'Under African Skies' Leads Cleveland Film Festival Winners

The 36th Cleveland International Film Festival wrapped up this weekend, offering 165 feature films and an overall attendance of 85,018 -- a 9% increase over last year.

The festival also handed out a series of awards, with Joe Berlinger's Paul Simon doc "Under African Skies" taking the Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award for Best Film.

Juried prize winners included Adrian Sitaru's "Best Intentions" take the Central and Eastern European Film Competition award, Neil Berkeley's "Beauty is Embarrassing" taking the Nesnandy + Schwartz Documentary Film Competition award, and Eric Kissack's "Missed Connections" being award the American Independent Award.

Full list of winners below.

The Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award for Best Film
Under African Skies
Directed by Joe Berlinger, USA, SOUTH AFRICA

The Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Film Competition
Finding North
Directed by Lori Silverbush, Kristi Jacobson, USA

Central and Eastern European Film Competition
Best Intentions
Directed by Adrian Sitaru, ROMANIA

The Nesnandy + Schwartz Documentary Film Competition
Beauty is Embarrassing
Directed by Neil Berkeley, USA

American Independent Award
Missed Connections
Directed by Eric Kissack, USA

Cleveland State University Audience Choice Award for Best Short Subject
dik
Directed by Christopher Stollery, Australia

Best Animated Short Film Award*
Dripped
Directed by Leo Verrier, France

Best Live Action Short Film Award*
Curfew
Directed by Shawn Christensen, USA

Best Documentary Short Film Award
Sun City Picture House
Directed by David Darg, Haiti

Best International Short Film Award
The 54
Directed by Philip Hering, Netherlands

Best LGBT Short Film Award – Given In Celebration of The Life of Nikki Babbitt
Tsuyako
Directed by Mitsuyo Miyazaki, Japan, USA

Best Student Short Film Award
Nothing Can Touch Me
Directed by Milad Alami, Denmark

Best Women's Short Film Award
UMOJA: No Men Allowed
Directed by Elizabeth Tadic, Australia

The Rice Hershey Memorial Award for Originality
dik
Directed by Christopher Stollery, Australia

The Clover and Maggie Award In Celebration of Life
Free Kick
Directed by Bernabé Rico, Spain

Best Ohio Short Film Award
Motherland
Directed by Shariq Siddiqui, USA

The Spalding and Jackson Award In Celebration of Joy
It Is Miracul' House
Directed by Stéphane Freiss, France

*These award winners will qualify for consideration in the Short Films category of the annual Academy Awards.