DeSales University senior Casey Schaffer won the $1,000 Grand Prize in the Lehigh Valley Short Film Competition at the first-ever Allentown Film Festival for his four-minute experimental short film, “Listen,” which explores how technology has affected communication and caused polarization. Only by sitting in silence, and actively listening, the film argues, can we truly begin to hear.

“I am thrilled and honored to have won the Grand Prize at the first Allentown Film Festival,” said Schaffer. “There were 105 eligible films. That ‘Listen’ won is truly humbling.”

The festival received positive reviews from many of the 84 filmmakers who attended screenings. Bradley Hawkins, a successful indie filmmaker whose films have been selected in approximately 40 film festivals, said, “the inaugural Allentown Film Festival already ranks among the very best I’ve been to,” describing the Civic Theatre as “one of the most beautiful theaters that I’ve ever had a film of mine screened at.”

“Out and About” writer-director Peter Callahan echoed Hawkins: “The folks who run this fest could not be sweeter, and their two main venues are terrific: one intimate screening room with top-notch sound and picture, and one absolutely gorgeous big old theater. Very pleased with our experience there.”

The inaugural Allentown Film Festival received almost 600 film submissions from 50 countries by the entry deadline of March 15. Approximately 150 short and feature-length films were exhibited in 16 screening blocks. One-third of the selected films were from filmmakers in the Lehigh Valley or nearby. Films were screened in six Allentown venues: April 1, Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, 522 W. Maple St.; April 13, Downtown Allentown Market; April 14-16, Civic Theatre Nineteenth Street Theatre at 514 N. 19th St.; April 14-16, Civic Theatre Theatre 514, 514 N. 19th St.; April 15, Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., and April 16, Miller Symphony Hall, 23 N. Sixth St.

Festival organizers are already make plans for the second Allentown Film Festival, tentatively scheduled for April 11-15, 2024.

Here is the list of award recipients at the 2023 Allentown Film Festival Award winners:

Best Music Video

“Lost in Time,” Lisa Thomas

Best Narrative Feature

“Out and About,” Peter Callahan

Best Narrative Short

“Calf Rope,” Bradley Hawkins

Best Documentary Feature

“State of the Unity,” Nathaniel Paul Hoff, Jillian Ann Speece

Best Documentary Short

“Forged in Steel.” Matthew Heffner

Best Comedy Short

“Sketch,” Dawn Daignault, Carla Hadley

Best Art Film

“Self-Portrait Artist,” Curtis Whitear

Best Actor

“It’s a Dog,” David Rosenberg

Best Actress

“Bitter Taste of Ginger,” Sarah Cugini

Best Director, Feature Film

“Bitter Taste of Ginger,” Brandon Lay

Best Director, Short Film

“A Rare Dinner,” Josiah James

Best Director, Art Film

“I Am Danny Torres,” Abigail Torres Melendez, Eric Melendez

2023 Lehigh Valley “1- to 5-Minute Short Film Competition”

Best College Student Film and Grand Prize Winner of Short Film Competition

“Listen,” Casey Schaffer

Best K-12 Student Film

“On Cloud Nine,” Caleb Diaz

Best Lehigh Valley Filmmaker Film

“Going Rogue,” Kwesa the Artist

Best Horror Short

“Beyond Your Nightmares,” Evan Stitt

Best Nature Documentary

“Get Bugged,” Noah Schreiner

Best Editing

“The Nerves Reminded Me,” Frank Glass

Best Artistic Direction

“Girls Smoking,” John Peter Coronati

Best Dystopian Film

“The Upgrade,” Jake Dougherty

Best Sci-Fi Film

“Project: LEAF,” Ethan Silver

Best Animated Film

“Peregrine,” John Terlesky

Best Surreal Film

“The Interview,” Carla Hadley

Best Inspirational Film

“Keep Fighting,” Michael Sean Brown

Best Autobiographical Documentary

“Eye of the Storm,” Matthew Donley

Best Poetic Documentary

“Autograph,” Zachary Gutherman

Best Stop Motion Animated Film

“Fish Delivery #95,” Luke Wolsko

Best Animated Music Video

“Still Dreaming,” Kwesa the Artist