Award of Merit June 2025

Past winner sub pages color

Award of Merit Special Mention

Abolfazl Sa’eiMehrabani (Iran), Khosrow 127, Film Short
Anna Bawa (Sri Lanka), ANANASI, Children / Family Programming
Astrid Ullrich Hebel (Germany), Un Abrazo, Latin / Hispanic Theme, Women Filmmakers
Cathy Fiorillo (USA), jAImes, Actress: Leading (Cathy Fiorillo as Cathy Singley), Direction, Film Short, Television – Pilot Program, Women Filmmakers
Celeste Luccitti (USA), The Zip-Up Man, Original Score
Coco Coloma (USA), High School SweetHearts, Script / Writer
Damian Antochewicz (Malaysia), Descent, Film Short
David Shuck, Glendale Community College (USA), Human Trial, Script / Writer (Student), Sound Editing / Sound Mixing (Student)

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

Graeme Wolverton (USA), In Due Time, Film Short
Guy Hartman-Cocco (USA), Working Title, Creativity / Originality
Hunter Nickless (USA), Where We Left Off, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger, Cinematography (Student), Editing (Student)
Jared Fassbender and Easton Tabin (USA), New Horizons, Actor: Leading (Davyd Markovich as Johnny/Katelyn)
Javid Habibpour (Iran), GATE, Film Short
Jonas Alfred Marcel Graf (Switzerland), The Chameleon Man, Film Short
Lauren Tyree (USA), Remember Me – One Year Later, On-Camera Talent (non-acting) (Student) (Lauren Tyree), Christian  Filmmaker (Student), Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising (Student), Documentary Short (Student)
Lovepreet Singh (India), Save Earth, Nature / Environment / Wildlife

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

Lowe Hollowell (USA), Madonna, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Marc Ruiz (USA), Hollow, Movie Trailer
Matt Crowe (USA), Conscious Co-Working, Documentary Short
Matt Hermiz (USA), What I Didn’t Say, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Melanie van Betten Jeffcoat (USA), Lockdown, Casting (Paula Renzi-Callaghan)
Rakhi Jain (India), Weight Of Stone, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Rudy Strukoff (USA), Prodigal Son, Music Video
Seth Salkin-Weiss (USA), Return to Sender, Animation
Sopho Berishvili (Georgia), Illusion, Cinematography
Whitney St. Ours (USA), Hostess, Original Score

award of merit words

bellopropello (Switzerland), out of control, Animation
Bjorn Nilsen Stickle (USA), Unease – Triumph Over Your Fears, Animation (Student), Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising (Student), Disability Issues (Student), Experimental (Student)
Carolyn M. Scott (USA), SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL, Nature / Environment / Wildlife
Celeste Luccitti (USA), The Zip-Up Man, Actor: Supporting (Xander Simmons as Seth the Bully)
Chanté Nicole Davis, Connecting Lives Productions Corporation (USA), Unbroken Faith, Film Short, Actress: Leading (Gaddiel Adams as First Lady Rose Wilson)
Christian Yoder (USA), Running with the Lions, Christian Theme (Student), Documentary Short (Student)
Chuck Price and Students: Group 5 (USA), Cntrl : Alt : Esc, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Curtis Harrison (USA), Soul Slasher, Script / Writer
Damian Antochewicz (Malaysia), Descent, Script / Writer

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

David Shuck, Glendale Community College (USA), Human Trial, Film Short (Student)
Frances Wilkerson (USA), Seeds of Change, Film Short, Original Score, Ensemble Cast
Gabo Antonutti (Italy), The Gorizia Wall, Christian  Filmmaker
Guy Hartman-Cocco (USA), Working Title, Experimental
Hannah Vernot (USA), Wildflower of the Valley: Carnal Bloom, Script / Writer (Student)
Hayden Goldman and Daniel Isaiah (USA), Is it True?, Direction (Student), LGBTQ+ Theme (Student)
Hossein Hadinezhad (Iran), Criminals, Film Short
Ilya Noyabrev (Ukraine), I’m Back, Music Video
Ivan Francisco Barrera (Mexico), Penalty, Documentary Short, Direction, Cinematography

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

João Pedro Oliveira (Brazil), Inside the Déjà Vu, Film Short
Jonas Alfred Marcel Graf (Switzerland), Ibiza the Island With Many Facets, Documentary Short
Karen Snow (USA), MY FAIR MOTHER: A DANCER NAMED MAXINE BERKE, Documentary Short
Kevin Jones (USA), A Device to Save the World, Script / Writer (Walter David Jones and Kevin Jones), Animation
Kevin Michael Irvine (USA), THE GREENSTONE Narrated by Orson Welles, Film Short
Kondor Shekari (Iran), The Song Of Galesh, Documentary Short
Martin Bannon Beaudet (USA), Shift, Creativity / Originality
Matt Crowe (USA), Conscious Co-Working, Television – Pilot Program
Mayedurimi Andrea Larotonda (USA), Borders, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

Melanie van Betten Jeffcoat (USA), Lockdown, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Nicola Schafer (United Kingdom), A River Sings, Nature / Environment / Wildlife
Peter Roordink (Australia), Hear Me, Film Short
Prafulla Kharkar (USA), Biryanee – Life’s unpredictable Spices, Film Short
Ryan Egypt ElHosseiny (USA), THE INVENTORS, Direction, Documentary Short, Women Theme
Shania Rachel Mathews (USA), Home, Animation
Shirley Xie (China), TROPICAL FISH, Children / Family Programming (Student)
Sofia Ortiz (USA), Invidia, Women Theme (Student)
Sophie Hampton Stamelman (USA), Only In Sleep, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

Sopho Berishvili (Georgia), Illusion, Direction
Takashi Miwa (Japan), A  LITTLE  PRAYER, Animation, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest, Experimental
Tane McClure (USA), Last Flare, Actor: Supporting (Andrew James Ferguson as Drew)
Taylor Marie Boledovich (USA), Goober Madness, Animation (Student)
Val Minarcik (USA), SCREENS, Experimental (Student), Narration / Voiceover Talent (Student), Film Short (Student), Dramatic Impact (Student)
Whitney St Ours (USA), Hostess, Experimental, Direction
William Light (Germany), Behind the Wall Panels, Film Short
Wilson Lamont (USA), Unknown Asset, Film Short
Xie Jing (Hong Kong), Disposables, Asian Filmmaker
Zahra Azadpour (Iran), Dark Orange, Animation
Zhengyan Li (China), FALL, Asian Filmmaker

BEST SHORTS MERIT Color

Click below for Award of Recognition winners:

Award of Recognition Film Festival

Click below for Award of Excellence and Best of Show winners:
Award of Excellence