be stolen and destroyed

Director

Nick Schiarizzi

Found guilty of wrongful and wanton destruction of technology

The Sheryl Crow Literacy Award for the Endowment of the Written Arts


Hot Ones

DIRECTOR

Courtney Wagner

Found guilty of: 5 counts of prolonged petty puppet perjury

Outstanding Achievement in children’s programming

Grant's Award: The ACAB award for excellence in puppetry


POST DEADLINE SUBMISSION

LIFT THE LIGHT

DIRECTOR

Phil Eichenauer


Make it Rain

DIRECTOR

Jon Grenon

Found guilty of Blaspheming and Besmircher-y of the lord’s good name

The Pop of Color Award goes to Jon Grenon

Randall's Award:
The Mel Gibson Award for Cutie Patootie Jesus


FauxceansEleven

Director

Francesca Greggs

Found guilty of A-list criminal collusion and mis-contextualization of a liquid lunch

The best in show for Film Titling award


Cloon Time

DIRECTOR

Emma Zurer & Johnny Sagan

Found guilty of Wilful tomfoolery in a Party City and reckless misappropriation of a wig

The Wiggly Wig Award

Johnny's Award: Excellence in Serving Musical Supervision


#FFF8 Judges

District Attorney Ali Gitlow has served at the 69th precinct of the Port Authority for the past 47 years. She has seen it all, and is not impressed. She thinks art books are a waste of money, but sometimes enjoys a good beach read. In her spare time, she cultivates her true love of camping in the great outdoors with her many children and pets. In 1994, she appeared as an extra on the television show NYU: SVU.

Nick Shea is a disgruntled legal clerk interning at the law offices of Greenberg, Blueberg & Flergberg. Beyond a somewhat patchy comprehension of the law, he has a keen interest in graphic design, and remains hopeful that he will be chosen to create the firm’s 2024
nondenominational office holiday card.

#FFF 7 - Telenovela / Soap Opera

California Caliente

Audience Award Winner

DIRECTOR

Phil Eichenauer

Best Soap Acting Award (Tie!)


PASIONES

Grant Worth

Best Dick Miracle at a Wedding Scene Award


Fresh Pond Road

DIRECTORS

David Orton & Nikolai Samsonov

Art Imitates Life Award, and Special Distinction: Best Face Swap for Russian Peasant Daughters Award


Te Escucho

DIRECTOR

Francesca Greggs

Best Editing Award, Special Recognition: Annual FFF “Most Avuncular”


Soap Opera

DIRECTOR

Jon Grenon

Best Soap Acting Award (Tie!)


Mayo Diciembre

DIRECTOR

Courtney Wagner

Best Erotic Burrito Eating Award


Our Large Mansions

DIRECTOR

Nick Schiarizzi

Best (Chest) Hair, (Smeared) Makeup, Costume Design Featuring Statement Necklaces, Most Wigs Used Award


Will & Fate

DIRECTOR

Kevin Saunders

Best Acting with Interruption on Set Award, Best Fight Scene


Families

DIRECTOR

Bráulio Amado

Best “Oops I Slept with My Brother and Now We’re Going to Have an Unattractive Baby Unless I Kill Myself and It” Award


FFF 7 Judges

Jean Chen Ho

Jean is the author of Fiona and Jane, and a visiting assistant professor of Creative Writing at Skidmore College.

Sam Martucci

Sam is an animator, game enthusiast, and film studies graduate of Bard College. He is 5'6.

Playlist of films

#FFF6 - Mockumentary

The sixth edition of the Friends Film Festival (#FFF6) took place on Friday, May 26 with a theme of mockumentary as picked by FFF5 audience award winner, Jon Grenon.

Playlist of FFF6 films

Synchronicals

DIRECTORS

David Orton & Nikolai Samsonov

Grey gardens award


The envelope please

DIRECTOR

Francesca Greggs

“and the winner is” Award


Ancient Alien Gaymines

DIRECTOR

Ben Tousley & Bráulio Amado

Best special effects as seen on tumblr award


A Statement

DIRECTOR

Stanhope Video Technologies

Social Justice Warrior Award


SDTG

DIRECTOR

Bráulio Amado

This bankrupted VICE award


We're Never WroNG

DIRECTORS

Phil & Andy

2009 The Lana del Rey Award


Rubella's revenge

Audience Award Winner

DIRECTOR

Kevin Saunders

God called and M. Night Shyamalan picked up Award


TTFN

DIRECTORS

Ali Gitlow, Nick Schiarizzi, Nick Shea, Grant Worth, Emma Zurer

The Slacker family award for reclaiming f slur Award


FFF 6 JUDGES:

Taylor Brophy

If she were to pick one item from the criterion closet it would be the Austin Powers Trilogy

Ryan Page

Ryan lives in Bushwick with his cat and studied over 500 hours of American Idol footage in one night to prepare for judging this film festival


#FFF5 - Commercial

September 9, 2022--David Orton audience award winner for FFF4, selected the genre of infomercial/commercial for FFF 5!

Playlist of all films

C'est Quoi Cette Odeur

DIRECTORS

Nick Shea & Ali Gitlow

The ExcellEssance Award for Product Design“Never Have I Ever Seen Such a Panning Queen”


Cali Swordsssss

DIRECTORS

Ion Furjanic & Cal Patterson

The WOW How Did You Land That Location Award“Cal’s the best…give him to me”


Vermont - A place all is own

DIRECTOR

Stanhope Video Technologies

The How To Sound Like John Wilson Award_“Like, seriously, does Bill know John Wilson because it really sounds like him”
_


Kween Of QVC

DIRECTORS

Emma Zurer & Johnny Sagan

The T-Boz Award for Best Crotch Shot_“Incredible tendril”
_


Athe Goth

DIRECTOR

Courtney Wagner

The Cindy Sherman Award for Contouring“You Can Also Snort It”


Clara’s Homemade

DIRECTORS

Jesse Laughter & Grant Helms

Most Like An Actual Infomercial And Also Totally Insane_“Holy shit the detail”
_


Coco Lopez

DIRECTOR

Nick Schiarizzi

The Don’t Be A Lonely Lopez, Put On Your Wig And Shine Award“Do they sell that at the Pantry? Gotta grab some on my way to the Meat Rack”


Audience Award Winner

Breaking My Silence

DIRECTOR

jon grenon

The Nothtalgia Award for Betht Lookth_“We know you thtill love printth, Jon Grenon”
_


Nibling STI

DIRECTOR

Harish Bhandari

The Did You Get Permission to Use Video of Strangers’ Dicks Award“Not that I mind”


Your Personal iPD

DIRECTORS

David Orton & Nikolai Samsonov

Best Foreign Film“Something something international fashion”


SEX CELLS

DIRECTOR

Phil Eichenauer

The Queen Elizabeth is Dead Award for Most Horny Straight People


Depression

DIRECTOR

Bráulio Amado

The I’m Not Sick There’s Just Something In My Butt Award“The question remains…how’d GEICO gecko get in there?”


FFF 5 Judges

Sara Taylor is a real go-getter. She works hard but plays harder. Everyone that meets her thinks, “wow, she really knows how to get. things. DONE!” She loves leaving the house, making huge amounts of money, and doing her taxes.

leon wong hails from the tiny island of rotuma (population 1600: check google maps it is literally tiny!), was raised in australia and now calls NYC home. on the professional front he represents directors and photographers. in his spare time he is a proud Gemini and is forever on the hunt for a husband and best desserts in town :)

#FFF4 - Sci-Fi

March, 4 2022--The fourth Friends Film Festival had the theme of Sci-Fi, selected by FFF 3 audience award winner Bráulio Amado.Congratulations to David Orton on his film Plutonius that was the audience award winner for #FFF4.

FFF4 official poster

Alien Booby Trap

DIRECTOR

Nick Schiarizzi


Un Bébéface

DIRECTORS

Wesley Bresette & Kevin Chan
Two Capybaras


E.T.O.T.O.

DIRECTOR

Phil Eichenauer
Tinsel Pictures


Tunnel

DIRECTOR

Stanhope Video Technologies


Ancient Galiens

DIRECTOR

Grant Worth
Jerkin' Off Cassiopeia (JOC) Productions


Plutonius

DIRECTOR

David Orton
Barrow Manor Productions


Chune

DIRECTORS

Nick Shea & Ali Gitlow
Moving Shitlows


Meta Time

DIRECTOR

Harish Bhandari
Soft Party


THE MIRROR

DIRECTOR

BRÁULIO AMADO
BAD STUDIOS PRODUCTIONS


Your Nosey Neighbor

DIRECTOR

K. Myles Saunders
Haunted Schoolhouse Productions


Marioneta En El Espacio

DIRECTOR

Courtney
Muppet Tears Productions


Silent Ping

DIRECTOR

Emma Zurer & Johnny Sagan aka SnowyWilderness
Send in the Clowns


Let’s Find Out About the Moon

DIRECTOR

Ben Tousley
Unforseen Plans


FFF 4 Judges:Hisham Awad
Andy Barwick
Rachel Castillo

FFF 3 - HORROR

Held on Nov. 5, 2021. Theme selected by Nick Schiarizzi, audience award winner of FFF 2.

Playlist for all the films:

BITCH SALAD

DIRECTOR

Nick Schiarizzi
I’m Sensitive Productions

AWARD

Scary Environmentalist Karen


Fergie Krueger

DIRECTOR

Danny, Mike & Julie
Come to My Window Production

AWARD

The Don't Tread On Elm Street Award


How to Halloween

DIRECTOR

Courtney Wagner
NIGHT BEFORE DEADLINE PRODUCTIONS

AWARD

The Adam Curtis Award For Documentary


Pray, Montana

DIRECTOR

Grant Worth
JOC the Ripper

AWARDS

The REI Award For Who Are These Seemingly Attractive Straight People


The Guest

DIRECTOR

Kevin Chan + Wesley Bresette
Two Capybaras

AWARD

“Ace Hotel Award” Furnished By “Apartment Therapy” And “Apartamento”


W.O.M.B

DIRECTOR

Emma Zurer & Johnny Sagan
Send in the Clowns

AWARD

The New Museum Sky Room Award


No Exit

DIRECTOR

David Orton & Nikolai Samsonov
Barrow Manor Productions

AWARD

Realest Nightmare on iPhone or AndroidThe Masha Gessen Award for Inequality


Return to Office

DIRECTOR

Stanhope Video Technologies

AWARD

Justice 4 Allison Fund For Puppeteering


Shoo Fly

DIRECTOR

Sara Taylor & Courtney Haines
Plotless Pansexual Productions

AWARD

Best Or Most Evil Laugh Shot On Iphone Or Android


Scaryoke

DIRECTOR

Phil Eichenauer
Tinsel Pictures

AWARD

Best, Saddest Addiction


The other guy

DIRECTOR

jongrenon
jonny4/7 productions

AWARD

The Wait, Should I Just Text My Guy - Just In Case We Need Some More 4 Later Award Sponsored By “The Bushwick Association For Fentaynl Related Psy-Ops"


THE COVETED HOOD

DIRECTOR

BRÁULIO AMADO
B.A.D. STUDIOS

AWARD

AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER

The Duo-Lingo Award For Penis Envy


Watch Where You Step

DIRECTOR

Harish Bhandari
Soft Party

AWARD

The Metropolitan Transit Authority Award


Performance of the Year

Emma Zurer as the WITCH OF THE MOMA BATHROOM

Runner up: Kevin Saunders in THE COVETED HOOD


JUDGES

RICKIE RIX

Rickie Rix is a nationally renowned 90s-style lesbian currently queering the state of Idaho with her coffee-slanging skillz.

OMER_INTERNET

Omer was raised by lesbians in Pennsylvania and now has a PhD in Anthropology from Columbia University, where he is currently teaching.

Dobbin St. Co-op

FFF 2 - MUSICALS!

Held on May 15, 2021. Theme selected by Courtney Wanger, winner of FFF 1


This Year’s Best Musical

DIRECTORS

Kevin Chan + Wesley Bresette

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Two Capybaras

BEST Original Score Award

“Women laughing while eating salads all agree: makes us wet for watermarks!”


Grease 300

DIRECTOR

Nick Schiarizzi

PRODUCTION COMPANY

I'm Sensitive Productions

AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER

The Triple Threat Award

“The choreography, make-up, art direction, hairpieces, squat thrusts, core strength, wet pavement, broken violins, love, romance, and ANNE PATTERSON…this musical has everything!”


Church of Sondheimology Presents: Possessed by Sondheim

DIRECTORS

Emma Zurer + Snowy Wilderness

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Send in the Clowns

Sondheim Sex Dungeon Award

“Pippin, eat your heart out!”


Chernobyl: The Techno Musical

DIRECTOR

Jon Grenon

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Radon Rave, LLC

It Was Better Than CATS Award

“I’ve never wanted so badly to smack my bitch up!”


Clock of the Body

DIRECTOR

Kevin Saunders

PRODUCTION COMPANY

The Haunted Schoolhouse

Objectophilia Award

“Busy, and aspirational…in a Kafka-esque kind of way.”


MINARI 2

DIRECTOR

WWC

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Stanhope Video Technologies

Cross Pollinator Award

“The most push-ups without being a musical.”


My Time of the fiLe

DIRECTORS

Grant Worth

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Joggers On Cetammstein (JOC)

The Ketamine Stargate To Eternal Swayze Consciousness Award

Overheard at the VIP Watermelon Lounge after party: “It’s nice to see that his sobriety isn’t affecting his Art.”


What A Party

DIRECTOR

David Orton

Lifetime Achievement Award


Now That’s What I Call Faggy

DIRECTOR

Bráulio Amado

PRODUCTION COMPANY

BAD STUDIOS

The Vaxxed, Waxed, Relaxed Award

“It’s the post pandemic, pre-party playlist for the people to get the peen poppin’. Gets straight to the point, and gets me in the mood…just not necessarily in that order.”


Order in the Court

DIRECTOR

Phil Eichenauer

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Roll Credits Productions

Historical Re-enactment Award

“I feel like I’ve seen it before.”


Envoyer Les Clowns

DIRECTOR

Courtenay

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Steven Sondl'chaim Pictures

The Nightmare Fuel Award

“These have always brought me clowns.”


The Judges

Destiny Pierce, Matty, Trever Illingworth, Scott T. Leiendecker

FFF 1 - NOIR

The inaugural Friends Film Festival took place on February 6th 2021.

Missive

DIRECTOR

Kevin M Saunders

PRODUCTION COMPANY

The Haunted Schoolhouse

Most Suspenseful
Jury Prize: Cinematography
"I Liked that you were playing two characters."


Edwina

DIRECTOR

Emma Zurer

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Send in the Clowns

Cinematography and Editing by Snowywilderness

Best Face Acting"Is it poison?"


March 21st, 1967

DIRECTOR

Bráulio Amado

PRODUCTION COMPANY

BAD STUDIOS

Most Romantic
Jury Prize: Screenplay
"So many Nicks."


A Musical Interlude

DIRECTOR

David Dodge

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Bumble Bunny Productions

Best Leading Man"I can't believe it's starting all over. I liked the piano."


Untitled

DIRECTOR

Nick Schiarizzi

PRODUCTION COMPANY

I'm Sensitive Productions

Most Avuncular"I loved that it was 47 seconds and I liked that the lightbulb had eyes."


The Bigger the Hair, The Bigger the Turban

DIRECTOR

Johnny O'Clock (JOC)

PRODUCTION COMPANY

TURBANS X TURBANS X DOLPH

Best Noir"I love that there were different endings."


Who is She?

DIRECTOR

Courtney

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Rachel Green Productions

Best Femme Fatale
Jury Prize: Directing
Audience Award
"I liked that they were all mannequins. This is my favorite shot (the last shot)."


It's Over

DIRECTOR

Phil Enichenauer


C’est Les Femmes

DIRECTOR

jongrenon

Best Snugglebait"I like how it turned black & white."




LEAU

DIRECTOR

William Calabrese

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Stanhope Video Technologies

Best Existential Themes"You are the water?"


You Said You Loved Me

DIRECTOR

David Orton

PRODUCTION COMPANY

Barrow Manor Productions

The MOST"Why are you a doll? Why are you using the word bitch?"


Festival Jury:

CHERYL FURJANIC

Emmy-nominated filmmaker and professor of documentary production at NYU’s Culture & Media Program. Director of the upcoming film, Adventures in Miscarriage.

DREW JOY

Production sound mixer. Credits include Bravo's Backyard Envy, Season 2, and the Haunted Schoolhouse's Large Rascals

ANNE PATTERSON

LCSW & actor, Large Rascals