See also AWARD WINNERS OF JANUARY 2026: TECHNICAL CATEGORIES
Best Short of the Season (Special Jury Award)
The Pearl Comb by Ali Cook (UK)
Award of Excellence (Special Jury Mention)
Kukuk: A Romani Soul Unbroken by Yonka Yancheva (Bulgaria)
Award of Excellence (Special Jury Mention)
Max by Adrien Boublil (France)
Award of Excellence (Special Jury Mention)
My Dearest Mother by Michael Bonello Ghio (Malta)
Best Short of the Season – Runner-up (Special Jury Mentions)
Bad Survivor by Alex Dvorak and Katie North (USA)
Dog’s Life by Xueyan Wang (China)
Eye Of The Beholder by Mohammed Alansary and Norah Mansor (Saudi Arabia)
Mother Country by Moges Ababu Belachew (Ethiopia)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Indie Short): Mother Country by Moges Ababu Belachew (Ethiopia)
Honorable Mention (Indie Short): Thaye Yashoda by Sathya Narayanan R (India)
Best Drama Short: My Dearest Mother by Michael Bonello Ghio (Malta)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Drama Short): Max by Adrien Boublil (France)
Honorable Mention (Drama Short): Change by Sayyed Gholamreza Hashemifard (Iran)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Student Short): Where The Stars Meet by Benjamin Martin (South Africa)
Honorable Mention (Student Short): Hi Cobi by Noah Wyss Le Brocq (UK)
Best Documentary Short: Will I See You Tomorrow? by Waad Al-Kateab and Wafa Mustafa (UK)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Documentary Short): A World Unaware: When Every Bite Matters by Randall Ward and Justin Giugno (USA)
Honorable Mention (Documentary Short): Meeting the Ones Who Care by Coralie Bonnaire (France)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Comedy Short): Vic and His Nanay by Jillian Janairo (USA)
Honorable Mention (Comedy Short): Sunny by Shelly Nagell (USA)
Honorable Mention (Romantic Comedy Short): Two of Head, Two of Tongue by Angel David Galvan (USA)
Best Dark Comedy Short: Bad Survivor by Alex Dvorak and Katie North (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Dark Comedy Short): Eye Of The Beholder by Mohammed Alansary and Norah Mansor (Saudi Arabia)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Crime Short): Crawling Hour by Kirill Nong (USA)
Best Thriller Short: Stay In The Car by Calvin Ghaznavi (USA)
Honorable Mention (Film Noir Short): A Murder Rings Hollow by Brandon Rozo (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Horror Short): The Night Alone by Yoko Higuchi (USA)
Honorable Mention (Horror Short): Road 21 by Marco Ferreira (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Sci-Fi Short): The Vagabond by David Debry (USA)
Best Fantasy Short: The Pearl Comb by Ali Cook (UK)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Children Short): I Wanna Go Home by Nan Xi (China)
Best Women Short: Kukuk: A Romani Soul Unbroken by Yonka Yancheva (Bulgaria)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Women Short): Lady Toy by Cat Masterson and Emily Wildwood (USA)
Honorable Mention (Women Short): Chocolate Birds by LouLou Brazill (USA)
Honorable Mention (Microfilm): Morning Rain by Michael Nam Kavounas (USA)
Best Experimental Short: Five More Minutes by Guto Azevedo and Diego Santana Claudino (Belgium)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Experimental Short): Disenchanted by Dongbin Kim (South Korea)
Honorable Mention (Experimental Short): Marilyn’s Dark Paradise by Remi Gangarossa (USA)
Best Music Video: You Are Special by Ilia Noyabrov (Ukraine)
Honorable Mention (Music Video): Wtchcrft – Let’s Get This Party Over With by Fanny Ketter (USA)
Best Screendance Short: Five More Minutes by Guto Azevedo and Diego Santana Claudino (Belgium)
Honorable Mention (Screendance Short): Bayla by Adriana Mourelle (UK)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Web Series/TV Pilot): Wannabes by Giorgia Cadell (Ireland)
Honorable Mention (Web Series/TV Pilot): Timewriter by Ryan Luevano (USA)
Honorable Mention (Web and New Media): Imagine a World Without Pain by Alina Zheng (USA)
Best Parody Short: Robo Sapiens by Sam Clark and Olivia Miller (USA)
Honorable Mention (Parody Short): Ash and Mira Present: Cooking Up Love by Dan Rathke (USA)
Honorable Mention (Trailer/Teaser): Marilyn’s Dark Paradise by Remi Gangarossa (USA)
Best Short Script: The Great Big Lesbian Yankee Swap by Nicholas B Parker (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Short Script): Filotimo by Jessica Pappas and Allison Burnett (USA)
Honorable Mention (Short Script): Brevity by Anthony T Riggs (USA)
See also AWARD WINNERS OF JANUARY 2026: TECHNICAL CATEGORIES
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