The Best of Bernal Season Finale features the four award-winning films and filmmakers of the 2023, 20th Anniversary season. The evening begins with the awards ceremony. The season’s major sponsors will present the awards to the winning filmmakers in these four categories: 

• Best of Bernal award — is awarded to a local Bernal filmmaker for the best of this year’s submissions by the Submissions & Selection Committee
• Spirit of Bernal award — is awarded to a non-Bernal filmmaker for the film that best resonates with the sentiment /sensibility (political, social, physical locale) of Bernal Heights by the Submission & Selection Committee.
• Bernal Bright Star award — is awarded by the Submission & Selection Committee to a member of the future generation of story-tellers with the expectation that the winner will make a significant contribution to the art of film and video in the course of her/his/their filmmaking career.
• Good Life Audience Favorite award — is awarded by vote of the at-large Outdoor Cinema audience following the conclusion of the season.

Following the filmmakers’ acceptance of their awards, the four films will screen. The evening ends with a party celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema.