“The Pearl Comb” Shortlisted for the Academy Awards Live Action Short — In Competition at Indie Short Fest
The acclaimed period short by Ali Cook continues its awards-season trajectory as it competes at Indie Short Fest.
Bahraini Drama “Salem Not Salem” Named Best Short of December at Indie Short Fest
With empathy, restraint, and a fractured sense of time, “Salem Not Salem” immerses us in the fragile inner world of a young man confronting faith, stigma, and psychological collapse.
Other Standout Winners of December 2025 at Indie Short Fest
This edition’s Awards of Excellence recognize “Paranoyya,” “Watching Walter,” and “Where The Shadows Wait” — three films distinguished by tonal control, narrative confidence, and a clear sense of cinematic purpose.
Short Scrip Competition of December 2025
From late-life reckoning and generational wounds to intimate grief, psychological noir, and quiet fantasy, this edition’s Short Script Competition showcases a rich spectrum of human stories.
Indie Short Fest Announces December 2025 Award Winners
We are pleased to unveil the award winners of December 2025 edition. The full list is presented below in two
Finalists Announced for the 2025–2026 Annual Awards
3,993 films considered. 140 finalists selected. Celebrating the top independent voices of the year.
Tethered
Ayden, a man grappling with a fractured conscience, finds himself at the mercy of a methodical psychiatrist who pushes his
Psychedelic Space Fiction
Tyler and Sarah are on a weekend getaway to the mountains. Tyler’s friend Billy has generously offered to let them
Road 21
A man is seduced by a stranger in a surreal desert bar and taken on a drive down a haunted
Albany
A trip gone easy. Directed by Tommy Chae and Otis King (USA)
Eternal Eclipse
A love story between the Sun and Moon who daydream of a life together as humans. Directed by Julen X.
Where The Stars Meet
Two broken souls escape into a hidden beach where time freezes, and pain fades, but their surreal romance soon becomes
The Vagabond
A science fiction epic about the story of a bounty hunter seeking to leave his line of work when he
Sunny
Sunny is a quirky comedy about a waitress who lives in a small town in Minnesota. She relies on astrology
Morning Rain
On his birthday, a young man works alone in his garage, listening to a voicemail from his father who’s running
Reverie
A young woman facing an identity crisis questions her loyalty with the Catholic church community only to be terrorized by