FALL 2018 WINNERS
In order to insure that each film is studied and rated on an individual basis, DOFIFF has instituted a system where entries do not compete against each other, but instead are recognized for their own individual merits.
For all intents and purposes, they compete against themselves:  each entry is judged on individual merits and scored on an inherent value system.

The judges focus is on your film when it is your turn to be evaluated, not on all the other films that are in cue: this insures that they will not have comparisons going on in their minds when they should be focusing entirely on YOU.

Judges score entries on a performance scale and winning entries are recognized and awarded not only for Best Of Show, but also for two Awards of Excellence levels, two Awards of Merit levels, a Kudos Endeavor Award, or no award.

Best of Show honors are granted to the top scoring entry/entries for each season;  Awards of Excellence are granted to entries with truly exceptional artistic and technical achievements; and Notable achievements are recognized at the Award of Merit and 'Kudos' award levels.

The number of awards granted at any given level will fluctuate based on the total number of entries received for each competition deadline.


To download your award seals/laurels, just right click on the corresponding laurel, select "Save image as" and save to your computer. Seals are Png format.




USA
USA
ROMANIA
Collar
 Drama
Russ Emanuel
Also:
Award Of Excellence: Lead Actor, Sean Gunnell
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Supporting Actor, Michael Ray
Award Of Excellence: Direction,  Russ Emanuel
Award Of Excellence: Editing, Emile Haris
Award Of Excellence: Script Writer, Troy Gabaldon
Award Of Excellence: Original Score, Vasilis Milesis


What happens when a seemingly ordinary priest is confronted
 by a seemingly ordinary man? While reading the Bible
on a particularly windy day, Father Harris is confronted
 by a tall stranger, one who makes him question his beliefs
and motivations.
 And all in a quest for the truth, however horrifying.
Not even a helpful woman can save this priest, who must make a choice.
 For not all sins can be forgiven.


Having directed name actors such as John Heard,
Robert Picardo, William Devane, Jeremy London, Ryan Hurst,
 and Christian Barber, Russ Emanuel grew up in both Japan and the United States,
 garnering an international viewpoint of the world throughout
his childhood. After graduating from the University of
Southern California to study Cinema-Television,
 International Relations and Japanese,
(and gaining more production experience at the UCLA Extension Program),
 he founded Russem Productions in 2002 in order to promote
 his short films including HER KNIGHT (2003),
the award-winning GIRL WITH GUN (2005), and the documentary
 RESTORATION OF PARADISE (2014).
He also produced several shorts including MAVET (2004),
 the zombie-flick THE DIARY (2004), the vampire film
PERFECT RED (2006), and CULT 11 (2010)
 and THE MEETING (2013) television serie
s (which he also directed two episodes each).
Presently, OCCUPANTS (2015) marks Emanuel's fourth
foray into feature filmmaking, after having directed P.J. (2007),
CHASING THE GREEN (2009), and THE LEGENDS OF NETHIAH (2012).
 His current projects are THE ASSASSIN'S APPRENTICE (2017) and COLLAR (2017).

Reclamation
Loose Shorts (Sci-Fi)

Alison Kohlhardt


A determined young woman embarks on
 an epic adventure to reunite her
family, torn apart and spread across the
solar system ten years ago by
an all-powerful global company that, in 2151,
 has the power to "recruit" anyone who
 owes it a debt.
Thiscautionary tale juxtaposes our
economic inequality, corporate power,
and basic freedoms against a realistic
, potential dystopian future.

Actor/Director
Alison Kohlhardt is best known for her
 roles in
 "Cindr" (2015), "Deadly
Women" (2010-2013) and
 Blue Match Comedy (2015-).

Born in Sydney, Australia, she began
 performing in school plays at a
 young age.
 Her theater work quickly prompted
a move to Hong Kong.
 Shortly thereafter her career
instigated a relocation to Los Angeles,
where she was cast in numerous
 television, voice-overs and film
  productions including,
"Misdirected" (2014),
 "Apartmates" (2015-)
 and "Flashback"(2015).

She is fast becoming a success
as a new type of triple-threat:
 an actor, director and producer.
Her dedication and hard work
has been adventitious in
 these endeavors
.

Beside me
Inspirational
Tedy Necula


A subway is blocked between
 stations on the morning after the fire
tragedy at Collective Club in Bucharest.
 Everyone on their way, they
are together and begin to interact.
We're strangers until something
keeps us together.
If we open up, we notice that we share
 with those around us.
 At the end of the journey,
at the next station, each one
comes out modified.
We are together the world,
as we are in a subway wagon

.


TedyNecula directs and produces
 of inspirational films.
 He has created over
40 inspirational campaigns and
documentary films targeting commercial
and social projects and causes in Europe.
 Tedy Necula had the chance to
be in contact with people from vulnerable
 groups such as orphans,
people with disabilities, LGBT
 or prison women, AIDS and
communities at risk.
His kind of philosophy makes
 it look for inspiration in the
narrative of any subject or
 brand, even in places where
 others find
only dramas
.









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USA
USA/CHINA
China
If I Could Run
Drama Feature
Shawn Wellingl


A young girl in 1960 loves to run
 and joins a boys running team.
Setbacks, bullying and ridicule face her.
 Finding a lost, injured dog proves out to
 be her strength and salvation.
 An inspiring, heartwarming story
 for the entire family!
Lost In Apocalypse
Horror
Sky Wang
Also:
Award of Outstanding Excellence:
 Direction



A group of seemingly unrelated
 individuals  fight their  way out
of a virus-infested
 hotel, only to find themselves at
 a worse place than before.



Sky Wang, Chinese American
 writer/director , born in Mainland
 China and immigrated
 to the West in his formative years.
 Having lived in the UK, Canada,
and the USA,  Sky grew up
appreciating people and stories
 of all types and origins.
Graduated from Columbia College
 Chicago with a film degree,
 and during the time of
his studies, Sky directed numerous
 shorts and received many festival
 accolades.
 With one foot in the American film
industry, Sky also pursues
 projects in the  Greater China
 region, where he directed
  his first Chinese feature film in 2017.

Winter In My Heart
Art-House
Ye Tian



Yang Xiaoyong who works in the
United States  received a call from his
father's mistress, Bai Ju,
informing him that his father,
Yang qingshan,  was seriously ill
 and told him to return home soon.
 When Yang Xiaoyong's mother died,
Yang Qingshan sold his
 property and left Shanghai with all the
money he had, returning to the northeast
 where he had worked as
 a young man, and stayed together
 with Bai Ju.
 The incident has long rankled Yang
 and chilled  the relationship between his
 father and son.
After seeing Bai Ju in the northeast,
Yang let off his anger on the woman who
had destroyed  his family.
 But Bai Ju gave him a book, named
 Brave,from which he could learn
 about his father.
 With the book's content and seeing
the vast northeast  snow plains, an icy
 past begins to crack.
 Memory and reality interweave the
complicated relationship between
people's fates and the times.



Ye Tian,young film director,film director
 of Shanghai Film Group,

the member of Shanghai Film Artiest,
the member of Shanghai Film Critics,

 MA. Since 2003,Ye Tian begins his
 creation on documentary and feature
 film
now he is a film director
 of Shanghai Film Group.

His work Documentary The Face won
 “Best Short Documentary”

 of Golden Panda Award of the 9th Sichuan
 International TV Festival. 

Digital Film Shanghai Diary is enrolled
 in the unit of
  “Chinese New Film Exhibition”
of the 14th Shanghai International

Film Festival.
And as an exhibition work in 20th Shanghai
 Critics Awards. 

Film Chen Jialing is enrolled in
“Honor Exhibition”

 Unit in the 9th Roma International
 Film Festival;
Won “Best Documentary” Award of
Sino-Australia
 International Film Festival

;Won “Best Documentary”
Award of Sino-US
International Film Festival.




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NO
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NO
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USA
FRANCE
USA
Private Life
LGBT

Gregory L. Williamson
Also:
Award of Outstanding Excellence:
 Direction, Gregory L. Williamson
Award Of Excellence:
Script/Writer, Gregory L. Williamson


When Eric, a young reclusive
photographer, secretly follows
his boyfriend Chris  into the
mountains, he hopes to find
answers about Chris’s fidelity.
Instead, Eric finds a deeper
connection to himself and to
Chris just as they fall
prey to a stranger who targets
them,  a tragedy that changes
Eric forever.
 Private Life is inspired by an
 actual hate crime.


Gregory L. Williamson is a
Writer-Director-Producer known
for Private Life (2014),
Frat House Musical
(2012, Student Emmy-Best Series)
and
The Silver Skirt (2009).

Gregory just completed a Master of
 Fine Arts  in film and television
production at the University
 of Southern California's
 School of Cinematic Arts.
Previously he studied film
production at
Academe of Film and Television
 in Prague, Czech Republic and
creative writing with a Bachelor of
 Science in Liberal Arts at
 Portland State University.

Beating Heart
DRAMA

Laurent Caujat
Also:
Award Of Outstanding Excellence:
Lead Actor, Pascal Mottier
Award Of Excellence:
Original Score, Ibrahim Maalou


Since he is unemployed, Julian
 is a real house-husband taking
 care of his  daughter with love.
He took on debts without telling
 his wife.
To get out of it, he will improvise
 as an outlaw.


"A Coeur Battant" explores the madness
 of a society defined by profit.
For my first feature film, I wanted to
 do a  social thriller, built on
 true characters with a cheeky
 rebel smile.
 The original score improvised by
Ibrahim Maalouf
 distills a wild poetry and punctuates the
 story with elegant blues melodies.
 Dreams against money always
 the same song,
fight for ours aspirations always
 my same will.

Curing The Incurable?
  DOCUMENTARY

Gary Null


The Chicken cup is a treasure that passed
 by the Emperor of Ming, Jin guards
 are the imperial guards of Ming Dynasty
who got the mission to protect the
 Chicken Cup.
And after hundreds of Years, the
Chicken Cup  still exist also the
only survived Jin guard
 He Xingyun.
 The treasure hunters willing to kill
 him and get the Chicken Cup,
 He Xingyun then passes on his
 mission to the young boy Li Moxun,
 the battle went on again.
USA
CHINA
USA

The Blues Crab
Animation (Domestic)
Ari Rubenstein


An old gnarled crab tells his story of loss  and sorrow, hoping
 to save a couple young crabs
 from the life of blues he's led



Ari Rubenstein

Since the early 1990's, Ari has been immersed in thearts and technology of CGI (computer graphic imaging).

This passion eventually narrowed a focus on visual effects(VFX) for feature films.

In 1997, Ari joined Xaos Inc., in San Francisco, an early pioneer
of visual effects technology which became an inspiration for
the burgeoning industry of the day.

In January 1998, Ari founded Curv Studios, a VFX production
company in Marin County, directly north of San Francisco.

Under Ari's creative supervision, Curv initially developed 3D animated communications tools for silicon valley tech companies, continuing in this vein, Curv produced 3D animation and 2D compositing for game cinematic, television documentaries,

IMAX and feature films.

In 2003 Ari joined Tippett Studios in Berkeley, CA, to work on
The Matrix trilogy. While at Tippett Ari worked on a variety of
high-profile feature films such as Charlottes Web, Constantine,
Hellboy and more.

At Tippett Ari was fortunate to learn directly from vfx and animation pioneer Phil Tippett and his partner
Craig Hayes, both academy award winning craftsman respectively.

Tippett Studio's crew comprising some of the most seasoned and seminal craftsman in the industry.

In late 2005 Ari joined Blue Sky Studios in New York to work
on animated feature films for 20th Century FOX. Blue Sky had
been an early pioneer in computer graphics, primarily notable
for the invention of retraced rendering technology which is now
ubiquitous throughout the global vfx and animation industries.

During his time at Blue Sky Ari has contributed to a variety of creative techniques and technology which have advanced the aesthetic quality of Blue Sky's films over the years.



Searching for the Lotus-Born Master
Documentary (Foreign)
Laurence Brahm

A documentary expedition team crosses the Himalayas retracing the footsteps of the "Lotus-Born Master," an Eight Century guru considered the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. The expedition seeks to prove the legend true, discovering that he may also be the founding father of quantum physics.



Awesome GAl
Tight Shorts (Domestic)
Frank M. Calo

An abused teen from the hollers of West Virginia and a horse abused by the cruel method of soring meet by chance and heal their broken lives. Based on a true story.


Frank M. Calo

FMC Productions was founded by Frank M. Calo, a New York independent film producer. Mr. Calo brings more than 20 years of industry in a broad range of capacities. His critically acclaimed "The Believer" starring Ryan Gosling won the 2001 Sundance Festival along with many other awards. Mr. Calo has directed reality TV shows such as Pay it Forward and Taxi Wars. He also presents production seminars.

Awesome Gal is a story that needs to be told. The cruel practice of soring Tennessee Walking horses needs to brought to national attention through a heartwarming, true story.






9,8 m/s2
USA
Loose Shorts
Outstanding Excellence
Award Of Outstanding Excellence: Lead Actor, Pasha D. Lychnikoff
Award Of Excellence: Lead Actress, Lyanka Gryu
Award Of Excellence: Direction, Michael Vaynberg

Team Teenettes

Canada

Sci-fi

Outstanding Excellence
Award Of Excellence: Custome Design, Kari Klyne Julie Townsend-Tyskerud Emily Tibbo Lila Carter
Award Of Excellence: Makeup,  Cydney Sjostrom Melissa Russell Brae Wagner Lila Carter
Award Of Excellence: Voice Over Talent, Lisle Wilkerson

The End of the World

USA

Drama

Outstanding Excellence
Award Of Excellence: Cinematography, Jude Abadi

Underneath the Same Moon
USA
Drama Comedy
Drama: Outstanding Excellence
Comedy: Excellence
Award Of Excellence: Lead actor, Anderson Davis
Award Of Excellence: Lead actress, Sara Ball
Award Of Excellence: Supporting Actress, Meg Cashel
Award Of Outstanding Excellence: Direction, Bob Wasson
Award Of Outstanding Excellence: Script/Writer Tom Arndt
Award Of Excellence: Original Score

UNMASKED

Canada

Drama

Outstanding Excellence
Award Of Excellence: Direction, Mostafa Keshvari
Award Of Outstanding Excellence: Actress: Lead, Sara Omran

   
YOROZUYA
 DETECTIVE STORY
Japan
Sci-fi
Outstanding Excellence








17 Minutes

AU

Loose Shorts

Excellence

500

Romania

Loose Shorts

Excellence

Already Dead
UK
Horror
Excellence
As the Earth Turns
USA
Loose Shorts
Sci-Fi
Excellence Both Categories
Award Of Outstanding Excellence: Direction, Richard Lyford,
Award Of Excellence: Original Score, Ed Hartman
Award Of Excellence: Sfx:Visual,  Richard Lyford
Award Of Excellence: Original Concept
Award Of Outstanding Excellence: Viewer Impact: Entertainment Value

Audition

France

Loose Shorts

Excellence

Ballad of a Righteous Merchant

USA

Documentary

Excellence

BAXTER AND ME
AU
Documentary
Excellence
Award of Exceptional Merit: original Song, Elizabeth Drake Composer Gillian Leahy and Sue Brooks for final song in film
Boomer Bands
USA
Documentary
Excellence
Burkas2Bullets60
Canada
Documentary
Excellence

Dystopia (Animation)
Bello Propello


Switzerland

Animated

Excellence

Flying on the Wings of Time - Chapter Two - "Nostalgia"

USA/Argentina

Documentary

Excellence

House Of Stronzo
USA
Documentary
Excellence
I Will Not Write Unless I Am Swaddled In Furs
New Zealand
Tight Shorts
Excellence

Jeep Commercial Spec

USA

TV Commercials

Excellence

Lisa At Large

USA

TV Show

Excellence

Lord Of Hope

USA

Loose Shorts

Excellence
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Voice-Over Talent, Mitchell Gibson
Award Of Excellence: Direction, Mitchell Gibson, Tiffany Irvin, Kathy Gibson
Award Of Excellence: Editing
Award Of Excellence: Original Concept
Award Of Outstanding Excellence: Content/Message delivery
Award Of Excellence: Viewer Impact:Inspirational

Mechanicalife
Japan
Animation
Excellence

PAMdemonium

AU

Documentary

Excellence

Protecting Tony

USA

Loose Shorts

Excellence
Award Of Excellence: Lead ActorJonathan Benefiel,

RAIN

Canada

Tight Shorts

Excellence

Saved By Grace
USA
Tight Shorts
Exceptional Merit
Award Of Excellence: Screenplay
Award Of Excellence: Lead Actor, Spencer Trinwith

South Texas Gentle Men of Steel - Los Padres

USA

Documentary

Excellence
Award Of Excellence: Direction

SURVEILLANCE

UK

Student

Excellence

The Evil I've Seen

USA

Loose Shorts

Excellence

The Great Lakusta

Canada

Tight Shorts

Excellence

The Hello Girls: The Story of America's First Female Soldiers

USA

Documentary

Excellence

The Living Soul Television Show
USA
Documentary
TV Show
Excellence BOTH

The Necropath

USA

Loose Shorts

Excellence

The Quiet Place

USA

Student

Excellence

The Silence Of OM
Taiwan
Art-house Film
Excellence
Award Of Excellence: Direction, Leading Lee
Award Of Excellence: Original Score, Cheng-Hsien Yu
The Silent Soldier and the Portrait
USA
Documentary
Excellence
UnderSee
Canada
Animation
Excellence
United Hopes
USA
Student
Documentary
Excellence

Victor Goodview

USA

Drama

Excellence











A Moment In Time

USA

Drama Feature

Exceptional Merit

A.S. Inc.

USA

Student

Exceptional Merit

Almost Grownups Episode 2 - The Dysfunctional Pirates

USA

Comedy

Exceptional Merit

Bigger Picture
Canada
Student
Exceptional merit
Binding the Shattered Harp
USA
Tight Shorts
Exceptional merit
Body Farm
USA
Horror
Exceptional Merit

Butterfly

USA

LGBT and Student

Exceptional Merit BOTH
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Lead Actress,  Harpor Secor
Award Of Exceptional Merit, Supporting Actor, Christopher Hagen
Award Of Excellence: Viewer Impact: Inspirational

Call for Fire

USA

Zero Budget

Exceptional Merit
Award of Exceptional Merit: editing

Covenant

Canada

Horror

Exceptional Merit

cupid is not a terrorist
Switzerland
Tight Shorts
Exceptional Merit

Enlightenment

Mexico

Student

Exceptional Merit

God's River

USA

Documentary

Exceptional Merit

Heel on Red:The Life and Photography of Sam Holden
USA
Art-house Film
Exceptional Merit

Indelible Winter

USA

Art-house Film

Exceptional Merit
Award of Excellence: Direction, Ann Huang

Irena Sendler - More Than a Footnote
USA
Student
Exceptional Merit

Little Rose

USA

Zero Budget

Exceptional Merit

Lungs of London

UK

Webisode

Exceptional Merit

Marked Web Series Episode 1: Scars Re-opened

Canada

Webisode (Pilot)

Exceptional Merit

Medea
USA
Art-house Film
Exceptional Merit
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Lead Actor,  Ed Berkeley
Award Of Excellence: Lead Actress, Andronica Marquis
Award of Exceptional Merit, Cinematography, Colten Becker
Award Of Excellence: Direction, Andronica Marquis
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Editing, Mark Oguschewitz
Award Of Excellence: Coustume Design, SophiaThoreson
Award Of Excellence: Original Score, Pat Marquis
Award Of Excellence: Content/Message Delivery

My Name Was January

Canada

LGBT

Exceptional Merit

REBIRTH (PUNARJANAM)

India

Inspirational

Exceptional Merit

Award Of Excellence: Lead Actor, AMAR JYOTI JHA

Reliving Marilyn
Canada
Drama
Exceptional Merit

Requiem

USA

Drama

Exceptional Merit
Award Of Merit: SFX: Animation
Award Of Merit: Cinematography

Still, We'll Always Be Children

Canada

Inspirational and Tight Shorts

Exceptional Merit Both
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Cinematography, Felix Gouin
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Direction, Felix Gouin
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Original Score, Mathilde Vachon
Award Of Excellence: Content/Message Delivery
Award Of Excellence: Viewer Impact: Inspirational

The Gift of the Magi

USA

Student

Exceptional Merit

The Middle of Nowhere

USA

TV Show

Exceptional Merit

The Perception Of Time
USA
Art-House Film
Exceptional Merit

The Radicalization of Jeff Boyd

Switzerland

Drama Feature

Exceptional Merit
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Lead Actor, Uwe Schwarzwalder
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Lead Actress, Yessica Sanchez
Award Of Excellence: Original Song: "Fall" Brendan Gillespie
Award Of Excellence: Original Score, Michael Klubertanz, Paco Periago, Brendan Gillespie
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Viewer Impact/Entertainment Value
Award Of Exceptional Merit: First Time Director, Uwe Schwarzwalder

The Red Thread

USA

Tight Shorts

Exceptional Merit
Award Of Excellence: Lead actress, Grace Narducci
Award Of Excellence: Viewer Impact/Inspirational

The River

USA

LGBT and PSA

Exceptional Merit Both

Top Coat Cash
USA
Drama
Exceptional Merit

Upstate Story

USA

Zero Budget

Exceptional Merit

Award Of Exceptional Merit: Original Score

Award Of Exceptional Merit: Script Writer,  Shaun Rose, Andrea Stangle, Bruce Rose Sr. Score- Jacob W. Veitch

Award Of Excellence: Direction, Shaun Rose











A Season Of Change
USA
Inspirational
Merit

Blackout

USA

Student

Merit

Conservation Invasion

USA

Student

Merit
Special Judges Recognition to a young filmmaker.

Expectations

USA

Student

Merit

Fall

Canada

Tight Shorts

Merit

Fearless Visionaries Tear the Veil
USA
Documentary
Merit
Award Of Excellence: Content/Message Delivery

Flowers of Marrakech

USA

Student

Merit

How To Get  A Boyfriend

USA

Tight Shorts

Merit

Identification

Hungary

Loose Shorts

Merit

Lulu en el Jardi­n

USA

Student

Merit

Lyrics from a Bleeding Heart
USA
LGBT
Merit

Moris

Israel

Inspirational

Merit

Morning Run
USA
Alternate Media
Merit
Never Alone
USA
Art-house Film
Tight Shorts
Inspirational
Merit ALL 3 MAIN Categories
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Script Writer, Ronnie Michael, Dexter Clay, Ariel Michael
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Vierwer Impact: Inspirational
Award Of Exceptional Merit: Original score
Award Of Excellence: Content/Mesage Delivery
Award Of Merit: Cinematography, Alex Barlcay
Award Of Excellence: Direction, Ronnie Michael

Nothing But, Television Comedy Pilot

USA

TV Show

Merit

Nothing Special

Canada

Zero Budget

Merit

Pǔ YĆ¹n

India

Student

Merit

Raghni
India
Student
Merit

The Campaign for Camelot

USA

Webisode (Pilot)

Merit
Award oF Merit: Editing, Madelyn Glymour
Award Of Merit: Script/Writer, Madelyn Glymour

The Chinese Famine

UK

Student

Merit

The Delivery Driver

USA

Student

Merit

The Facts Of Life

USA

Zero Budget

Merit
Award Of Merit: Script/Writer, Clyde T Bennett

Toilet Man

USA

Student

Merit








Old Hearts Cafe
USA
Tight Shorts
Kudos
The Crazy Star
Austria
Zero Budget
Kudos
The Dental Plan
Canada
Drama
Kudos





ADORE THE WORLD/ivo bol

Netherlands/China

Award Of Excellence: Sound Editing

A NIGHT DREAM
Italy
Award Of Merit: Original Concept
Betrayed
USA
Award Of   Excellence   :Custume Design

Half-Breed

USA

Award Of Merit: Stunt/Fight Choreography,  Blackhawk Walters

Miss Bonita Springs 1967

USA

Award Of Merit :Lead actress, Deborah Smith Ford

PEGASUS, FLY!
UK
Award Of Merit: Lead Actor, Tymoteusz Kulig

Savannah

AU

Award Of Outstanding Excellence: Original Song,  Ivy-Jane Browne
Award Of Excellence: Set Design, China White & Emily Jansz

Synthetic Phoenix

USA

Award Of Excellence: Content/Message Delivery