See also AWARD WINNERS OF SEPTEMBER 2025: TECHNICAL CATEGORIES
Best Short of the Season (Special Jury Award)
Some Things Can’t Wait by Vincent Jost (Germany)
Awards of Excellence (Special Jury Mentions)
Lottie by Bella Rieth (USA)
Patakha by Rohit Relan (USA)
Stimulants & Empathogens by Mateusz Pacewicz (Poland)
Best Short of the Season – Runner-up (Special Jury Mentions)
At The Mercy Of Faith by Andrew Arguello (USA)
Hustlevania by Clayton Nepveux iii (USA)
Nan by Lily Ellora Newton (USA)
Pure by Bradley Peake (UK)
Selfie, Please by Anu Singh Choudhary (India)
The Voice Of Despair by Nina Goldvin (Ukraine)
Best Indie Short: Some Things Can’t Wait by Vincent Jost (Germany)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Indie Short): Lottie by Bella Rieth (USA)
Honorable Mention (Indie Short): Between Waves by Wentao Liu (China)
Best Drama Short: The Voice Of Despair by Nina Goldvin (Ukraine)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Drama Short): Selfie, Please by Anu Singh Choudhary (India)
Honorable Mention (Drama Short): Eremos Trilogy by Sam Arnold (UK)
Best Student Short: Whispers of Home by Sahar Ghorishi (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Student Short): When Yin Meets Yang by Young-Ju Yoo (Netherlands)
Honorable Mention (Student Short): Red Clay by Tian Zeng Runzhu Runhao Ruoxi (China)
Best Documentary Short: A Fine Balance by Robert Kroger (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Documentary Short): Aftershock by Collin Nelson (USA)
Honorable Mention (Documentary Short): Alaska Rescue Story by Mark D Rose (USA)
Best Comedy Short: Stimulants & Empathogens by Mateusz Pacewicz (Poland)
Honorable Mention (Comedy Short): Peaking by Dominic Marino and Luke Wieten (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Dark Comedy Short): Something Big by Wentao Liu (China)
Honorable Mention (Dark Comedy Short): The Marleys by Kenneth Trujillo (USA)
Best Crime Short: Hustlevania by Clayton Nepveux iii (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Crime Short): Measures by Sam Spirer (USA)
Honorable Mention (Crime Short): Across the Blue Line by Dominic Goodie (USA)
Best Thriller Short: Melodies Of The Abyss by Sam Iwata (Australia)
Honorable Mention (Thriller Short): Dying Ember by Tom Thomas (UK)
Honorable Mention (Horror Short): Caught by David L. Rivera (USA)
Best Fantasy Short: At The Mercy Of Faith by Andrew Arguello (USA)
Honorable Mention (Fantasy Short): Sensus Mori by Sydney Rincón (USA)
Best Animation Short: White Hare by Inkyu Jee (South Korea)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Animation Short): Gravity Bound by Frankie Lasley (USA)
Honorable Mention (Animation Short): Fluff & Furious by Chieh-Chih Liao (USA)
Best Women Short: Nan by Lily Ellora Newton (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Women Short): Hard Boiled Eggs by Yi Meng (USA)
Honorable Mention (Women Short): Through The Mirror To See Her by Tianyun Aria He (China)
Best LGBTQ Short: Pining by David Jaffe (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (LGBTQ Short): Bobo In Bliss by Vivian Ip (USA)
Honorable Mention (LGBTQ Short): Okay? by Carrie Meyer Schrader (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Microfilm): A Very Crowded Room by Nate Wilburn (USA)
Honorable Mention (Microfilm): Almost Love by Sarah Hà Duyên Ngô (USA)
Best Experimental Short: The Oilfields by Nico Poalillo (USA)
Honorable Mention (Experimental Short): After Land by James Frank (USA)
Best Music Video: Streetlights – Scott Frenzel by Alissa Wyle (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Music Video): RAD by Jonathan Daniel Williams (USA)
Honorable Mention (Music Video): We Look Like You by Devin Alexander Sebasstian (USA)
Best Screendance Short: Shade by Lee Subin (South Korea)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Screendance Short): Elegy by Elsa Kit Kincaid (Czechia)
Honorable Mention (Web and New Media): The Secret Behind Hollywood Premieres by Robbie Filios and Davan Firinn (USA)
Best Short Script: Pyrrhic by Nikki Petkopoulos (USA)
Outstanding Achievement Award (Short Script): Even the Moon Knows (달도 아는 사랑) by Celeste Escalera (USA)
Honorable Mention (Short Script): The Old Man And The Paintbrush by Christopher Loveland (USA)
See also AWARD WINNERS OF SEPTEMBER 2025: TECHNICAL CATEGORIES
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