Official Selections
Summer 2025
"Dizzy" by Zac La Roc
"Best Short Film"
Dylan and Lizzy are best friends, growing up in a typical dystopian suburbia. Dylan has a plan to take her mom's boyfriend's car for the night. The two of them drop acid, steal the car, and the wild sequence of events that ensue over the next nine hours is one for the books. Dylan is all gas, no brakes. Lizzy is more in touch with the risk verses benefit equation. The unlikely duo are still inseparable, and their journey is as entertaining as it is dangerous. In the end, we are reminded that life's a trip, so enjoy the ride.
Official Instagram
"My mother" by Van Viet Tran
"Best Short Film"
A documentary portrays a 91-year-old mother and literary researcher in her twilight years, living in a cramped room with everyday worries and simple human desires. Through this, it depicts the maternal bond, the affection and care of the child for their aging mother, and the fragile, precarious existence of people at the age when they are like "a lamp before the wind."

The idiom "ngọn đèn trước gió" literally translates to "a lamp before the wind" and figuratively describes a life that is fragile, precarious, and could be extinguished at any moment, often referring to the very old or those who are terminally ill.
"Super Turbo Jet Boats" by Daniel Stuelpnagel
"Best Short Film"
Five powerboat-loving film-school slackers from LA shoot for a deadline in Costa Rica and stumble into a river poisoned by an illegal biogenetics laboratory. After their tepid thesis project fails, the team hatches a risky spring-break boondoggle to launch Golden-Fleece beach adventures.
Watch on Vimeo
Official Selections List
Best Short Film
"THE FAREWELL MELODY" by Francisco Bassignana
"Best Short Film"
A girl walks around the street of a city and she has extrange visions that finally are connected with Ukrainian War.
"Look Around" by Albert Bekaev
"Best Short Film"
Matt, an aspiring filmmaker, shoots an amateur film with his friend Joe, but sudden hearing loss shatters his plans. A doctor’s diagnosis and fear of failure plunge him into despair. With the support of loved ones and a conversation with a psychologist, Matt gains a fresh perspective on the filmmaking process.
Watch on YouTube
"GAMBLERS" by Ettore Zito
"Best Short Film"
The hidden face of pathological gambling in a scenario suspended between fiction and reality, Gamblers tells true stories of men and women trapped in the vortex of gambling.
"THE HOUSE FROM THE PAST" by Marco Ottavio Graziano
"Best Short Film"
GIULIO, 20 years old, decides to spend his first summer away from the cumbersome presence of his mother. He will do so in the old family home in the Cuneo countryside, inhabited until his untimely death by the eccentric AUNT CLARA.

No one had entered those evocative and historical walls since the death of the woman, an artist who had made unruliness her only rule of life. GIULIO reopened the house and with it the most secret and painful pages of his family.
"I'M NOT WORK ANYMORE" by Gernas İslam Abışka
"Best Short Film"
A short film about a life-changing moment...
One day, while Seyfo (35) is herding his sheep, one of them strays from the flock. As he follows it, he sees the sheep disappear behind a rock. When Seyfo climbs up to get a better view, what he witnesses leaves him stunned.
This short film tells the story of how that moment changes Seyfo’s life forever.
Official Instagram
"The Aloha Within" by Elvis Maleko & Robert Massetti
"Best Short Film"
Through a time of personal struggle and tragedy, a young Polynesian stage performer named Marc discovers a new meaning of hope. This hope is found through a support system he never knew he had. As he pieces together the support of family, friends, and culture, Marc realizes something of great worth and value, the Aloha within.
Official Website
"Bird Boy" by Izak Berman
"Best Short Film"
Following the death of his father, Gabriël and his mother live a secluded life in the countryside. After Gabriël finds a dead dove in the garden, something strange and miraculous begins to occur, offering new perspectives to him and his mother.
Official Website
"MONSTER" by Sophia Lassi
"Best Short Film"
Francis is a troubled girl living her teenage years unhappily, especially after a fight with her best friend Vittoria, who turned all her schoolmates against her. Her only safe haven is bike rides and the piano, but these manage to give her only momentary relief from the pain. She feels like a mistake, and inadequate. Is she really the monster everyone believes her to be?
Official Instagram
"EVA" by Martin Genovski
"Best Short Film"
EVA tells the story of two parents expecting a child. A routine scan reveals a rare genetic condition: the baby’s brain will never develop, and after birth it will survive only for a few hours. Confronted with this devastating truth, the couple faces an impossible choice – to end the pregnancy, or to bring the child into the world so that its organs might save the lives of other newborns.
Official Website
"Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness 2024 Documentary" by Gigi Shum
"Best Short Film"
The Manchester 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness raises funds in aid of Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity’s flagship scheme, A Bed Every Night. This film documents the full 24 hours during the event in 2024.
"Peppermint Gum" by Paule Sydr
"Best Short Film"
After a traumatic car accident, Rose loses her memory. Confined in a room with two friends, she begins to sense that something is off. As small details stop adding up and trust starts to erode, Rose must decide whether to face the truth or continue living in a lie.
Official Website
"Maximum Security" by Richard Mann
"Best Short Film"
Terry Gilbertson has been a security guard for over 21 years in Kings Cross, London. He is now heading up the Task 7 - Maximum Security program and rolling it over the UK.
Graham once again catches up with Terry, this time he is at a university in East Anglia making sure that health and safety protocols are being followed and that everyone is following a code of maximum security!
"The Collector" by Samuel Hernández
"Best Short Film"
Gustavo Zimmermann, a young archaeologist, ventures into a dark forest trying to complete the last investigation into his missing grandfather. Once there, he meets a mysterious Old Man who keeps a vast collection of objects in his cabin, which arouses Gustavo's interest and suspicions.
Official Instagram
"Card Game" by Isaac Middleton
"Best Short Film"
In the heart-pumping world of superheroes, it's not often you get a glimpse behind the mask. Enter "Card Game," a short film that dares to ask: what happens when three heroes swap spandex for a friendly game of cards? Every once in a few blue moons, three super beings get together to have a card game. In this enviroment they can relax, talk, share, and put there cards on the table.
"Housemates" by Georgie McGuigan
"Best Short Film"
Caitlin's sister, Cassie, has Down's Syndrome.  She also has a love for writing stories, sea salt and chardonnay vinegar crisps... and "feng shui-ing" every room she enters. When she comes to stay for the weekend, she brings all this colour and character with her, decorating Caitlin's rigid routine.
Official Instagram
"The JUSTICES" by Yahn Kawamoto
"Best Short Film"
A man and a woman meet by chance at a cafe. They are strangers to each other, but they start boasting
about their achievements during a casual conversation. It turns into a competition of misfortunes. As the
conversation progresses, an unexpected crime from 20 years ago is revealed.
Official Website
"Don't forget to smile" by David Dulev
"Best Short Film"
Teacher that's teaching kids to smile in a post a dystopic school.
"Frances" by Sharon Lewis
"Best Short Film"
Frances, serves as a poignant exploration of the pervasive housing crisis that has gripped our society. Going beyond mere statistics, the film endeavors to shatter preconceived notions about homelessness and directs attention to the alarming reality that anyone, regardless of their background, can find themselves facing the harsh uncertainties of housing instability. At the heart of the narrative is Frances, a resilient and hardworking woman navigating the aftermath of a recent divorce. As if the emotional toll of separation weren't enough, her rental property becomes short-term holiday accommodation. Faced with the daunting task of finding a new home in a fiercely competitive market, Frances encounters insurmountable challenges due to her single income and her unwillingness to be separated from her beloved dog.
Official Website
"The Shell" by Yanni Dellaportas
"Best Short Film"
A desperate and agitated bikie sets off on his Harley Davidson to the coast. He arrives at a solitary caravan near the water's edge. Inside the van is the keeper of a mysterious secret; an ancient and timeworn shell, once found by explorer Matthew Flinders on the very the same beach in 1802.
The Shell is the key to the past and a gateway to the present.
"Mysterious Moments with Millie Mallory" by Mysti Smith
"Best Short Film"
Millie is learning how to solve mysteries on her vlogging channel in the town of Willow’s Run. With an uncle who is the Detective of The Colby County Police Station, she entrusts and unwittingly enlists him to help her put a face to the fingerprints in her mystery of murder escapades. Mysterious Moments with Millie ‘Mills’ Mallory – is a heartfelt, suspenseful and engaging Mystery Drama, created with the same beloved overtones as Murder She Wrote and a keen sense of suspicious clue solving as seen in the Murder She Baked Mysteries series. Hang on to your trench coat and hat-it's gonna be an interesting ride!
Official Website
"Pierre West" by Henrik Larsson & Jakob Arevärn
"Best Short Film"
One day Pierre's TV breaks down, what at first seems like another setback will soon take him down a new road.
Pierre West is a drama about hope and darkness, filmed over 17 years.
Through Pierre’s isolated life and his unjust struggle with trauma, the film explores emotions that arise when the light at the end of the tunnel seems so very far away
A character-driven portrayal balancing hardships and inner demons with humor and longing.
In an existence without compassion – how long can Pierre endure?
Official IMDb page
Official Selections List
Best Director
"GAMBLERS" by Ettore Zito
"Best Director"
The hidden face of pathological gambling in a scenario suspended between fiction and reality, Gamblers tells true stories of men and women trapped in the vortex of gambling.
"THE HOUSE FROM THE PAST" by Marco Ottavio Graziano
"Best Director"
GIULIO, 20 years old, decides to spend his first summer away from the cumbersome presence of his mother. He will do so in the old family home in the Cuneo countryside, inhabited until his untimely death by the eccentric AUNT CLARA.

No one had entered those evocative and historical walls since the death of the woman, an artist who had made unruliness her only rule of life. GIULIO reopened the house and with it the most secret and painful pages of his family.
"Alucina (Fishgirl)" by Javier Cutrona
"Best Director"
Camila is a young 24-year-old woman who suffers from amnesia: she remembers little to none about her childhood in the coast, in the sea, because of a traumatic event when she was a child. She replaced the pain and emptiness from her loss with an imaginary world where the perception of reality is unique and extraordinary, where details are brought to life, where a giant fish her guardian.

Camila escapes from a blurry past and in that escape meets Jose, a delivery guy with whom she falls in love. But one day Jose disappears, and Camila has to stop running and go look for her lost love, and in that process find the missing pieces of her memory.

“Fishgirl” is the urban and fantastic portrait that inhabits a dimension at the same time tragic and dazzling, tender and dark, a dimension illuminated with characters as everyday as they are fantastical.
Official Instagram
Dreamweavers - Gidja Walker OAM
"Best Director"
Gidja Walker is a Mornington Peninsula based ecologist and ethnobotanist who has worked for years protecting its Earthscapes. Gidja overcame discrimination in a male dominated profession.
She is a mentor to young women entering the world of nature-based learning and an advocate for traditional owner custodianship. Over many decades, Gidja has contributed professionally and informally as a consultant and advisor to many government bodies and community-based organisations.
In 2006 she was a recipient of the prestigious Prime Minister’s Banksia award for the "Back from the Brink" endangered orchid species recovery project.
Official Instagram
"BRITALIANS" by Mirko Ricci
"Best Director"
BRITALIANS explores the journey of Italians in the UK, from early immigrants in Manchester’s Ancoats district to today’s professionals in key institutions. Using archival footage, personal testimonies, and expert insights, the documentary highlights their struggles, achievements, and cultural influence, in the UK.
Official Selections List
Best Feature Film
"12-24 West, CA 12345" by Robert Schmidt
"Best Feature Film"
A 16mm film consisting of five chapters of various happenings throughout an apartment complex, shot in hour increments of the days.
"TOKYO STRANGE TALE" by Koichi Ueno
"Best Feature Film"
Neuroscientist Senichi Itabashi decides to test the concept of superhuman ideologies on his own brain, using research materials left by his grandfather from the wartime era. This experiment leads him to see and hear ghosts, yet he struggles to discern whether these visions and voices are genuine or merely figments of his imagination.

Admit this confusion, Ren, a female staff member from his favorite bar, appears before him, though something about her seems off. Upon visiting the bar, he discovers that police have begun investigating her disappearance.

Is Ren truly dead? And if so, who killed her? To verify the outcomes of his experiment and his own senses, Senichi seeks the cooperation of the deceased that appear around him and a medium, delving into the truth behind her death and the identity of the perpetrator.
Official Instagram
"Alucina (Fishgirl)" by Javier Cutrona
"Best Feature Film"
Camila is a young 24-year-old woman who suffers from amnesia: she remembers little to none about her childhood in the coast, in the sea, because of a traumatic event when she was a child. She replaced the pain and emptiness from her loss with an imaginary world where the perception of reality is unique and extraordinary, where details are brought to life, where a giant fish her guardian.

Camila escapes from a blurry past and in that escape meets Jose, a delivery guy with whom she falls in love. But one day Jose disappears, and Camila has to stop running and go look for her lost love, and in that process find the missing pieces of her memory.

“Fishgirl” is the urban and fantastic portrait that inhabits a dimension at the same time tragic and dazzling, tender and dark, a dimension illuminated with characters as everyday as they are fantastical.
Official Instagram
Official Selections List
Best Actor
"EVA" by Martin Genovski
"Best Actor" — Todor Kocev
EVA tells the story of two parents expecting a child. A routine scan reveals a rare genetic condition: the baby’s brain will never develop, and after birth it will survive only for a few hours. Confronted with this devastating truth, the couple faces an impossible choice – to end the pregnancy, or to bring the child into the world so that its organs might save the lives of other newborns.
Official Website
"GAMBLERS" by Ettore Zito
"Best Actor" — Luca Maggiore
The hidden face of pathological gambling in a scenario suspended between fiction and reality, Gamblers tells true stories of men and women trapped in the vortex of gambling.
"THE HOUSE FROM THE PAST" by Marco Ottavio Graziano
"Best Actor" — ANDREA BERNARDI GRAZIANO
GIULIO, 20 years old, decides to spend his first summer away from the cumbersome presence of his mother. He will do so in the old family home in the Cuneo countryside, inhabited until his untimely death by the eccentric AUNT CLARA.

No one had entered those evocative and historical walls since the death of the woman, an artist who had made unruliness her only rule of life. GIULIO reopened the house and with it the most secret and painful pages of his family.
"TOKYO STRANGE TALE" by Koichi Ueno
"Best Actor" — Fumitaka Otoguro
Neuroscientist Senichi Itabashi decides to test the concept of superhuman ideologies on his own brain, using research materials left by his grandfather from the wartime era. This experiment leads him to see and hear ghosts, yet he struggles to discern whether these visions and voices are genuine or merely figments of his imagination.

Admit this confusion, Ren, a female staff member from his favorite bar, appears before him, though something about her seems off. Upon visiting the bar, he discovers that police have begun investigating her disappearance.

Is Ren truly dead? And if so, who killed her? To verify the outcomes of his experiment and his own senses, Senichi seeks the cooperation of the deceased that appear around him and a medium, delving into the truth behind her death and the identity of the perpetrator.
Official Instagram
Official Selections List
Best Actress
"MONSTER" by Sophia Lassi
"Best Actress" — Sophia Lassi
Francis is a troubled girl living her teenage years unhappily, especially after a fight with her best friend Vittoria, who turned all her schoolmates against her. Her only safe haven is bike rides and the piano, but these manage to give her only momentary relief from the pain. She feels like a mistake, and inadequate. Is she really the monster everyone believes her to be?
Official Instagram
"EVA" by Martin Genovski
"Best Actress" — Luba Dimitrova
EVA tells the story of two parents expecting a child. A routine scan reveals a rare genetic condition: the baby’s brain will never develop, and after birth it will survive only for a few hours. Confronted with this devastating truth, the couple faces an impossible choice – to end the pregnancy, or to bring the child into the world so that its organs might save the lives of other newborns.
Official Website
"GAMBLERS" by Ettore Zito
"Best Actress" — Gaia Riposati
The hidden face of pathological gambling in a scenario suspended between fiction and reality, Gamblers tells true stories of men and women trapped in the vortex of gambling.
"Frances" by Sharon Lewis
"Best Actress" — Juliet Scrine
Frances, serves as a poignant exploration of the pervasive housing crisis that has gripped our society. Going beyond mere statistics, the film endeavors to shatter preconceived notions about homelessness and directs attention to the alarming reality that anyone, regardless of their background, can find themselves facing the harsh uncertainties of housing instability. At the heart of the narrative is Frances, a resilient and hardworking woman navigating the aftermath of a recent divorce. As if the emotional toll of separation weren't enough, her rental property becomes short-term holiday accommodation. Faced with the daunting task of finding a new home in a fiercely competitive market, Frances encounters insurmountable challenges due to her single income and her unwillingness to be separated from her beloved dog.
Official Website
"The JUSTICES" by Yahn Kawamoto
"Best Actress" — Jovana Stevic
A man and a woman meet by chance at a cafe. They are strangers to each other, but they start boasting
about their achievements during a casual conversation. It turns into a competition of misfortunes. As the
conversation progresses, an unexpected crime from 20 years ago is revealed.
Official Website
"Industry" by Lee O'Connor
"Best Actress" — Oleksandra Kircheva
Tired of being treated like a product to sell, a young model searches for happiness in her life and in the modelling industry.
Watch Trailer
Official Selections List
Best Supporting Actor
Official Selections List
Best Supporting Actress
Official Selections List
Best Editing
"CALIU: Nothing else, what else can I do?" by Milena Starkova
"Best Editing"
A journey into modern London's rock 'n' roll scene, featuring Laurie Wright and his band, exploring the genre's legacy, its cultural roots, and its fight for relevance in today's mainstream.
"Alucina (Fishgirl)" by Javier Cutrona
"Best Editing"
Camila is a young 24-year-old woman who suffers from amnesia: she remembers little to none about her childhood in the coast, in the sea, because of a traumatic event when she was a child. She replaced the pain and emptiness from her loss with an imaginary world where the perception of reality is unique and extraordinary, where details are brought to life, where a giant fish her guardian.

Camila escapes from a blurry past and in that escape meets Jose, a delivery guy with whom she falls in love. But one day Jose disappears, and Camila has to stop running and go look for her lost love, and in that process find the missing pieces of her memory.

“Fishgirl” is the urban and fantastic portrait that inhabits a dimension at the same time tragic and dazzling, tender and dark, a dimension illuminated with characters as everyday as they are fantastical.
Official Instagram
"Crossing through the Highlands of Iceland" by Dan Razvan Coman
"Best Editing"
The so called “F Roads” go deep into the heart of Iceland crossing many glacier rivers, winding through vast black sand territories.

Only accessible during the Icelandic summer, the Higlands of Iceland, is an oasis of tranquility and inspiration; unique landscapes inspire those who decide to explore this place.
Some of the attractions require hiking, some others are situated right by the roads. Climate and volcanic activity have shaped dramatic landscapes unlike anywhere else on Earth: craters, crater lakes, glaciers, glacier streams and rivers, waterfalls, canyons, vast black sand territories, mountains and magnificent geothermal locations.

Following the “F roads” deep into the Highlands of Iceland is a real adventure - due to the quickly changing weather, quite often, explorers have to make their way through strong winds, rain or fog.
Watch on Vimeo
Official Selections List
Best Original Score
Official Selections List
Best Cinematography
"THE HOUSE FROM THE PAST" by Marco Ottavio Graziano
"Best Cinematography"
GIULIO, 20 years old, decides to spend his first summer away from the cumbersome presence of his mother. He will do so in the old family home in the Cuneo countryside, inhabited until his untimely death by the eccentric AUNT CLARA.

No one had entered those evocative and historical walls since the death of the woman, an artist who had made unruliness her only rule of life. GIULIO reopened the house and with it the most secret and painful pages of his family.
"Frances" by Sharon Lewis
"Best Cinematography"
Frances, serves as a poignant exploration of the pervasive housing crisis that has gripped our society. Going beyond mere statistics, the film endeavors to shatter preconceived notions about homelessness and directs attention to the alarming reality that anyone, regardless of their background, can find themselves facing the harsh uncertainties of housing instability. At the heart of the narrative is Frances, a resilient and hardworking woman navigating the aftermath of a recent divorce. As if the emotional toll of separation weren't enough, her rental property becomes short-term holiday accommodation. Faced with the daunting task of finding a new home in a fiercely competitive market, Frances encounters insurmountable challenges due to her single income and her unwillingness to be separated from her beloved dog.
Official Website
"Don't forget to smile" by David Dulev
"Best Cinematography"
Teacher that's teaching kids to smile in a post a dystopic school.
"Crossing through the Highlands of Iceland" by Dan Razvan Coman
"Best Cinematography"
The so called “F Roads” go deep into the heart of Iceland crossing many glacier rivers, winding through vast black sand territories.

Only accessible during the Icelandic summer, the Higlands of Iceland, is an oasis of tranquility and inspiration; unique landscapes inspire those who decide to explore this place.
Some of the attractions require hiking, some others are situated right by the roads. Climate and volcanic activity have shaped dramatic landscapes unlike anywhere else on Earth: craters, crater lakes, glaciers, glacier streams and rivers, waterfalls, canyons, vast black sand territories, mountains and magnificent geothermal locations.

Following the “F roads” deep into the Highlands of Iceland is a real adventure - due to the quickly changing weather, quite often, explorers have to make their way through strong winds, rain or fog.
Watch on Vimeo
Official Selections List
Best Animation
"DYNAMICS" by Teo Baehler
"Best Animation"
DYNAMICS (Frozen Movements) is an experimental, dreamy and surreal stop-motion film, created using everyday materials. The film offers a visual reflection on transformations that emerge through the intuitive blending of dissimilar elements. The result is a non-narrative art film where fantasy, form and texture merge into a sensory experience.
This short animation invites viewers to surrender to a world where logic gives way to atmosphere and intuition. The hypnotic soundscape enhances the avant-garde character of the film and leaves plenty of room for personal interpretation.
Official Website
"RAY THE RUG" by Mohammad Ali Shakeri
"Best Animation"
Ray shares his tragic past: “I lost my mum when I was a wee cub. Well, I didn’t lose her. She was murdered… by a human.” His heartfelt plea, “A tiger can’t change its stripes. But you can,” transforms him from a symbol of loss into a powerful advocate for change. The film’s simple, innovative visuals and direct messaging cut through the noise, resonating with audiences, driving over a million views within first view weeks. This campaign showcases the power of creativity to inspire action and highlights urgent need to save one of the world’s most iconic species.
Official Instagram
"I Want Her For Myself" by Tim Ross
"Best Animation"
This Animated Action Comedy which takes place in the groovy era follows a sunshine rock band called Apology None that has always struggled to make a hit record. A promising demo gives them hope but is stolen by a rival record company. A raunchy band called The Hoglies takes their song toward the top of the record charts. Apology None, with the guidance of their genius keyboardist, attempts to reclaim their song using methods seen in espionage action films.
Official Website
Official Selections List
Best Original Screenplay
"A Truth" by Jaaered Brown
"Best Original Screenplay"
A 20th century aboriginal fisherman, gets away with his crimes, lives to be old and gray, with no hell to pay..
"CAN I CALL YOU ROSE?" by Tasha Sky
"Best Original Screenplay"
Buried beneath years of abuse and silence, a brilliant young Black woman rises like a rose from the concrete, reclaiming her voice, healing generational wounds, and turning pain into power.
Official Instagram
"Elysian Falls" by Ragan Mozee
"Best Original Screenplay"
In a strange mountain town that secretly serves as a gateway to the afterlife, two eccentric death agents keep rebellious souls in check—until an orphaned teen with a mysterious past arrives and threatens to unravel everything.
Official Website
"Buried in Light" by Lorraine Flett
"Best Original Screenplay"
Liv Fry Cordóba (20s) returns home with her gringo husband, Jonas Fry, to revive a historic cantina, only to find her former lover, Fern Castañeda, still running the bar and tied to the local cocaine trade. Their old flame reignites fast, and Jonas’s violent jealousy drives Liv into Fern’s arms. When Jonas vanishes, Liv assumes he’s on an alcoholic bender until she learns he’s dead and buried. No remorse. Just the harsh truth: she's on her own. But survival in San Miguel demands more. When Jonas’s estranged brother Clay Fry arrives, sniffing for answers, Liv must outwit a new threat, claim her second chance, and prove that in a town built on second lives, only the fierce endure.
"The Bulliiball Showdown - Rise to Glory" by Manuel Antonio Cantuj
"Best Original Screenplay"
Ten years after inventing Bulliiball—a brutal fusion of soccer and football—WIK, a former legend, sits behind bars for the tragic death of his wife, framed by a corrupt prison warden with deep ties to the sport’s elite. As the Bulliiball World Championship approaches, WIK’s daughter Grace uncovers a conspiracy linking the warden to Bali, the arrogant star player who replaced her father. Determined to clear WIK’s name and restore his legacy, Grace teams up with her father’s old teammates for a daring scheme involving blackmail, underground games, and breaking the system from within. As personal rivalries ignite and hidden traumas surface, this underdog team must come together, or risk losing more than just the championship—they could lose each other.
Official Website
"Parthenope's Island" by Sarah Pearce
"Best Original Screenplay"
In the 16th century, Timaios, a Greek explorer-cartographer, arrives with a crew on an unknown island. The clan is guided by Lucio, who, like several other members of the clan, has the power to manipulate fire. While visiting the island, Timaios meets a strange woman, Eione. Lucio announced to him the death of one of his clan's hunters. Timaios embarks on an investigation that leads him to an ancient temple on the ocean's edge. He discovers that Eione is the queen of the mermaids. They started to have feelings for each other. A new attack by the mermaid Thexiope ignites the flames. An open conflict between the men and the mermaids begins. With no conceivable victory over the fish-women, Lucio begins negotiations. Thexiope requires the life of the young Osman. With a heavy heart, Lucio gives in and sacrifices the young man to the mermaids.
Official Instagram
"Ding-dong!" by Pete Hewitt, Ally Hamilton
"Best Original Screenplay"
It's 1962. Five Avon ladies go head to head with the local sheriff as they cover up a brutal murder.
Official Selections List
Additional Categories
"CALIU: Nothing else, what else can I do?" by Milena Starkova
"Best Director Debut"
A journey into modern London's rock 'n' roll scene, featuring Laurie Wright and his band, exploring the genre's legacy, its cultural roots, and its fight for relevance in today's mainstream.
"Dizzy" by Zac La Roc
"Best Director Debut"
Dylan and Lizzy are best friends, growing up in a typical dystopian suburbia. Dylan has a plan to take her mom's boyfriend's car for the night. The two of them drop acid, steal the car, and the wild sequence of events that ensue over the next nine hours is one for the books. Dylan is all gas, no brakes. Lizzy is more in touch with the risk verses benefit equation. The unlikely duo are still inseparable, and their journey is as entertaining as it is dangerous. In the end, we are reminded that life's a trip, so enjoy the ride.
Official Instagram
"MONSTER" by Sophia Lassi
"Best Director Debut"
Francis is a troubled girl living her teenage years unhappily, especially after a fight with her best friend Vittoria, who turned all her schoolmates against her. Her only safe haven is bike rides and the piano, but these manage to give her only momentary relief from the pain. She feels like a mistake, and inadequate. Is she really the monster everyone believes her to be?
Official Instagram
"EVA" by Martin Genovski
"Best Experimental Film"
EVA tells the story of two parents expecting a child. A routine scan reveals a rare genetic condition: the baby’s brain will never develop, and after birth it will survive only for a few hours. Confronted with this devastating truth, the couple faces an impossible choice – to end the pregnancy, or to bring the child into the world so that its organs might save the lives of other newborns.
Official Website
"Peppermint Gum" by Paule Sydr
"Best Student Film"
After a traumatic car accident, Rose loses her memory. Confined in a room with two friends, she begins to sense that something is off. As small details stop adding up and trust starts to erode, Rose must decide whether to face the truth or continue living in a lie.
Official Website
"High Tension" by Claudio Rugiero
"Best Experimental Film"
Lines of light multiply and overlap, creating a visual vortex. A collage of photographs moves to the pounding rhythm of Joe Schievano’s music. Cars cross nighttime streets, while distorted lights convey the sensation of driving in a state of altered perception. High Tension is a journey through confusion and alienation.
"My mother" by Van Viet Tran
"Best Short Documentary"
A documentary portrays a 91-year-old mother and literary researcher in her twilight years, living in a cramped room with everyday worries and simple human desires. Through this, it depicts the maternal bond, the affection and care of the child for their aging mother, and the fragile, precarious existence of people at the age when they are like "a lamp before the wind."

The idiom "ngọn đèn trước gió" literally translates to "a lamp before the wind" and figuratively describes a life that is fragile, precarious, and could be extinguished at any moment, often referring to the very old or those who are terminally ill.
"Following in the footsteps of my ancestors An Ute Köhler Documentary" by Ute Koehler & Katherin Wermke
"Best Feature Documentary", "Best Director Debut"
The documentary shows how her ancestors lived as farmers in German colonies, for example in Hohenbach and Reichsheim in the Vistula triangle in Galicia and later near the city of Lutsk in Volhynia in the 19th and early 20th centuries, until they were forced to flee again during World War I. Ludwig Zimmermann's family was deported to the Russian interior in 1915 and returned to Germany in 1918. The film combines personal investigation with historical analysis and culminates in Ute Köhler's decision to process this family history into a novel, a literary tribute to her courageous ancestors.
Official Website
"Summer Triangle" by Takeru Nakazawa
"Best AI Film"
Summer Triangle is a groundbreaking 65-minute feature film created entirely with AI-generated visuals. Set in a quiet rural village, the story follows three boys during one unforgettable summer as they set out on a quest to find a UFO they believe crashed in the nearby mountains.
Official Website
"Water Memories - Myths & Harp" by Francesco Majo & Nataly Cadavid
"Best Experimental Film"
Water Memories – The Memories of Water is a captivating journey through ancient myths, legends, and stunning landscapes of Emilia-Romagna, where Fabio Bortesi shares timeless stories about water’s significance, accompanied by the enchanting sounds of Celtic harpist Agatha Bocedi. Set against three evocative locations—the Olmo Park in Guastalla, the Trebbia Valley, and the Parcellara lava stone—this poetic visual and musical experience celebrates water’s symbolic power, its role as a source of renewal, and its deep connection to mystery and spirituality. An immersive tribute that invites viewers to rediscover the element that has shaped us and continues to influence our existence.
Official Website
"into CONSCIOUSNESS" by Francesco Majo & Nataly Cadavid
"Best Feature Documentary"
Into CONSCIOUSNESS is a documentary film that proposes an intimate and collective investigation into the meaning of consciousness. Through the voices of 12 protagonists - therapists, philosophers, artists, scientists, educators and spiritual researchers - the film composes a mosaic of reflections, experiences and insights that challenge our ordinary understanding of self, time and reality.
The story unfolds through themes ranging from the memory of ancient grains to the constitutional identity of Italy, from Bert Hellinger's family constellations to the Mayan synchronarium, passing through contemporary archetypes such as Morpheus and Neo. Each encounter takes place in an intimate and authentic way, without forcing, creating a space in which the word becomes resonance.
Official Website
"Shade of You" by T E O N I
"Best Original Soundtrack"
“Shade of You” is a cinematic composition that speaks in silence. It evokes the emotional depth of loss, reflection, and longing — the kind that lingers between moments. Designed for film scenes that require a quiet emotional pull.
Watch on YouTube
"Youth's Album" by Jia Yule
"Best Student Film"
Spotlight on the Affiliated High School Choir of Macau, this film captures the interwoven tales of middle and high school students finding their youth through song. It documents sweat-drenched rehearsals, the thrill of the stage, and the laughter and tears shared among friends, tracing a journey of musical dreams. Behind the lens are their fellow students — earnest teenage filmmakers preserving their peers' pursuit of harmony in innocent years, singing the purest resonance of growth. A youthful melody by teens, for teens.
"The Legend of William Boucher" by Kedra l Curry
"Best Short Documentary"
The legend of William Boucher is a tale of vengeance.. He returns to New Orleans to find out that his beloved twin sister, Whisper, has been killed. Seeking vengeance, he embarks on a killing spree and, through a curse, is compelled to return to Earth to get his revenge.
Official Instagram
"The Black Hole" by Ivana Pistorozzi
"Best Music Video"
Holeboy is consumed by anxiety, so he eats up everything he can get his hands on, causing a lot of grief to his family and fascination for the doctors who try to treat him.

Holeboy’s body is now constantly changing, reflecting his unsustainable feeling of inadequacy. He is unable to understand that every hole can also be a door, and what you let in can brutally change and devour you.
"12-24 West, CA 12345" by Robert Schmidt
"Best Experimental Film"
A 16mm film consisting of five chapters of various happenings throughout an apartment complex, shot in hour increments of the days.
"Pictures of You" by Troy Randall-Kilpatrick
"Best Music Video"
Music video for singer/songwriter, Troy Randall-Kilpatrick's latest release.
"ZENE MOG ZIVOTA" by Tihana Jana Vukic
"Best Short Documentary"
Zene Mog Zivota is a 20-minute black and white short documentary (4:3 format) that explores a Croatian family’s migration journey. Through a heartfelt roundtable conversation between a mother, daughter, and aunt, the film explores their transition from rural life in Croatia to a city, then ultimately to Switzerland pointing out the challenges of cultural displacement. Interwoven with scenes of daily life, it examines themes of identity, exclusion, and resilience leaving us with the question of whether the journey was worth the sacrifice.
"DYNAMICS" by Teo Baehler
"Best Experimental Film"
DYNAMICS (Frozen Movements) is an experimental, dreamy and surreal stop-motion film, created using everyday materials. The film offers a visual reflection on transformations that emerge through the intuitive blending of dissimilar elements. The result is a non-narrative art film where fantasy, form and texture merge into a sensory experience.
This short animation invites viewers to surrender to a world where logic gives way to atmosphere and intuition. The hypnotic soundscape enhances the avant-garde character of the film and leaves plenty of room for personal interpretation.
Official Website
"Paloma Negra: The Queen of Amphetamines" by Jesús Pamplona, Javier Muriel
"Best Feature Documentary"
Gradually we will learn about a criminal past that begins withdrug dealing in Colombia and continues with the birth of “LaNegra” in Amsterdam: a top-level drug trafficker who made it to the list of the five most wanted women by Interpol. To hide herself and avoid capture, she looked for the place of anunwary guy. She found Jesús Pamplona.

After almost ten years without any contact, Jesús Pamplona decides to reconstruct the image of her former roommate and friend, Paloma. It is a difficult task, since their friendship is full of silences, lies, and absences.
Official Website
"A Moment in Time" by Gemma-Louise Sharman
"Best Original Soundtrack", "Best Director Debut"
Time is valuable, we're only here for a moment. So, let's make the most of our time whilst we're here.
Official Instagram
"MONSTER" by Sophia Lassi
"Best Student Film"
Francis is a troubled girl living her teenage years unhappily, especially after a fight with her best friend Vittoria, who turned all her schoolmates against her. Her only safe haven is bike rides and the piano, but these manage to give her only momentary relief from the pain. She feels like a mistake, and inadequate. Is she really the monster everyone believes her to be?
Official Instagram
"CALIU: Nothing else, what else can I do?" by Milena Starkova
"Best Short Documentary"
A journey into modern London's rock 'n' roll scene, featuring Laurie Wright and his band, exploring the genre's legacy, its cultural roots, and its fight for relevance in today's mainstream.
"CALIU: Nothing else, what else can I do?" by Simona Constantin
"Best Feature Documentary"
Feeling trapped in the Roma village where he was born, Caliu refuses to accept that his glorious days as the “King of the Violin” are behind him. As he grapples with the challenges of the present and memories of his golden past, he sets out on a journey to reinvent himself. Through it all, music remains the one constant that carries him forward.
"SINNER MAN" by Holly Rock
"Best Director Debut"
After killing his brother in an alcohol induced rage, Tony, a reluctant priest, must now reap the consequences of his actions, facing his demons from the past, and the present.
Official Instagram
"RAY THE RUG" by Mohammad Ali Shakeri
"Best Director Debut"
Ray shares his tragic past: “I lost my mum when I was a wee cub. Well, I didn’t lose her. She was murdered… by a human.” His heartfelt plea, “A tiger can’t change its stripes. But you can,” transforms him from a symbol of loss into a powerful advocate for change. The film’s simple, innovative visuals and direct messaging cut through the noise, resonating with audiences, driving over a million views within first view weeks. This campaign showcases the power of creativity to inspire action and highlights urgent need to save one of the world’s most iconic species.
Official Instagram
"TOKYO STRANGE TALE" by Koichi Ueno
"Best Producer" — Fumitaka Otoguro
Neuroscientist Senichi Itabashi decides to test the concept of superhuman ideologies on his own brain, using research materials left by his grandfather from the wartime era. This experiment leads him to see and hear ghosts, yet he struggles to discern whether these visions and voices are genuine or merely figments of his imagination.

Admit this confusion, Ren, a female staff member from his favorite bar, appears before him, though something about her seems off. Upon visiting the bar, he discovers that police have begun investigating her disappearance.

Is Ren truly dead? And if so, who killed her? To verify the outcomes of his experiment and his own senses, Senichi seeks the cooperation of the deceased that appear around him and a medium, delving into the truth behind her death and the identity of the perpetrator.
Official Instagram
"Don't forget to smile" by David Dulev
"Best Director Debut"
Teacher that's teaching kids to smile in a post a dystopic school.
"The JUSTICES" by Yahn Kawamoto
"Best Closing Credits"
A man and a woman meet by chance at a cafe. They are strangers to each other, but they start boasting
about their achievements during a casual conversation. It turns into a competition of misfortunes. As the
conversation progresses, an unexpected crime from 20 years ago is revealed.
Official Website
"SINNER MAN" by Holly Rock
"Best Student Film"
After killing his brother in an alcohol induced rage, Tony, a reluctant priest, must now reap the consequences of his actions, facing his demons from the past, and the present.
Official Instagram
"Icarus" by Gökşin Doğa Egesoy
"Best Director Debut"
A group of seven friends in their mid-20s, frustrated by their inability to secure spots for their short films at festivals, decide to host a house party to watch their films together. What starts as a joyful night soon takes an unexpected turn, igniting the secrets they have been hiding from one another. The only witness to the night's events is the director's recording digital camera. The entire film will consist of seven different recordings captured by this camera.
Official Instagram
"BRITALIANS" by Mirko Ricci
"Best Feature Documentary"
BRITALIANS explores the journey of Italians in the UK, from early immigrants in Manchester’s Ancoats district to today’s professionals in key institutions. Using archival footage, personal testimonies, and expert insights, the documentary highlights their struggles, achievements, and cultural influence, in the UK.
"Crossing through the Highlands of Iceland" by Dan Razvan Coman
"Best Director Debut", "Best Short Documentary"
The so called “F Roads” go deep into the heart of Iceland crossing many glacier rivers, winding through vast black sand territories.

Only accessible during the Icelandic summer, the Higlands of Iceland, is an oasis of tranquility and inspiration; unique landscapes inspire those who decide to explore this place.
Some of the attractions require hiking, some others are situated right by the roads. Climate and volcanic activity have shaped dramatic landscapes unlike anywhere else on Earth: craters, crater lakes, glaciers, glacier streams and rivers, waterfalls, canyons, vast black sand territories, mountains and magnificent geothermal locations.

Following the “F roads” deep into the Highlands of Iceland is a real adventure - due to the quickly changing weather, quite often, explorers have to make their way through strong winds, rain or fog.
Watch on Vimeo
"SILK" by Sylvie Kay Staf
"Best Music Video", "Best Dance Video"
Created by Sylvie Kay.Standing by herself in a large and white rehearsal studio, similar to a blank page, she creates this intimate story. This particular atmosphere drives her to play with imagination, fantasy, supported and captivated by Igor Dvorkin musical compositions.  Both in front and behind the camera, she becomes «Woman Conductor» using all the simplest tools at her disposal. Between modernity and reminiscence, she tells us a very personal story both offbeat, unusual and poetic.
Official Website
"Mysterious Moments with Millie Mallory" by Mysti Smith
"Best Trailer"
Millie is learning how to solve mysteries on her vlogging channel in the town of Willow’s Run. With an uncle who is the Detective of The Colby County Police Station, she entrusts and unwittingly enlists him to help her put a face to the fingerprints in her mystery of murder escapades. Mysterious Moments with Millie ‘Mills’ Mallory – is a heartfelt, suspenseful and engaging Mystery Drama, created with the same beloved overtones as Murder She Wrote and a keen sense of suspicious clue solving as seen in the Murder She Baked Mysteries series. Hang on to your trench coat and hat-it's gonna be an interesting ride!
Official Website
"The JUSTICES" by Yahn Kawamoto
"Best Director Debut", "Best Closing Credits"
A man and a woman meet by chance at a cafe. They are strangers to each other, but they start boasting
about their achievements during a casual conversation. It turns into a competition of misfortunes. As the
conversation progresses, an unexpected crime from 20 years ago is revealed.
Official Website
Dreamweavers - Gidja Walker OAM
"Best Short Documentary", "Best Producer"
Gidja Walker is a Mornington Peninsula based ecologist and ethnobotanist who has worked for years protecting its Earthscapes. Gidja overcame discrimination in a male dominated profession.
She is a mentor to young women entering the world of nature-based learning and an advocate for traditional owner custodianship. Over many decades, Gidja has contributed professionally and informally as a consultant and advisor to many government bodies and community-based organisations.
In 2006 she was a recipient of the prestigious Prime Minister’s Banksia award for the "Back from the Brink" endangered orchid species recovery project.
Official Instagram
"Roots of The End" by Guigo Gerber
"Best AI Film"
The short film, produced entirely in AI, tells the story of a chief in the Amazon, through the eyes of a chief, about the effects of the devastation of the forest, fauna and indigenous peoples.
A necessary call to action for a problem that will affect not only Brazil, but planet Earth.
Official Website
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