Planet Israel: A Cautionary Tale – Gillian Mosely
Gillian Mosely (United Kingdom), Planet Israel: A Cautionary Tale, Documentary Feature – BAFTA-Winner Mosely – exceptional investigative reporting seeking not to judge but to understand. Mosely investigates the of Jewish Israelis support of how the war is being fought in Gaza, peeling back layers of collective memory, inherited trauma and meticulously constructed narratives to reveal a reality that is as psychologically complex as it is deeply unsettling. What begins as an inquiry into public opinion becomes an unflinching excavation of identity – how fear is internalized, how history is curated, the role of media and how parallel realities are not only sustained, but reinforced.
Impeccable research is fused with potent interviews, old-school animation and archival footage. Central to this is the role of internal media – an echo chamber that shapes, filters, and fortifies perception. At its core, it is a revealing psychological study of how overwhelming consensus can coexist with global outrage, examining how media, national mythology and generational trauma converge to construct belief systems resistant to contradiction. Positioned as both an “on-screen archaeology” and a cautionary tale, the film strips away layers of bias and disinformation – challenging audiences not just to understand how we got here, but how any society might. Sober and thought provoking it is a powerful cautionary tale for our current turbulent times.
Lost with You – Mike Southerly
Mike Southerly (USA), Lost with You, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, Film Feature – Set entirely along the hiking trails above Los Angeles, two strangers from opposite worlds meet by chance and fall into step – first in conversation and then into something far more unexpected. A brilliant script, precise and intentional, unfolds through dialogue that is poignant and quietly ironic where humor and tension coexist in the same breath. As they walk, their exchange becomes a collision of philosophy, family and faith – two belief systems exposing their differences while revealing an underlying human thread that refuses to disappear. What begins as chance interaction expands into a reflection of a wider cultural divide and the fragile possibility of understanding within it.
Along the way they encounter unexpected characters who act as mirrors and catalysts, offering resonant life lessons that subtly shift their perspectives. Woven through are wry tongue-in-cheek moments that bring levity without breaking emotional truth. With authentic performances and raw independent filmmaking – a deeply human story of listening without agreement and laughing without certainty and still choosing presence with another person. A rare character-driven work. Madison Shamoun (Black-ish, The Lake, All American) and Jake Short (A.N.T. Farm, Dexter, The First Team) with a charming appearance by Emmy-nominee Susan Ruttan (LA Law), and Jim Cody Williams (Breaking Bad), Stephanie Drake (Mad Men), Ben Onyx Dowdy (Abbott Elementary). Fishbowl LLC.
Reflection – Daniel Robichaud
Daniel Robichaud (USA), Reflection, Animation – Renown digital artist Robichaud (Fifth Element, Titanic) delivers a memorable and creative animation about Faceless Greg. One day he discovers in his mirror reflection a vibrant world containing everything missing from his life: color that sings, wonder that breathes, and adventure that calls his name. Drawn across its threshold, he wanders a living dream where beauty blooms and danger takes shape, then flees it by the narrowest margin. Yet something follows him back: a dragonfly’s quiet grace, a sudden burst of sunlight, a dying flower remembering how to live. In that fragile miracle, Greg’s own face blooms into form.
With lush and potent visuals it ultimately explores how perceived emptiness can become a passage into transformation rather than a lack to be escaped – suggesting that what feels missing is often a reflection of untapped inner life and that even brief encounters with wonder can leave lasting traces that reshape identity from within.
A New Day – Dariush Rezaei
Dariush Rezaei (Iran), A New Day, AI Film – A fifteen-year-old boy starts his morning with a notification about a new AI update — a seemingly revolutionary feature that can turn text into reality. Alone in his bedroom, he begins to bring his dreams to life and his small world slowly starts to change… but just before those dreams can fully take shape, suddenly…
The film is a lens into something far larger: a meditation on agency and consequence – how quickly creation outpaces understanding and how thin the line becomes between imagination and impact in a world where technology moves faster than comprehension. It leaves the viewer with a single question about what it means to create in a world that responds instantly – and irrevocably. A brilliantly crafted AI film.
Mike Hill (Australia), Conquering Skin Cancer, Doc Feature. Oscar-nominee Hugh Jackman delivers an emotionally compelling interview with Emmy-winning Hill in this impactful doc exposing skin cancer in the USA as a widespread yet preventable disease. It weaves science and survivor testimony with insights from experts to examine UV exposure risk and the urgent need for prevention, detection and improved access to treatment.
Bill L Wisneski (USA), My Wild Life: Photographer Suzi Eszterhas, Doc Feature – Emmy-winner Wisneski’s potent direction reveals a vivid portrait of a wildlife photographer who risks life-threatening conditions to capture intimate images of newborn wild animals. Fostering trust with her subjects and her mentorship of young women – her work is a bridge cultivating empathy and devotion to protecting wildlife and ecosystems.
The Film Collective at Utah State Correctional Facility (USA), BREAKING CHAINS – In Our Own Voice, Doc Feature. A collective of incarcerated filmmakers is given freedom to document prison life – turning cameras toward their own stories then outward to the system itself. What emerges is a deeply human reckoning with whether prison changes people and whether they are defined by their past or who they may become.
Richard Murray (Canada), Soar, AI Film. A tender and technically striking story of two childhood worlds – an innocent “would be” paper airplane pilot and a drone flying bully who discover that connection may matter more than conflict. Created through a hybrid process of generative AI imagery and human shaped direction, shot and sound design it carries emotional clarity and charm and an important reflection on unity in turbulent times.
George Vatistas and David M. Night Maire (USA), The Hobbyist, Film Short. A neo-noir thriller centered on a mysterious druggist and a man seeking an untraceable poison. What unfolds is a tense, life-threatening exchange where a simple request becomes a controlled test of intent, consequence and unexpected outcome. Cinematic filming, lighting. Robert W. Smith (Rehab Cabin) Daniel Mitura (Launch at Paradise).
Zainab Malik and Mina Isabella JafriMalik (USA / Pakistan), JAMEELA, Film Feature. A transgender woman in Karachi navigating love, loss and survival in a society that refuses to accept her and the struggles and resilience of that community. A cinematic portrait of identity, dignity and hope through experience and vibrant storytelling. Alina Khan (Joyland), Zara Usman (The Java Plum Tree), Tehzeeb Sohaib, Falak Shahzad Khan.
Hamidreza Gholamshahi (Iran / Canada), The Lady, Film Short – A girl caught between strict family expectations, harsh culture and personal ambition makes an impossible choice. As pressure builds, a hidden identity takes shape, offering freedom while risking everything she stands to lose. A powerful social drama exploring youth, resistance and the courage to defy limitation. Mahshid Delavari, Marjan Ghamari, Hamidreza Abbasi.
Nicolas Cossou (France), Je Voulais te Voir, Film Short. A touching story about a person navigating the world without sight experiencing life through sound touch and presence. An unexpected encounter leads to a fragile connection where two people begin to understand each other beyond appearance and ordinary moments shift into shared experience and quiet emotional recognition. Stars Marianne Pirez Lesponne and Marie Justin.
Yichen Xu (USA), Under the Sun, LGBTQ+, Film Short (Student) – Forced off hormone therapy and isolated by a struggling single mother, sick 18-year-old trans Yao is in despair, ultimately committing a desperate, life-threatening act of self-castration. A poignant, heart-breaking story exposing the hardships, health consequences and lack of support trans people face. Stars Haiyang Zhang and Chun Li. NYU Tisch
Aaron Leong (USA), REST, Asian Filmmaker, Direction, Film Short
Ali Sabokbar and Erfan Hosseini (Iran), Gladiator Baby, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest, Editing (Mahmoud Najafi), Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Cate O’Brien and Marius van Graan (USA), The Beauty of Your Earth, Cinematography, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, Editing, Nature / Environment / Wildlife
Daniel Robichaud (USA), Reflection, Special Effects: Animation
Doug Clyde (USA), Annabel Lee, Original Score (Kelly Joe Richardson)
Emanuel Loarca (USA), Hortencia & Clemente, Actor: Leading (Student) (Bernardo Verdugo as Clemente), Actress: Leading (Student) (Adriana Fonseca as Hortencia), Latin / Hispanic Theme (Student)
Eric Lotter (USA), Age of Aquarius, Script / Writer
Jigme TG and Jigme Wangchuk (Bhutan), Tshangyang A Love Beyond Dharma, Asian Filmmaker
Kenneth Wilcox (USA), Retirement Everest, Documentary Feature
Lynn Elliott (USA), And We Were Left Darkling, Script / Writer
Marc Ellison (Canada), Why We Dance, Documentary Short
Mike Hill (Australia), Conquering Skin Cancer, Health / Medicine / Science, Use of Film / Video for Social Change
Mike Southerly, Fishbowl LLC (USA), Lost With You, Actress: Leading (Madison Shamoun as Naomi), Film Feature
Rodney Roldan (USA), Elevating the Culinary Arts, Art Direction
Rodney Roldan (USA), Giving Back to Broome County, Public Service Programming / PSA
Steffany Lohn Sommers (USA), The Last Place, Script / Writer
Thorsten Schade (Germany), When JIM Met TIM, Script / Writer
Valerio Zanoli (USA), HOMELESS, Documentary Feature
Velton Lishke (United Kingdom), Behind The Reflection, Actress: Leading (Rozelle Gemma as Shae)
Yichen Xu (USA), Under the Sun, Asian Theme (Student), Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising (Student)
Yuriy Ermyakov (Russia), The Last Signal, AI Film, Editing
Zainab Malik and Mina Isabella JafriMalik (USA), JAMEELA, Direction, LGBTQ+ Theme, Women Filmmakers
