Posted by The nominees for the 2025–2026 Annual Awards have been officially revealed, recognizing standout short films and filmmakers from around the world across performance, craft, and genre categories.
This year, 72 films from 24 countries were selected from a highly competitive pool of 3,993 monthly finalists in competition between September 2024 and December 2025.
The final slate reflects the breadth and diversity of independent cinema — from bold student voices and emerging directors to internationally acclaimed storytellers — spanning drama, documentary, animation, horror, experimental, and beyond. Several films earned multiple nominations across disciplines, highlighting exceptional achievement in directing, acting, cinematography, editing, and screenwriting.
All nominated films will be showcased during the Annual Awards theatrical screening event at Regal LA Live on May 9, 2026, where selected works will be presented on the big screen. The official program and screening schedule will be announced soon.
Nominees can be explored either by category or as a complete alphabetical list:
We congratulate all nominated filmmakers and look forward to celebrating their work with our community at the 6th Indie Short Fest Annual Awards.
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