The judges wish to recognize the Award of Merit winners for notable
artistic or technical aspects of their project in the categories entered.

Afshin Sadeghi (Iran), Worker Bee, Film Feature
Ann-Marie Barker Schwartz (USA), The Hollow, Cinematography
Chris Charles Farina (USA), A Bridge to Life, Documentary Feature
Chuming Xiang (China), Between the Lines 导演楚茗, LGBTQ+ (Student), Women Filmmakers (Student)
Farzaneh Fathi  (Sweden), It’s Still Autumn, Women Filmmakers
Fella Cederbaum (USA), Bambolina and the Doodles, Film Short
Josef Steiff (USA), Emerald City, LGBTQ+, Script / Writer (David Bobrow)
Kimia Khalaj and Saeed Heshmati (Iran), Entracte, Film Short
Lesley Coleman (Australia), Home Truths, Editing (Rod Winning), Ensemble Cast, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest, Women Filmmakers
Lucy McNulty and Emma Pollard (Canada), CHICKEN, Disability Issues
Mosayeb Hanaei (Iran), Before Darkness, Film Short, Asian
Mostafa Nohekhan (Iran), The Gift, Actress: Leading (Raha Moghadam as Moghadam)
Nick DeSimone (USA), FULL THROTTLE PARADISE, Ensemble Cast
Rebecca Hardy (United Kingdom), After the Evidence – The Short Film, Film Short
Robert J. Permenter (USA), Grief, Cinematography
Salvatore Riggio (USA), Ban the Bullet, Script / Writer
Timothy Kiley (USA), Lens Flares: Trauma in Journalism, Documentary Feature, Original Score, Editing
Wang Wang (China), Never, Direction (Wang Wang)
Yogi Chavada (USA), The self and its Journey, Documentary Short

Abhishek Basu (India), RAJANIGANDHA (THE PUTRID SMELL OF LIFE), Film Short, Actress: Leading (Kamalika Banerjee as Rajani), Asian Filmmaker
Adrienne Gabrielle Pitts and Marquis J Dawsey (USA), The Gift, Actor: Leading (Raleigh Mosely as James Johnson), Actress: Supporting (Amber Myers as Jazzmin Johnson), African American, Editing, Film Short
Aleksandr Tretiakevich (Russia), The Tableherder, Script / Writer (Aleksandr Tretiakevich)
Alexandros Kelepeshis (Cyprus), Black Veil, Actor: Leading (Student) (Yiannis Kokkinos as Nicholas), Film Short (Student)
Ali Jalali (Iran), Guise, Film Short
Alireza Rajabzadeh (Iran), Metronome, Film Short
Amirhossein Hatami (Iran), Somewhere to Stay, Film Short
Andrew Jowett and Brett Langolf, contentEXP Group (USA), Win(d) Over Cancer, Documentary Short
Andrew Koltuniuk (USA), Neuro-Intimate, Actress: Leading (Meghen Antonia as Audrey)
Andrew Koltuniuk (USA), Zion’s Ransom, Direction, Film Short, Cinematography
Ann-Marie Barker Schwartz (USA), The Hollow, Film Short, Actress: Leading (Gabriella Pizzolo as Katrina)
Carlos Puig Mundó (Spain), One More Day, Disability Issues, Direction

Chris Mugford (United Kingdom), Queenswood Sixth form, Commercial / Infomercial, College / University / Government, Viewer Impact: Content / Message Delivery
Damian Overton (Australia), ARLO AND THE SEA, Film Short (Damian Overton and Ruben Russo)
Daniel Ramos (USA), YESTERDAY’S LOVE, Music Video
Deborah Pittman, Susan Lamb Cook and Christopher Cook (USA), The Extraordinary Life of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier De Saint-Georgess, Documentary Short
Diego Alberto Dávila and Francisco Morales (Ecuador), Andean Eagle, Nature / Environment / Wildlife
Dylan Case (USA), Insider, Film Short, Original Song (Barking Up the Wrong Tree composed by Dylan Case)
Edwin E. Brochin (USA), Blood of the Ancient Vine, Direction, Documentary Feature, Editing (Jordan Marking), Original Score (Roberto Montoya), Script / Writer (Julie D Brochin)
Elizabeth Usher (Australia), Double Decade Vegan, Music Video
Ermia Rabbani (Iran), Orange, Disability Issues
Ershad Rahbar Sobhkhiz (Iran), Nested, Film Short
F-M Cossey, Renée Jonas and Elizabeth Usher (New Zealand/Australia), I’ll Be Your Soft Place to Fall, Original Song

Geoff Levin and Lily Richards (USA), Brothers Broken, Documentary Feature
Hamid Reza Mahmoudi Mehrizi (Iran), Lonely Season, Asian
Honna Zhou (New Zealand), SUNSET, Film Short (Student)
Hooshmand Varaei (USA), Knife, Chocolate, Experimental
Jen Gilomen (USA), Born for This, Documentary Feature, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest, Women Filmmakers
Joseph Goncalves (USA), Love Undone – Season 2, Webisode
Jyoti Madnani Singh (India), I Am Not Down, Women Filmmakers
Kenneth Wilcox, Brett and Ethan Companies (USA), The Retirement Deception, Documentary Feature
Lindsey Haun and Nick Roth (USA), Hanky Panky, Film Feature, Ensemble Cast
Lizzie A Finn and John Leary (USA), 100 Proof Warlock, Women Filmmakers
Melina Samizadeh (Iran), The Bat, Asian, Film Short, Women Filmmakers
Metîn EWR (Turkey), The Wheel, Asian, Film Short
Michael Everett (USA), The Katinas – Love God / Love People, Christian, Documentary Feature

Mohammad Ahsan (Pakistan), Pehchaan (Identity), Film Short (Student), Asian (Student)
Mohsen Khodabandeh (Iran), Wheel Rim, Children / Family Programming, Ensemble Cast
Natalie Rodriguez, Extraordinary Pictures and Peter M. Olsen (USA), Matty Cat, Animation, Children / Family Programming, Narration / Voiceover Talent (Alexandra Almendarez), Women Filmmakers (Natalie Rodriguez, Extraordinary Pictures), Latin / Hispanic Filmmaker (Natalie Rodriguez, Extraordinary Pictures)
Nick DeSimone (USA), FULL THROTTLE PARADISE, Original Score
Omid Yousefi (Iran), Evacuee, Film Short
Özgür Yaşaroğlu (Turkey), A Thousand Years Yet All a Night, Experimental
Pamela Tomlinson (Canada), By Hook or By Cook (III), On-Camera Talent (non-acting) (Bruce Cook)
Peter Shatalow (Canada), Bill Lishman – The Man Who Flew With The Birds, Direction, Documentary Feature
Robert J. Permenter (USA), Grief, Film Short
Roham Rasouli (Iran), The Ring, Film Short
Ryan Jay Luskin (USA), The Sailing Movie, Documentary Feature, Tourism / Travel
Sadie Duarte (Spain), Sheltered from Time, Sound: Overall Impact (Álvaro Pérez Peirote)
Salaheddin Noori (Iran), My Partner Giraffe, Direction, Film Short
Salaheddin Noori (Iran), YOU THINK ALTHOUGH YOU ARE NOT, Film Short, Actress: Leading (Pegah Saeedi as Forough), Asian
Seyed Mahdi Mousavi Barzoki (Iran), Out In The Dark, Documentary Short
Spyros Vrettos, Bell Tower Cine Productions (Greece), Whiter than Snow, Script / Writer (Spyros Vrettos in collaboration with Marie Rowe and Yury Olshansky)
Wafa Kanan (USA), Awakenings, Narration / Voiceover Talent
Walker Davis Moore (USA), On My Mind, Film Short (Student)
Yaser Talebi (Iran), Empty Nest, Women Filmmakers
Yogi Chavada (USA), The Self and its Journey, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Yossi Waxman (Israel), The Plate, Jewish
Zian Chavez (USA), We are the Most Beautiful People | Adults with Disabilities

Award of Recognition winners click below:

Award of Excellence and Best of Show winners click below: