The Harlem International Film Festival (Hi) is an annual five-day film festival in Harlem, New York. The first festival took place in 2005. Michael Franti's I Know I'm Not Alone was named Best International Documentary at the festival that year. The short film Eme Nakia was selected to be screened at the 2006 festival. Also that year, The Hip Hop Project produced by Queen Latifah and Bruce Willis was named Best Documentary Film. Nigerian film Anchor Baby was named Best Film at the 2010 festival and won another award there as well. Omoni Oboli was named Best Actress that year. Najat Jellab's short film The Projectionist premiered at the 2013 festival. The festival named Vanessa L. Williams Best Actress one year. Short film In The Field, directed by Matthew Hope, was screened at the festival one year.
Harlem International Film Festival 2024 award winners +AwardFilmWinnerBest Film Valley of Exile Best World Film When Morning ComesBest Documentary Return to Your CornerBest World Documentary Three (Extra)Ordinary WomenAudience Award One Person, One Vote?Best DirectorStakes is HighJean-Pierre CanerBest Documentary DirectorFIREFLY: The Tay Fisher StoryChristopher NostrandMira Nair Award for Rising Female FilmmakerPlaying ThroughBalbinka KorzeniowskaBest ActressAs if it's TrueAshley OrtegaBest ActorMy Last Best FriendEric RobertsNew York Vision Award Skate Night Best Short Narrative I Promise You ParadiseBest Short Short Pen, AgainBest Short Documentary How to Sue The KlanHarlem Spotlight (Feature Narrative) What Somalia WantsHarlem Spotlight (Feature Documentary) Sing! Fight! Sing! Fight! From Leroi To AmiriHarlem Spotlight (Short Narrative) Speak Up Brotha!Harlem Spotlight (Short Documentary) Interception: Jayne Kennedy • American SportscasterUptown Award (Narrative) Bronx Park ThunderUptown Award (Documentary) The Book of Days Best Youth Short (Narrative) Project: KLB2 Andrew Baker Taylor & Andrew Yuen Best Youth Short (Doc) Little SaharaBest Animation A Cow In The SkyBest Experimental Film For Those That Lived ThereBest Music Video Null Island – Cyano Sun SuiteWinning Webisode Vibrations: Offerings Best Virtual Reality Nirwana GoldWinning Feature ScreenplayBlack MountainJoe VillantiWinning Short ScriptRyan Fenson-HoodNo Rules Radio
Harlem International Film Festival 2023 award winners +AwardFilmWinnerBest Film Blow Up My Life Best World Film IllyricvmBest Documentary RicochetBest World Documentary King of KingsAudience Award The Right to ReadBest Director Honor StudentTamika MillerBest Documentary DirectorBlind Eye ArtistAshwin ChaudharyMira Nair Award for Rising Female FilmmakerStrongholdJulia CamaraBest ActressOur Father, the DevilBabetida SadjoBest ActorOur Father, the DevilSouleymane Sy Savané Best Production The Way to HappinessNew York Vision Award Orange and the Blues Best Short A Mukbang to RememberBest Short Short Visiting DayBest Short Documentary John Leguizamo Live at RikersHarlem Spotlight In Search of Bengali HarlemUptown Award (Feature Film) In the WeedsUptown Award (Short Film) The Obituary of Jasper James Best Youth Film The Lake Merritt MonsterBest Animation There is Exactly Enough TimeBest Experimental Film Harlem is NowhereBest Music Video Winter in PlutoWinning Webisode Closet B!tch Best Virtual Reality Thank You for Sharing Your WorldWinning Feature ScreenplayA Man Called WhiteRandy HinesWinning Short Script1918Jenna Brister
Harlem International Film Festival 2022 award winners +AwardFilmWinnerBest Film Never Better Best World FilmThe Ugly TruthBest Documentary StatelessBest World Documentary Girls for FutureAudience Award Love is in the LegendBest DirectorMaya and Her Lover Nicole SylvesterBest Documentary DirectorUshikuThomas AshMira Nair Award for Rising Female FilmmakerBlurring the Color LineCrystal KwokBest ActressNever BetterSofia BryantBest ActorBroken BloomsJeric GonzalesBest Production Person Woman Man Camera TVNew York Vision AwardLeveling Lincoln Best Short Black RainbowBest Short Short WildcatBest Short Documentary When I Get Grown – Reflections of a Freedom RiderHarlem Spotlight Cinema and Sanctuary – Hans Richter & America's First Documentary Film SchoolUptown Award (Feature Film) My Mother's SonUptown Award (Short Film) If My Voice Rang Louder Than My Skin Best Youth Film En AvantBest Animation Peek-a-BoomBest Experimental Film Black Love ManifestoBest Music Video EnoughWinning Webisode Lost/Found Best Virtual Reality Stories of HomeWinning Feature Screenplay A Black Tribute and a Red ScareWinning Short Script My Town
Harlem International Film Festival 2021 award winners +AwardFilmWinnerBest FilmVoodoo MacbethBest World FilmReflectionBest Documentary100 Years from MississippiBest World DocumentaryQueens of the RevolutionAudience AwardCoogan's WayBest DirectorSundays in JulyJoseph E. Austin IIBest Documentary DirectorTruth to Power: Barbara Lee Speaks for MeAbby GinzbergMira Nair Award for Rising Female FilmmakerAll on a Summer's DayAvril E. RussellBest ActressVoodoo MacbethInger TudorBest ActorKalel, 15Elijah CanlasBest ProductionVoodoo MacbethNew York Vision AwardFull CircleBest ShortBabyBest Short ShortBefore I KnewBest Short DocumentaryAnthony Crawford - The Man the South ForgotHarlem SpotlightThe Drop ShotUptown AwardFirst Move Best Youth ShortI'm ReadyBest AnimationGon, the Little FoxBest Experimental FilmSummer in HindsightBest Music VideoSkyrocketWinning WebisodePraizeBest Virtual RealityHominidaeWinning Feature ScreenplayElla, WitnessingWinning Short ScriptSurvival as a Ghostwriter
Harlem International Film Festival 2020 award winners +AwardFilmWinnerBest FilmHaingosoaBest World FilmOmar and UsBest DocumentaryThumbs Up for Mother UniverseBest World DocumentaryOpekaAudience AwardThe PattersonBest DirectorThin SkinCharles MudedeBest Documentary Director El SustoKaren AkinsMira Nair Award for Rising Female FilmmakerThe SubjectLanie ZipoyBest ActressIskaRuby RuizBest ActorWaitingKhalid AhmedBest ProductionBefore the FireNew York Vision Award#likeBest ShortLittle BrotherBest Short ShortWBest Short DocumentaryFinding ElijahHarlem Spotlight Frederick Douglass Boulevard AKA Food & Drink Boulevard AKA F.D.B.Uptown AwardSundays at the Triple Nickel Best Youth ShortShine & ShadeBest AnimationMalakoutBest Experimental FilmBubbleBest Music VideoOn My MindWinning WebisodeBefore We WrapBest Virtual RealityReconstruct: Five Confederates and a Tennis PlayerWinning Feature ScreenplayThe Ambassador of LoveWinning Short ScriptChannel Bibi
Harlem International Film Festival 2019 award winners +AwardFilmWinnerBest Film WheelsBest World Film Doing MoneyBest Documentary The Last American Colony: One Man's RevolutionBest World Documentary Eliades Ochoa: From Cuba to the WorldAudience Award StriveBest DirectorKatrina's DreamMirko & Dario BischofbergerBest Documentary Director MadagasikaraCam CowanMira Nair Award for Rising Female FilmmakerBoy GeniusBridget StokesBest ActressStriveJoi StarrBest ActorGoliathSven SchelkerBest Cinematography No Way OutNew York Showcase Award Decade of FireBest Short 83 DaysBest Short Short The HighbridgeBest Short Documentary The Man of the TreesHarlem Spotlight (Feature) When Harlem Saved a KingUptown Award (Feature) Seaman and 207Uptown Award (Short) Chevere con Salsa Best Youth Short We the ChildrenBest Animation SubstanceBest Experimental Film Salt WaterBest Music Video Ice MoonWinning Webisode Gray GroundBest Virtual Reality The Negro Building VR ExperienceWinning Feature Screenplay Harlem FeverWinning Short Script Woke?
Harlem International Film Festival 2018 award winners +AwardFilmWinnerBest Film The Best of All WorldsBest World Film Elvis Walks HomeBest Documentary My Tourette'sBest World Documentary Retracing JenebaAudience Award The Rainbow ExperimentBest DirectorMandela's GunJohn IrvinBest Documentary DirectorThe Jazz AmbassadorsHugo BerkeleyMira Nair Award for Rising Female FilmmakerIncarcerated RhythmIndrani KopalBest Experimental Film The Silent EyeBest ActressThe Best of All WorldsVerena AltenbergerBest ActorMandela's GunTumisho MashaBest CinematographySayakbayNew York Showcase Award Write When You Get WorkHarlem Spotlight (Feature) The BreedingHarlem Spotlight (Short) Congo CabaretBest Short Hold Me DownBest Short Documentary Home Street Home Best Youth Short Blacked OutBest Animation Two BalloonsBest Music Video Stand DownWinning Webisode A Whole New IrvingWinning Feature Screenplay The Other Side Alexandra FariasWinning Short Script Crushing Simbi Kali
Harlem International Film Festival 2017 award winners +AwardFilmWinnerBest Film KrotoaBest World Film Groom's BlockBest Documentary Garden of the Peaceful DragonBest World Documentary Servant or SlaveAudience Award Curtsy, MisterBest DirectorMoscow Never SleepsJohnny O'ReillyBest Documentary DirectorThe Land Beneath Our FeetSarita Siegel & Gregg MitmanMira Nair Award for Rising Female FilmmakerNANASerena DykmanBest ActressOrdinary PeopleHasmine KillipBest ActorOrdinary PeopleRonwaldo MartinNew York Showcase Award Day After DayHarlem Spotlight (Documentary) The SpeechHarlem Spotlight (Short Narrative) Search PartyHarlem Spotlight (Short Documentary) A Girl Can Dream… Bre ScullarkBest Experimental Film White FaceBest Short Dem Dem!Best Short Short Hello, MalcolmBest Short Documentary The Sara Spencer Washington StoryBest Youth Short Documentary Statement of Truth Best Youth Short Cocoa Butter ShortBest Animation Trip to the StarsBest Music VideoIridescenceWinning Webisode The New Adventures of Brobot JohnsonWinning Feature Screenplay Ghost Patriot Todd WiseWinning Short Script Eleventh Earl of Getzford Jess Grant
Harlem International Film Festival 2016 award winners +AwardFilmWinnerBest FilmChildren of the MountainBest World Film Hear the Silence / Höre Die StilleBest Documentary I Go Back Home – Jimmy ScottBest World Documentary Nuclear NeighbourAudience Award ThirstyBest DirectorGood GriefBrandon Ford GreenBest Documentary DirectorRigoberta Menchú Tum – Daughter of the MayaDawn EngleMira Nair Award for Rising Female FilmmakerFor Kibera!Kati JuurusBest Cinematography The SisterBest Editing West CoastBest ActressChildren of the MountainRukiyat MasudBest ActorRain the Color Blue with a Little Red in ItMdou MoctarBest Ensemble Cast 42 Seconds of HappinessMost Remarkable Young Person on ScreenTwo WorldsLaura GontarczykJonas and the Backyard CircusJonas LabordaKojoKojo RoneyGood FunkLeonay ShepherdThriveMatthew WhitakerNew York Showcase Award H.O.M.E.Harlem Spotlight (Short Documentary) By Jamal JosephHarlem Spotlight (Short Narrative) World's Not For MeHarlem Spotlight (Feature) Good FunkHarlem Spotlight (Documentary) Daddy Don't GoBest Experimental Film The Sky Over Berlin of My ChildhoodBest Youth Feature The RemnantBest Youth Short Documentary Out of the AshesBest Youth Short Let's Stay TogetherTop Ten Best Shorts A Beautiful Day Any Day Now Boat People MBFF Neurophreak Princess Eun Hwa Shen The Frozen Eye The Telegram Man UglyBest Short Documentaries Do You Hear What I Hear? One Day at a Time Soul CityBest Short Shorts L'Encenedor Quàntic The Crip Who Loves Yoga ThriveBest Animation Sisters The Night WitchBest Music Video Bangers DoveWinning Webisode (Narrative) Everything I Did Wrong in My 20sWinning Webisode (Documentary) My Life OfflineWinning Feature ScriptRiding on Duke's Train Ken Kimmelman & Mick CarlonWinning Short ScriptRun, My Dear Marjory Kaptanoglu
Harlem International Film Festival 2015 award winners