Award of Recognition June 2026

Past winner sub pages color

Award of Recognition

Alexandru Bitz (USA), A FEW DAYS AFTER, Film Short
Archana Panda (USA), Shayad, AI Film
Asadollah Gholamali (Canada), The Interview, Women Theme
Ashley S. Romero (USA), No Offense, from the novel by Francesca D’Armata, Film Short
Bill Dwyer (USA), A Little Human Spark, Film Short
Brian K. Bennett (USA), Not Alone, Cinematography, Film Short
Chen-bao Wang (Taiwan), My Grandparents, Children / Family Programming
Chen-bao Wang and Chien-ting Ou (Taiwan), SDGs Series — Everlasting Actions of Compassion by Tzu Chi, Public Service Programming / PSA
Chris Jack (Canada), Playing Cupid, Film Short
Chris Manydeeds (USA), Speculator!, Script / Writer
Corlie Zhuang (USA), The Last Day of Childhood, Film Short (Student)
Davidevincenzo Salmeri (Italy), Il volo di Marie Andrè, Documentary Short, Health / Medicine / Science
Dayna Reggero (USA), Climate Change And…, Nonprofit / Fundraising
Dennis Rollins (USA), Legacy, Nature / Environment / Wildlife, Documentary Short
Dr. Vertna West (USA), Millstone Misfits: Episode 1 – Welcome to Millstone Lane, Animation, Experimental

BEST SHORTS REcognition logo template

Eric Hamilton (USA), Dog or Die, African American Filmmaker, Original Score (Eric Hamilton and Lance Griffin)
Gita Marhe, Hilwaoge Kamariya, Global Tara Entertainment (The Netherlands / India), Hilwaoge Kamariya, Music Video, Direction, On-Camera Talent (non-acting) (Ginita Sunaina as singer)
Gökhan Yıldız (Türkiye), NATURMORT – Driven by Silence, Movie Trailer
Ira Setiawati (Indonesia), Wisdom of Gunung Sewu (Soul of Thousand Mountains), Asian Filmmaker
Jennifer DiMarco (USA), Sound & Silence, Original Score (Brianne DiMarco)
Jennifer DiMarco, Blue Forge Films (USA), Good Bones, Actress: Supporting (Cyan Smith as Andrea Sojourner), Cinematography
JingYi Du (China), Mama, Script / Writer (Student)
John Calder (New Zealand), The House of Seville, Animation, Experimental, Script / Writer (Bronwyn Calder)
Johnny Vonnuemann (USA), Americans in Egypt, Editing, Islamic Theme, Music Video, Tourism / Travel, Experimental
Joyce Garvey (Ireland), Web, Experimental, Art Direction, Cinematography
Kassi Crews, Crews Media & Our Common Unity (USA), I’M POSSIBLE – Cooking Basics Ep 1 – 8, Web Series, Women Filmmakers, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Kevin J. Nettles (USA), The VoltCon Force, Documentary Short, Original Score
Kyle Khalil Zanika (USA), Corn Field, Film Short
Larry Guernsey (USA), Temporal Slice: Galactic Love, Concept

BEST SHORTS REcognition logo template

Linda Niksic (Australia), VOODOO CHAPTER 2 – LOVE, Animation, Women Filmmakers
Mark Diamond (USA), Enemy Heroes, AI Film
Michael Anthony Kurtz, Kurtz Productions LLC (USA), Letter to the Blind, Film Short, Original Score (Thomas Ropp)
Muhammed Mahsum Gidici (Türkiye), Exit, Cinematography (Student)
Paul Brian Franklin (USA), ISCL.TV: Black Digital Pioneers Before Podcasting, Editing
Pavel Karusev (Kazakhstan), Marked for SNUFF, AI Film
Ramon Castillanes Tenoso and Peter D Deocos (United Kingdom), KATAGMAN, Art Direction
Randall W. Vemer (USA), Threads of Gold, Viewer Impact: Motivational / Inspirational
Robert R. Seemuth (USA), Everything Begins in the Womb: Muscles, Animation
Robert R. Seemuth (USA), Everything Begins in the Womb: Lungs, Animation
Robert R. Seemuth (USA), Everything Begins in the Womb: Bones, Animation
Rodney Roldan (USA), For God and Country, Cinematography
Sadie Duarte (Spain), Remnants of a Heartbeat, Original Score (Daniel Angelus), Research (Carlos Cubero & Batiste Estruga)
Sandra Englund (USA), Dog Gone, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Sank Roshan (Poland), The Liar, Asian Filmmaker
Shihyun Wang (USA), DNA Connections, Editing

BEST SHORTS REcognition logo template

Siyuan Shao (China), A Poet Named Mei Ruxue Must Die, Film Short (Student)
Srinivas Bommali (India), The Spiritual Triangle: A Story of Self-Confidence, Direction, Asian Theme, Asian Filmmaker
Stephanie “Will” Wilson and Steve Tanguy (Canada), The Long Way Back, Actress: Leading (Stephanie Wilson as Claire), Cinematography, Film Short, Editing
Steve Tanguy (USA), Hearts on the Fairway, Direction, Film Short
Steven John Cowan and Kelly Morely Jones (USA), BURNING OIL, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, AI Film
Susan Weiss (USA), Hello Susan, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, Movie Trailer, Women Theme
Szilvia Szakács (Hungary), What If…?, AI Film
Tanzira Rahman Rashid (USA), A Slice of Gaza Jannah, Asian Filmmaker (Student), Islamic Theme (Student)
Thomas Yue (China), Have the World See Me, Asian Filmmaker (Student), Disability Issues (Student), Documentary Short (Student)
Tim Hunter (United Kingdom), Loyalty and Love, Music Video
Tom Knoff (USA), Carl Van Vechten: The Perplexity of the Inner Eye, Experimental, Arts / Cultural / Performance / Plays, History / Biographical / Travel
Trix StarT (United Kingdom), Church of Lost Souls, Actor: Leading (M Killen as Location Scout)
Xiwen Luo (USA), A Wrong FILM, Film Short (Student), Women Filmmakers (Student)
Yonatan Galila (Israel), In The Pines, AI Film

BEST SHORTS REcognition logo template

Click below for the Award of Merit winners:

Award of Merit Film Festival
Click below for the Award of Excellence and Best of Show winners:

Award of Excellence