The Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films is a nonprofit organization that honors outstanding achievement in independent and world cinema. The organization gives out the Chlotrudis Awards. Membership in the society includes "the Boston film community...critics, film festival programmers, theater exhibitors, and representatives from consulates in Boston."[1] The winners for the 27th annual Awards were announced on March 21, 2021.
The organization was founded in 1994 by Michael Colford and was named after his and his boyfriend Trent's two cats Chloe and Gertrudis.[2]
The Chlotrudis Awards are given out annually, beginning in 1995. According to the society's by-laws, to be eligible for an award, "a film cannot have been released on more than 1,000 screens nationally during its first four weeks. Films that only play festivals or are released direct to DVD are not eligible."[1]
The Chlotrudis Awards were presented publicly beginning in 2000.[citation needed] They are given out in a ceremony usually held at the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[2][1] As with the Academy Awards, Chlotrudis Award presentations involve live music and dance, movie clips, award envelopes, and a trophy (in this case, of a cat on a stick).[1]
