When it comes to mobile moviemaking, 2022 gave us much to look at and learn from. From the 52 movies that we showcased, the editors of this site chose 13 finalists (listed below). The genres varied widely, including animation, dance, documentary, drama, fantasy, horror, and music video. Nine countries were represented: Australia, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, and the United States.
After much discussion, we chose “The Unseen” as the Mobile Movie of the Year. This three-minute video memoir puts a spotlight on gambling addiction, an often-overlooked but devastating compulsion. Directed by UK filmmaker Tom Major, the film—winner of the LumaFusion Prize at SF3— blends realistic and symbolic visuals with a poetic narration. From a production perspective, “The Unseen” shows how much can be accomplished by a solo filmmaker. Major wrote the script, performed the lead role, handled the camera using an iPhone 13 and FiLMiC Pro, and did the editing with LumaTouch.
Finalists in alphabetical order
The Bird: Recycling Seen through the Eyes of an Animated Bird (Peter Steele, UK)
Crane: Female Crane Driver Cracks a Ceiling (Connor Hunt, Ireland)
Free: Parkour Witnessed from the Inside (Cassius Rayner, UK)
From My Heart: Music Video Features a Light Show (Sigfrido Giammona, Italy)
Hobgoblin: Location Stars in Scary Movie (Johnny Kinch, UK)
Misplaced: Haunting Black & White Drama Explores Grief (James Demitri, Australia)
Night Terror: Costume Inspires Horror Short (David Duke, UK)
9hr 17: Solo Filmmaker Casts Himself and Himself and Himself (Benjamin Lapierre, France)
The Pandemic Postman: A Letter Carrier with a Mission (Cian McCormack, Ireland)
Something Is Coming: Bushmen Try to Preserve Their Lifestyle (SJ Van Breda, South Africa)
The Unseen: Gambling Addiction Movie Features Poetic Narration (Tom Major, UK)
Wildfire Tears: Student-made PSA Recycles Textbook Pics (Vera Verhoef, Netherlands)
Words: Dance Video Moves from Confinement to Freedom (Vasiliy Zhitov, Russia)
Working at Home: Pandemic Inspires Extended Selfie (Jon Gill, UK)
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