2023 IDU Film Festival

7th IDU Film Festival
Date	December 27, 2023 (2023-12-27)
Site	Atlantis, Eiria
Hosted by	Eiria
Highlights
Best Film	September Run
Best Documentary	The Sunny Side of Life
Best Actor	Andrés Molina Beyond the Waves
Best Supporting Actor	Stefen Vandel Hide the Mask

The 2023 International Democratic Union Film Festival was held in December of 2023, in Atlantis, Eiria, for the purpose of honoring IDU cinema. During the festival, delegations from 18 nations within the IDU and 3 non-IDU nations submitted films in six categories, and 8 nations voted. This was the greatest number of submissions in the history of the IDU Film Festival, as well as the first time that 'Best Costume Design' was a category.

The Laeralian delegation won the category of 'Best Film' with its submission September Run, while the Aredoan delegation won the most categories total (3). Winners of each category are printed in bold.

Best Film

The category 'Best Film' is the most prestigious of the awards presented at the IDU Film Festival, honoring the films released in the IDU between the date of the prior film festival, and this festival. 11 entries were submitted in this category.

• Nouveau Riche — Haesan
• September Run — Laeral
• The Expanse — Novella Islands
• The Perfect Sandwich — Opthelia
• Feline — Zargothrax
• Margrethe and Olufemi — Zongongia
• The Death of a Madman & the Rise of a Hero — Mansilla
• Hide the Mask — Eiria
• Beyond the Waves — Aredoa
• Harvest Moon — Kolda
• A Leeward Phantom — Libertas Omnium Maximus

Best Lead Actor

The category 'Best Lead Actor' recognizes the most phenomenal performances from main characters in the year's IDU Films. 9 performers were nominated for the award.

• Alex Grey in The Expanse — Novella Islands
• Jeremie Studer-Herth in September Run — Laeral
• Kim Yu-ri in Nouveau Riche — Haesan
• Sofia Shepherd in The Perfect Sandwich — Opthelia
• Farida Karim in Feline — Zargothrax
• Mawuli Abiodun in Margrethe and Olufemi — Zongongia
• Vitale Giordano in The Death of a Madman & the Rise of a Hero — Mansilla
• Andrés Molina in Beyond the Waves — Aredoa
• Grant Page in A Leeward Phantom — Libertas Omnium Maximus

Best Supporting Actor

The category 'Best Supporting Actor' acknowledges the incredible impacts that supporting cast members can have on a film. 10 actors received nominations in the category.

• Lloyd Meyers in The Perfect Sandwich — Opthelia
• Pierre Mörch in September Run — Laeral
• Seo Chae-won in Nouveau Riche — Haesan
• Ismat Ahmadi in Feline — Zargothrax
• Jennifer Keyes in The Factory — Greater Acadia
• Stefen Vandel in Hide the Mask — Eiria
• Gabriela Rivera in Beyond the Waves — Aredoa
• Ally Leslie in Pointed — Glanainn
• Sokhna Bousso in Harvest Moon — Kolda
• Benjamin Wagner in A Leeward Phantom — Libertas Omnium Maximus

Best Musical Score

The category 'Best Musical Score' recognizes the most stunning and thematic parts of 2023's movie music. 8 movies were entered for the award.

• Adrift — Misumi
• Saltwater — Thousand Branches
• September Run — Laeral
• Margrethe and Olufemi — Zongongia
• The Death of a Madman & the Rise of a Hero — Mansilla
• The Sunny Side of Life — Aredoa
• Hide the Mask — Eiria
• A Leeward Phantom — Libertas Omnium Maximus

Best Costume Design

The category 'Best Costume Design' rewards the most memorable costumes (whether they be historical or modern) that best fit the movies that they appeared in. 5 nations submitted films nominated for this award.

• Nouveau Riche — Haesan
• Margrethe and Olufemi — Zongongia
• The Factory — Greater Acadia
• Pointed — Glanainn
• Harvest Moon — Kolda

Best Documentary Film

The category 'Best Documentary Film' honors the most memorable and accurate non-fiction films in the IDU. 7 films were nominated in this category.

• Adrift — Misumi
• One Thousand Butterflies — Lauchenoiria
• The Power of Words — Eiria
• The Sunny Side of Life — Aredoa
• Pine Gap: Triumph Amidst Adversity — Opthelia
• The Bluest Sea — Nuiqsut Confederation
• Kalapara - Andhrapur

Best Foreign Film

The category 'Best Foreign Films' acknowledges truly extraordinary films from IDU Embassy regions that were released in 2023. 3 nations from 2 regions submitted entries for the award.

• The Favriskan Sting — Favrisko (The South Pacific)
• Too Camp to Camp? — Iceagea (Europe)
• Lost Cause: Not Just a High School Story - Ottterland (Europe)