Vimeo Announces the VIMEO FESTIVAL AND AWARDS and the 2019 Staff Picks Best of the Year Nominees & Jury Members

Vimeo is proud to present the Vimeo Festival and Awards on Saturday, January 11, 2020 at Murmrr in Brooklyn, New York. A celebration of all things video, the Vimeo Festival and Awards will honor a year of incredible storytelling from the world’s best creators, brands and businesses. As part of today’s announcement, Vimeo is also unveiling the chosen 2019 Staff Picks Best of the Year nominees and jury members. Details on both follow below in this release. The highly anticipated Best of the Year award recipients will be announced at the event on January 11.

The Vimeo Festival and Awards will feature a packed slate of programming to entertain and inspire, including panels with celebrated industry thought leaders like journalist and social media activist Noor Tagouri and Patagonia’s creative director of film and video Alex Lowther, Staff Pick screenings, and over 15 live directors’ commentaries with comedian John Early, actress, director and journalist Hailey Benton Gates, director Morgan Cooper, and more. The event will culminate in a post-screening awards celebration to toast the Best of the Year winners and honorees.

Established in 2016 as a way to celebrate the best of the best Staff Picks, Vimeo’s Best of the Year awards recognize standouts in storytelling, originality and craft. The Vimeo curation team narrowed the Best of the Year nominees down to 100 exceptional videos, from over 1,000 Staff Picks selected this year. Vimeo is now welcoming an external jury of renowned video creators, brand storytellers, and industry experts to determine the Best of the Year award winners, including Oscar-nominated actor and producer Alec Baldwin, Emmy-nominated producer and production designer Lisa Hanawalt, Golden Globe winning actor Oscar Isaac, editor of AdAge Creativity Ann-Christine Diaz, and actor, director and producer Danny DeVito.

This year Vimeo introduced three new Best of the Year awards to recognize exceptional storytelling from businesses and brands, including Best Branded Content, Best Brand Story: Large Business, and Best Brand Story: Small Business, in addition to the seven core award categories: Best Action Sports, Best Animation, Best Comedy, Best Documentary, Best Drama, Best Experimental, and Best Travel. Audiences can watch all the nominated videos here.

Tickets for the Vimeo Festival and Awards are $20-$40. To purchase, please visit here. For more information about Vimeo’s Best of the Year initiative and the Vimeo Festival and Awards event, please visit vimeo.com/festival.

The Vimeo Festival and Awards event is made possible with the generous support of OWC and Musicbed.

2019 Vimeo Festival & Awards

Vimeo’s 2019 Staff Picks Best of the Year Nominees:

Best of Action Sports

1. “Osama & Ayman” - Sam Price-Waldman and Chris Cresci
2. “Contraddiction” - A Common Future
3. “Nordurland” - Ishka Folkwell
4. “Ransom // Speed” - Leigh Powis
5. “Snowciety” - Kris Lüdi
6. “The Sound of Skateboarding” - Tony Hawk - Bonamaze (Gilad Avnat, Stav Nahum)
7. “Above the Noise” - by the Smiths (Aaron Smith and Lwany Smith)
8. “Raw 100” - Rupert Walker and Brandon Semenuk
9. “Lhotse” - Dutch Simpson and Nick Kalisz
10. “She Likes” - Darcy Hennessey Turenne

Best of Animation 

1. “In A Nutshell” - Fabio Friedli
2. “Nevada” - Emily Ann Hoffman
3. “The Ogre” - Laurène Braibant
4. “Albatross Soup” - Winnie Cheung
5. “Ugly” - Anna Ginsburg
6. “(OO)” - Seoro Oh
7. “The Absence of Eddy Table” - Rune Spaans
8. “Maestro” - Illogic
9. “Acid Rain” - Tomek Popakul
10. “Yona” - Gautier Alfirevic and Kevin Rose

Best of Comedy 

1. “Adman” - Ben Callner
2. “It’s Been Too Long” - Amber Schaefer
3. “F***ing Bunnies” - Teemu Niukkanen
4. “Housecall” - Josh Penn Soskin
5. “Rachel” - Andrew DeYoung
6. “Squirrel” - Alex Kavutskiy
7. “Two Dollars” - Emmanuel Tenenbaum
8. “Welcome Home” - Armita Keyani
9. “Quarter Life Poetry on Surviving the Office: Circle Back” - Arturo Perez Jr.
10. “Plaisir Sucré” - MegaComputeur (Oscar Malet, Corentin Yvergniaux, Camille Jalabert)

Best of Documentary 

1. “Accident, MD” - Dan Rybicky
2. “Being 97” - Andrew Hasse
3. “Landline” - Matt Houghton
4. “Segregated By Design” - Mark Lopez
5. “One Breath Around the World” - Guilaume Néry
6. “How to Make a Rainbow” - Ryan Maxey
7. “We the Bathers” - Phoebe Arnstein
8. “Girl in the Hallway” - Valerie Barnhart
9. “The Last Honey Hunter” - Ben Knight and Travis Rummel
10. “Guaxuma” - Nara Normande

Best of Drama

1. “Fence” - Lendita Zeqiraj
2. “Pocket” - Mishka Kornai & Zach Wechter
3. “Kanarí” - Erlendur Sveinsson
4. “Lavender” - Matthew Puccini
5. “Retouch” - Kaveh Mazaheri
6. “Pre-Drink” - Marc-Antoine Lemire
7. “Nursery Rhymes”  - Tom Noakes
8. “Get Ready With Me” - Jonatan Etzler
9. “Brotherhood” - Meryam Joobeur
10. “The Things You Think I’m Thinking” - Sherren Lee

Best of Experimental

1. “Idle, Torrent” - Alex Moy
2. “Becoming” - Jan van IJken
3. “17 Small Ideas” - Andrew B. Myers
4. “Octave” - James Medcraft
5. “Weval - Someday” - Páraic Mc Gloughlin
6. “-N- Uprising” - Thomas Blanchard
7. “Righteous Energy” - Maria Constanza Ferreira
8. “Textless” - Gareth Smith
9. “Savor It” - Stéphane Baz
10. “Homeshake - Nothing Could Be Better” - Steve Smith

Best of Travel

1. “MiniLook Berlin” - Efim Graboy and Daria Turetski
2. “Visit Earth: Nature” - Mackenzie Sheppard
3. “Space to Roam” - Andrew Studer
4. “Shadows of Bangkok” - Jiajie Yu
5. “Multiverse” - Hiroshi Kondo
6. “That Yorkshire Sound” - Marcus Armitage
7. “My Hyper Day” - Juraj Prostinák
8. “Lure of the North” - Goh Iromoto
9. “Magic of Hong Kong” - Andrew Efimov
10. “A Dream of Myanmar” - Marta Trela and Henning Himmerleich

Best Branded Content

1. “U SHOOT VIDEOS?” - Morgan Cooper for Adorama
2. “Exit 12: Moved by War” - Mohammad Gorjestani for Square
3. “The New Normal” - Spike Jonze for MedMen
4. “Shako Mako” - Hailey Benton Gates for Miu Miu
5. “No Vegans Allowed” - Rodrigo Valdes for PETA
6. “Life of Pie” - Ben Knight and Travis Rummel for Patagonia
7. “Alexander Girard: Architect of Modern Living” - James Casey for Herman Miller and AIGA
8. “The Face of Distracted Driving, ‘Forrest’s Story’” - Errol Morris for AT&T
9. “Brotherhood Of Skiing” - Colin Arisman and Tyler Wilkinson-Ray for REI
10. “Natural History Museum” - Kirsten Lepore for Belvedere Vodka and Janelle Monae

Best Brand Story: Large Business

1. Artsy
2. Free People
3. GoPro
4. International Justice Mission
5. LACMA
6. Leica
7. New Balance
8. O’Neill
9. Pentagram
10. Rapha

Best Brand Story: Small Business

1. Armada Skis
2. Finisterre
3. Globe
4. Kona Bikes
5. Korua Shapes
6. Monster Children
7. PALACE
8. Thrill Jockey Records
9. Vissla
10. Yeti Cycles

Vimeo’s 2019 Best of the Year Jury Members:

Best of Action Sports Jury

Torah Bright - Torah Bright is a world class professional snowboarder from Australia who has dominated the competitive snowboarding scene for decades. Torah has claimed gold at every major snowboarding event, from the Olympics to world titles, and is also a former ESPY Award winner. In 2014, Torah was the first athlete (male or female) to qualify for all three snowboarding disciplines, including halfpipe, slopestyle and boarder-cross.

Ray Barbee - Ray Barbee is an American skateboarder, musician, and photographer originally from San Jose, California. He started skateboarding in 1984, when he was in seventh grade, and has grown to become one of the most iconic skateboarders of his generation.

Caitlyn Greene - Caitlyn is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker in New York who directs and edits everything from six-second web shorts to six-hour television series.

Best of Animation Jury

Mike Reiss - Mike Reiss has won four Emmys and a Peabody Award during his 28 years writing for “The Simpsons.“ He ran the show in Season 4, which Entertainment Weekly called “the greatest season of the greatest show in history.”

Lisa Hanawalt - Lisa Hanawalt is an artist and writer in LA. She’s the creator of “Tuca & Bertie,” the producer/production designer of “BoJack Horseman,” and the author of several comic books, including “Coyote Doggirl” and “Hot Dog Taste Test.”

Vernon Chatman and Cat Solen - Vernon Chatman is the four-time Emmy-winning creator of “Wonder Showzen,” “Xavier: Renegade Angel,” and “Final Flesh”; he is also a writer for “South Park,” “The Chris Rock Show,” and “Louie,” and author of “Mindsploitation.” Cat Solen’s work started airing on MTV when she was still at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has since amassed a career of collaborations with Bright Eyes, Sia, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Michel Gondry, etc. Her most recent work includes directing the BAFTA-nominated series “Moon and Me,” as well a music video for Tierra Whack’s “Unemployed.”

Best of Comedy Jury

Danny DeVito - Danny DeVito is one of the entertainment industry’s most versatile talents, having excelled as an actor, producer, and director. DeVito has won Golden Globes and Emmy Awards, and was nominated for a Tony Award and an Academy Award as a producer. He currently stars in “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” on FX, and in the upcoming film, “Jumanji: The Next Level.”

Noël Wells - Noël Wells is an actor, writer, director, and musician who is best known for “Saturday Night Live,” “Master of None,” and her award-winning feature film, “Mr. Roosevelt” on Netflix. Her debut album “It’s So Nice” is out now.

Anna Mantzaris - Anna Mantzaris is a Swedish animation director. Her work is often character-driven, and she loves to mix humor and melancholy. Her short films have won more than 50 international awards, including European Animation Awards and Vimeo’s Best of the Year Comedy award.

Best of Documentary Jury

Noor Tagouri - Noor Tagouri is an award-winning journalist, producer, and touring speaker focused on identity, representation, and breaking barriers through storytelling. Noor recently launched her own production company, At Your Service, partnering with Pulse Films on the series “In America with Noor.”

Cara Cusumano - Cara Cusumano is the Festival Director and VP of Programming for the Tribeca Film Festival and the Tribeca TV Festival.  She has been with Tribeca since 2008, during which time the festival has become a globally respected showcase.

Garrett Bradley - Garrett Bradley’s debut feature-length film, ”Below Dreams“ premiered at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. Bradley has received numerous prizes, which include the 2019 Prix de Rome, the 2017 Sundance Jury Prize for the short film ”Alone" and was one of 75 artists included in 2019 Whitney Biennial.

Best of Drama Jury

Alec Baldwin - Alec Baldwin is an actor/producer who has worked in film and television since 1980.

Oscar Isaac - Oscar Isaac is one of the great young actors of today. He gained critical acclaim, a Golden Globe nomination, and an Independent Spirit Award for “Best Male Lead” for his portrayal of the title character in the Coen Brothers’ film “Inside Llewyn Davis.” He also won a Golden Globe for his performance in the HBO mini-series “Show Me a Hero.”

Luci Schroder - Luci Schroder is a filmmaker from Melbourne, Australia who won the Vimeo 2018 Best Drama category with the short film “Slapper,”  and is currently working on a feature film debut.

Best of Experimental Jury

Terence Nance - In 2018, Terence Nance’s television series “Random Acts of Flyness” debuted on HBO to great critical acclaim, and was renewed for a second season by the network. Nance is currently at work on healing, curiosity, and interdimensionally, and resides in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

Lucy Bourton - Lucy Bourton is the Deputy Editor of It’s Nice That, an online and print publication which exists to champion creativity in all its forms. Working there for the past three years, Lucy manages the website on a daily basis, working with its team of writers to share the most exciting projects from graphic design to illustration and animation, advertising, film, photography and everything in between.

Rop van Mierlo - Willem de Kooning Academy, Design Academy Eindhoven (2004-2008), Winner Dutch Design Awards 2011, Vimeo Best of the Year Award 2018, Bonsai & Poodles, (self-published), Wilde dieren (self-published), Wild Animals (self-published), Sauvages (Éditions MeMo), Some Logic (self-published), drawing, painting, animation, Japan, Belgium, Croatia, Switzerland, Germany, Marni, Hermès, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Stockmar, Head Porter.

Best of Travel Jury

Jenny Gadd - A Swedish native, Gadd’s career spans several countries and culture-defining brands like Coca-Cola and Google. Gadd now leads Airbnb’s internal production team, which is a global team comprised of producers, filmmakers, and photographers.

David Plotz - David Plotz is the CEO of Atlas Obscura (www.AtlasObscura.com), the Brooklyn-based media and travel company. He is also the co-host of the popular Slate Political Gabfest podcast.

Brandon Li - Brandon’s travel films have won 10 Staff Picks and a Webby, and were featured by NatGeo, BBC, and more. He is from the USA, now living as a global nomad.

Best Branded Content Jury

Susan Hoffman - Susan Hoffman started her career as an art director at Pihas, Schmidt, Westerdahl before moving to TBWA\Chiat\Day Seattle. Three years later she came to Wieden+Kennedy as employee No. 8 and has spent the last 37 years defining the agency’s culture and setting the bar for creative excellence.

Ann-Christine Diaz - Ann-Christine Diaz is the Creativity Editor at Ad Age, where she has covered the creative world of advertising for more than 15 years. Her passion is in discovering work and ideas that sing, and learning about the people who bring them to life.

Kwame Taylor- Hayford - Kwame Taylor-Hayford is a Co-Founder of Kin, a creative company using kinship to unleash business and culture as forces for good in our world.

Best Brand Story: Large Business Jury

Anjali Sud - Anjali Sud is CEO of Vimeo, the world’s leading professional video platform. Anjali leads a global team of over 600 individuals dedicated to empowering creators and businesses with the tools to tell their stories. Anjali previously served as General Manager and Head of Marketing at Vimeo, where she oversaw the growth of over 150 million members using the platform.

Dan Brooks - Dan Brooks is VP of Creative at Vimeo and leads all creative efforts for the marketing team. He is a veteran of advertising, ramen noodle nerd, and a fan of lions and tigers.

Courtney Horwitz - Courtney Horwitz is Head of Brand & Content Marketing at Vimeo, where she leads various teams that amplify the spirit of the Vimeo brand. Courtney is responsible for building a thoughtful content strategy that inspires, entertains and educates the Vimeo community on the latest and greatest happenings, while spotlighting the incredible breadth of creators and brands using Vimeo to share their stories with the world.

Best Brand Story: Small Business Jury

Derick Rhodes - Derick Rhodes is VP of Marketplaces at Vimeo, which includes looking after our recently launched For Hire service. A filmmaker himself, Derick has a feature and a couple of shorts under his belt, and loves shooting timelapses and flying his drone over remote forests whenever possible.

Courtney Sanchez - Courtney Sanchez is Chief Operating Officer of Vimeo and serves as a key business advisor and member of the Senior Leadership team, helping to define and execute Vimeo’s long term strategic plans. Prior to joining Vimeo, Courtney was a 14-year veteran of HBO, responsible for building and managing HBO’s digital analytics discipline for the company’s TV Everywhere products, HBO GO and MAX GO, and promotional sites like hbo.com.

Harris Beber - Harris Beber is Chief Marketing Officer of Vimeo where he’s responsible for scaling the community of video creators, filmmakers and brands using the platform to share their stories with the world. An accomplished entrepreneur and marketer, Harris leads Vimeo’s Marketing, Brand and Creative teams. Prior to Vimeo, Harris strategically innovated, uncovering growth and profit for prominent brands including Amazon, Shutterfly, and 1-800-Flowers.com. 

About Vimeo

Vimeo is the world’s leading professional video platform. We empower creators and businesses of all kinds with the tools to tell exceptional stories and connect with their audiences, customers and employees. With over 150 million members across more than 150 countries, our products enable anyone to create, host and distribute high-quality content and have a successful video strategy online. Headquartered in New York City and with offices around the world, Vimeo is an operating business of IAC. Learn more at www.vimeo.com.