Award Winners: December 2023

Best Short of the Season (Special Jury Award)

Love Sink In Tide by Pengyu Yan and Hongdi Xiao (China)

Best Foreign-Language Short of the Season (Special Jury Award)

The Longest Night by Yongzhi Qiao (China)

Award of Excellence (Special Jury Mention)

Driftwood by Christopher Hills Eaton (USA)

Award of Excellence (Special Jury Mention)

On the Paths Awakened by Axel Dahan (France)

Best Short of the Season – Runner-up (Special Jury Mentions)

Behind The Mask by Liren Zhang (China)

Beverly Hills Exorcist by Rem Scobell (USA)

ELM by Kay Qiao (USA)

Ensouled by Moe Najati (UK)

Ruby’s Dad by David Tschan (USA)

Rust by Tim Mountain (UK)

Best Indie Short: The Longest Night by Yongzhi Qiao (China)

Best Drama Short: On the Paths Awakened by Axel Dahan (France)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Drama Short): Lines by Sara Werner (USA)

Honorable Mention (Drama Short): Step into the Abyss by Vital Stomma (Belarus)

Best Student Short: Ruby’s Dad by David Tschan (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Student Short): Behind The Mask by Liren Zhang (China)

Best Documentary Short: #WAY_Aurelio by Alan Rexroth (Germany)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Documentary Short): Homecoming by Ashlee Mello (USA)

Honorable Mention (Documentary Short): What Happened To You by Alec Goldberg (USA)

Best Comedy Short: Send Help Period by Carmen Antón García (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Comedy Short): Cats and Husbands by Grace Samson and Barry Samson (USA)

Honorable Mention (Comedy Short): Microphone by Sam Nee (USA)

Best Romantic Comedy Short: Dating Audrey by Dan Hertzog (USA)

Best Dark Comedy Short: Kombucha! by Jake Myers (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Dark Comedy Short): High Jinx by Evan Ostrow (USA)

Honorable Mention (Dark Comedy Short): Demon Interrupted by NJ Brown and Anthony Bretting (USA)

Best Crime Short: Plot Development by Elias Gandy (USA)

Best Film Noir Short: The Longest Night by Yongzhi Qiao (China)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Film Noir Short): Under the Cover of Darkness by Ash Wing (USA)

Best Thriller Short: Plot Development by Elias Gandy (USA)

Honorable Mention (Thriller Short): Canceled by Soroush Hosseini (Iran)

Best Mystery Short: What Happens After Midnight by Jack Wickliffe (USA)

Best Horror Short: Beverly Hills Exorcist by Rem Scobell (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Horror Short): What Happens After Midnight by Jack Wickliffe (USA)

Honorable Mention (Horror Short): You’re On Your Own, Kid by Michael Matsui (USA)

Best Fantasy Short: ELM by Kay Qiao (USA)

Honorable Mention (Fantasy Short): Demon Interrupted by NJ Brown and Anthony Bretting (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Western Short): The Ballad of Sadie LeBelle by Rodrigo Quezada (USA)

Honorable Mention (Western Short): Rosemary by Justin Ryan Green (USA)

Best Animation Short: Driftwood by Christopher Hills Eaton (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Animation Short): Flamin Hot by Cláudia Romeo Casado, Paula Othmer Pérez, Alícia García Iniesta, Adrià Carballada Mallofré, Leanora Schnog Barriga, Bernardo Oliveira Mesquita, Marlon Anthony Hugi Zapata, Pol Corcoles, Sergi Mora Murciano, and Pablo Matas Solera (Spain)

Honorable Mention (Animation Short): Foreigner by Giovanni A Lodigiani (USA)

Best Children Short: Great Fortune by Sabia Faden (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Children Short): Am I a Painter? (Czy jestem malarzem?) by Michał Kucharski (Poland)

Honorable Mention (Children Short): The Esteemed Priority by Al Bohl (USA)

Best Women Short: Victoria by Javier Molina (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (Women Short): Loganberry Lane by Cathy Cahlin Ryan (USA)

Honorable Mention (Women Short): Maize by Corsica Wilson (USA)

Outstanding Achievement Award (LGBTQ Short): Flour Girl by Jada Bethea (USA)

Honorable Mention (LGBTQ Short): Jeffrey King: The Legacy Tour by Nathan J. Lee (USA)

Best Microfilm: Rust by Tim Mountain (UK)

Honorable Mention (Microfilm): Controlled Chaos by Deepi Ahluwalia (Canada)

Best Experimental Short: ELM by Kay Qiao (USA)