SANDPOINT - Laughter, tears and thrills filled the Panida Theater Saturday during the fifth annual Sandpoint Film Festival.

Quickly becoming a local institution in its own right, the festival has grown to become a local hub for filmmakers and film lovers across the community. It's also one of the only opportunities for locals to put a finger on the pulse of international filmmaking, which made up the bulk of entries this year. The short films were just as diverse as the creators' nationalities, portraying themes such as the power of art, the reconciliation of an estranged family and the courage to pursue true love.

"I love that a town the size of Sandpoint can bring in films from all over the world to inspire us," said Eric Ridgway, who hosted this year's festival.

The festival is crafted to honor films and filmmakers alike, and this year was no exception. Coeur d'Alene resident Patty Duke earned a Lifetime Achievement Award for her Oscar-winning career in film, TV, theater and music. Likewise, local resident and Hollywood veteran Ted Parvin, who will soon move to California, received fond farewells and words of gratitude for his work in movie making and film education.

Each year brings a new tweak in operations to the Sandpoint Film Festival. This year, films were divided into three categories - animation, narrative and documentary - with first-, second- and third-place awards distributed in each genre.

The festival's animated category offered up some particularly vibrant movies this year, evoking all the imagination and color of which the medium is capable. "Chess," a French film by Eitenne Vartrin, took third place. Weaving the tale of a young artist who discovers a world of wonder and wildlife through her art, "The Color of Leo" by Zarah Knebel of Spain received second place. And "Lila," the story of an upbeat young woman who changes the banal into the fantastical through her art, won first place.

The documentary category offered viewers insight into many fascinating lives and cultures. Third-place winner "Despair" by Christoph Von Toggenburg from India detailed the plight of many Indians suffering in poverty and illness. "Twenty-Eight Feet," the second-place winner from Canada, told the story of a young man who sails the world, living from his boat as a free-spirited wanderer. And "My Heart" by Yaser Talebi from Iran, the shortest film of the festival at just more than two minutes long, won first place for its moving account of children wishing a quick recovery for their ailing teacher.

Narrative films ranged this year from laugh-out-loud comedy to the grimmest drama. Third-place winner "Waking Marshall Walker" by Gabriel Baron and Bjorn Thorstad examined an estranged father-daughter relationship through distinct visual language. A stark look at the origins of an infamous historic figure, "The Child" by Maru Gomez Gonzales took second place. And first place went to "The Craftsman" by Marcello Baretta of Italy for its imaginative and romantic story of a Victorian-era inventor.

The category winners weren't the only films honored Saturday. "Twice Born" by Sandpoint filmmakers Luke Jiles and Donna Short received both the Idaho Filmmaker's Award and Audience Choice Award for its examination of an unexpected pregnancy and the mother's decision to keep the child.