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About the Festival
The NCCC Film & Animation Festival is an annual event, held each spring on the college’s Sanborn campus. The festival brings together filmmakers and animation artists from all over Western New York and beyond. Topping the NCCC Film & Animation Festival is an international film competition, in which awards are given to filmmakers in a variety of categories. A $200 prize is awarded to the best films in the following categories: Drama, Comedy, Animation, Documentary, Music Video, Horror, and Experimental. Judges for the contest include filmmakers, animators, actors, musicians, and other professionals in the field. The event is sponsored by NCCC’s Digital Media Department, Animation Department, and the NCCC Digital Filmmakers Club, and the college’s Office of Student Life. Three additional $100 prizes are awarded to local filmmakers in the “Best of 716” category: Best High School Student Film, Best College Student Film, and Best of the Festival.
The 2022 Festival
Keynote speaker for the festival was Debbie Rochon, legendary horror movie actor, writer, producer, and director, best known for her intense, off-kilter roles in Tromeo and Juliet, Hellblock 13, and American Nightmare. Rochon offered a free workshop at the festival entitled “Horror Acting 101—Don’t Be Scared!” Rochon had her directorial debut with the horror film Model Hunger, which was shot in Buffalo, NY. She also wrote regular columns for the horror fan magazines Fangoria and Asylum and, recently, gave critically acclaimed turns in works inspired by classical writers; Tales of Poe (Edgar Allan Poe), Mark of the Beast (Rudyard Kipling) and Colour from the Dark (H.P. Lovecraft).

Special guest at the 2022 festival was Lynn Lowry, veteran actress, and producer, best known for her film roles in George A. Romero’s The Crazies and David Cronenberg’s Shivers. Lowry presented screenings of her films Ready for My Close-Up, and Mindflip—The Prequel. Along with Debbie Rochon, Lynn was available for Q&A, pictures, and autographs.

Also appearing at the 2022 festival was Buffalo native Matt Fleckenstein, a multiple Emmy-nominated writer/producer with 16+ years of experience developing, writing and producing Kids’ and Family Television. In addition to creating the hit Nickelodeon show Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, Matt has written for and produced a string of hit live-action and animated series, including iCarly and Clifford The Big Red Dog. Matt is currently prepping to break ground in Buffalo, NY for his brainchild project, Buffalo Studios, a state-of-the-art filming facility which will support all aspects of production, including animation, VFX and virtual production.

The 2022 NCCC Film & Animation Festival’s “WNY Filmmaker of the Year” award was presented this year to director, writer, producer, and actor Sam Qualiana of Lockport, NY. Sam is best known for his films Snow Shark, The Legend of Six Fingers, and Lake Effect. Most recently, Sam served as the unit production manager for the made-for-TV movie Romance on Ice, directed by Fred Olen Ray. Filming for the movie took place in Buffalo and East Aurora.

Special guest at the 2022 festival was Lynn Lowry, veteran actress, and producer, best known for her film roles in George A. Romero’s The Crazies and David Cronenberg’s Shivers. Lowry presented screenings of her films Ready for My Close-Up, and Mindflip—The Prequel. Along with Debbie Rochon, Lynn was available for Q&A, pictures, and autographs.
Special guest at the 2022 festival was Lynn Lowry, veteran actress, and producer, best known for her film roles in George A. Romero’s The Crazies and David Cronenberg’s Shivers. Lowry presented screenings of her films Ready for My Close-Up, and Mindflip—The Prequel. Along with Debbie Rochon, Lynn was available for Q&A, pictures, and autographs.
Also appearing at the 2022 festival was Buffalo native Matt Fleckenstein, a multiple Emmy-nominated writer/producer with 16+ years of experience developing, writing and producing Kids’ and Family Television. In addition to creating the hit Nickelodeon show Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, Matt has written for and produced a string of hit live-action and animated series, including iCarly and Clifford The Big Red Dog. Matt is currently prepping to break ground in Buffalo, NY for his brainchild project, Buffalo Studios, a state-of-the-art filming facility which will support all aspects of production, including animation, VFX and virtual production.
The 2022 NCCC Film & Animation Festival’s “WNY Filmmaker of the Year” award was presented this year to director, writer, producer, and actor Sam Qualiana of Lockport, NY. Sam is best known for his films Snow Shark, The Legend of Six Fingers, and Lake Effect. Most recently, Sam served as the unit production manager for the made-for-TV movie Romance on Ice, directed by Fred Olen Ray. Filming for the movie took place in Buffalo and East Aurora.




2022 Film & Animation Festival Winners
First Prize – Animation
“Red Fire,” directed by Mona A. Shahi
Tehran, Iran
First Prize – Comedy
“Hubbards,” directed by Kevin Ralston
Long Island City, NY
First Prize – Documentary
“Visiting Ben Shemen,” directed by Miriam Harris
Aukland, New Zealand
First Prize – Drama
“Mr. Sisyphus,” Directed by Jedi Joongoo Kang
Buffalo, NY
First Prize – Experimental
“The Long Goodbye,” directed by Heidi Neff
Bel Air, MD
First Prize – Horror
“Halloween: A Short Dance Film,” directed by Malik Thompson
Burlington, NJ
First Prize – Music Video
“Oyasumi – Lullaby of Flames,” directed by Arisa Wakami
Tokyo, Japan
Best College Student Film
“Mr. Sisyphus,” directed by Jedi Joongoo Kang
Buffalo, NY
716 – People’s Choice Award
“Maya,” directed by Richard Fysh
Niagara Falls, NY
2022 WNY Filmmaker of the Year
Sam Qualiana
2021 Film & Animation Festival Winners
First Prize – Animation
“Hostess” by Alexander Bubnov
Ukraine
First Prize – Music Video
“Astronaut” by Pierre Ponchant
France
First Prize – Experimental
“Attentionspam” by Kilo Watts, The Drone
United States
First Prize – Comedy
“Tino’s Pizza – New Crap” by Benoit Créac’h & Julia Gaudard
Germany
First Prize – Drama
“Circle in the Woods” by Rebecca Snowden
United States
First Prize – Horror
“Script” by Piero Cannata
Italy
First Prize – Documentary
“Jayro” by Wojciech Lorenc
United States
716 Awards
Best Western New York High School Student Film
“Amica” by Mira Haley Steuer
Drama
Clarence, NY USA
Best Western New York College Student Film
“Capture Tomorrow” by Brayton Lydell
Drama
Buffalo, NY USA
716 People’s Choice Award
“The Banana Manifesto” by Azalia Muchransyah of Williamsville, NY
Past Film & Animation Festival Winners
2019 International Film Competition
Animation
PHIL GOMM, “Red & the Kingdom of Sound” (UK)
Comedy
PAOLA BERNARDINI, “Solitaire” (USA)
Documentary
ANIL TOKUR, “Rising Puppets of the Limitless Sky” (Turkey)
Drama
Vikkramm Chandirramani, “The Perfect Murder” (India)
Experimental
MIN DING, “Fox Spirit” (USA)
Horror
MICHAEL RICCI, “The Greeting” (USA)
BARBARA CREUTZ, “How Can I Tell You” (France)
2019 716 Awards
“Best of the Festival” Award
KALI CROISDALE, “Party Animal”
JACOB LITERRE, “The Beauts of Buffalo”
SERGEY JOSEPH, “Not 4 Nothing: But 4 Something”
2019 Western New York Filmmaker of the Year
Contact
NCCC Film & Animation Festival
Email: NCCCFilmFestival@gmail.com
Facebook: NCCCFilmFestival