ESI Film Festival 2024 winners announced

ESI Events, the events arm of Esports Insider, has announced the winners of the 2024 ESI Film Festival, held as part of ESI Lisbon at the MEO Arena.

The ESI Film Festival, now in its second edition, showcases outstanding stories and films from and about the gaming and esports industry.

This year’s competition saw incredible talent across two categories: Best Film and Best Student Film, with a total prize pool of €6,000 (~£4,998), courtesy of ESI Events’ not-for-profit partner ESG Gaming. Each nominee brought forth exceptional narratives, further bridging the gap between gaming, esports, and the wider entertainment spaces of film and television. The full shortlist for the 2024 edition can be seen here. 

The competition aims to drive forward its overarching mission; to better strengthen ties, connections and collaborations between the film, games and esports sectors. Moreover, ESI Film Festival showcases how gaming can and goes make a meaningful, positive difference to people’s lives.

1st Place: Chuck & Fern – Directed by Henry Alexander Kelly

Within a fantasy video game, a heroic swordsman and a D-List villain face an existential crisis but must push past it when a greater purpose calls.

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2nd Place: Live Legendary: Launders – Directed by Chew Productions

This documentary chronicles the journey of Counter-Strike caster Launders. Growing up in Toronto, Launders is the son of a determined mother of Indian descent, who immigrated to Canada in search of a better life. His early years were spent with his mother in a women’s shelter, where he learns the resilience and strength that will define his future. In his youth, Launders struggled to find his path, working blue-collar jobs and occasionally falling into trouble. His life took a pivotal turn when he joined a ‘Big Brother’ programme and was paired with a mentor who saw his potential and encouraged him to reach for it. This is a story of a mother and son, of friendship, and the power of finding one’s true passion.

Watch here

1st Place: C++ – Directed by Bashar Taha Abduljabbar

The story follows Yassin, a skilled programmer who tragically loses his wife, Suzanne, due to medical malpractice. Driven by anger and thirst for justice, Yassin kidnaps the negligent doctor, Khalid, responsible for Susan’s death. Within a virtual reality video game of his own creation, Yassin manipulates Khalid’s perception, confronting him with the truth behind Susan’s death. As the game unfolds, Khalid discovers shocking revelations and faces his fate, leading to a climactic showdown between Yassin and Khalid. ‘C++’ explores themes of justice, loss, and the consequences of blurring the lines between reality and illusion.

Watch here

2nd Place: Zara – My Game – Directed by Jack Carmell 

This documentary follows Zara Horton, a former professional windsurfer for Team GB, as she takes a leap of faith into studying esports instead of taking a traditional route. We follow her journey through University esports and how she has used her competitive nature to her advantage.

Watch here

The winners were chosen by a panel of industry experts, including Hélène Juguet (Managing Director, Ubisoft Film & TV Paris), Lee Willows (Founder & Executive Chair, ESG Gaming), Stuart Burnside (Video Game Certification Manager, British Film Institute), Karina Ziminaite (CEO, Z1MT Creative), Alex Weber (Award-Winning Filmmaker) and Rui Pedro da Tendinha (Film Critic & Presenter). 

Their expertise ensured that every nominee was carefully evaluated for originality, storytelling, and other criteria detailed here.

Building on the success of its debut edition, ESI Film Festival has expanded into a cornerstone of ESI Lisbon, offering filmmakers a unique opportunity to showcase their work to a global audience. This year’s entries highlighted the emotional, cultural and social impact of gaming and esports. The festival reflects ESI’s commitment to fostering collaboration between film and gaming.

Lee Willows, ESG Gaming Founder and Executive Chair, commented: “Congratulations to the winners of the ESI Film Festival! It’s great to see such talent and creativity on display, and we’re truly proud to support a platform that highlights the intersection of gaming and storytelling, and give back to the amazing communities across gaming and esports.”

The ESI Film Festival was just one part of a packed schedule at ESI Lisbon 2024, which brought together leaders from across the esports and gaming ecosystems. With keynote talks, panels, and networking opportunities, the event cemented itself as a global hub for esports professionals, creators, and enthusiasts.

For more information on the ESI Film Festival including how to get involved in the 2025 edition you can visit here For the wider event, please see here.