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

AMARU (Netherlands), AMARU – The Crime Of Silence (A Musical Narrative), Documentary Short
Bear Kosik and Erika Lupo (USA), Hiding Bodies, Actress: Leading (Juliet Wolfe as Woman)
Nathaniel Brown (USA), Remember Me: Dementia in the African American Community, African American Theme, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, Health / Medicine / Science
Diana Dai (Canada), Morning Crossroads, Film Short, Script / Writer (Diana Dai), Direction (Diana Dai)
Ettore Zito (Italy), SOULS IN THE MUD, Documentary Feature, Use of Film / Video for Social Change, Viewer Impact: Content / Message Delivery
Gustavo Bolívar (USA), The Lost War, Documentary Feature, Latin / Hispanic Theme, Editing
Indu Pandey (Australia), To All The Fathers…!!, Documentary Short (Student)
Jan Buttram (USA), Killers, Script / Writer
Judson Vaughan (Spain), We Will Find YOU, Actor: Leading (Kevin Stewart as Gerry), Actor: Supporting (Emilio Salgado as Francisco)

Mokhless Al-Hariri (USA), Chanting of the Dunes, Narration / Voiceover Talent
Nimisha Sanjeevani-Chandrashekhar Mahatme (USA), Dancing Dhamaal!, Animation (Student)
Prashant Naik (India), MAHALAKSHMI PATH – THE EVOLUTION, Special Purpose Productions
Robert Goc (USA), Spoiler Alert, Music Video
Robert Sullivan (USA), Pearl, Music Video, Original Score
Sofia Morris (USA), Crazy for You, Television – Pilot Program (Student)
Vasile Rogojan (USA), Memory, Film Short (Student), Direction (Student), Cinematography (Student), Editing (Student)
Veronica Mitsuk (USA), When It Hits, Film Short, Actress: Leading (Veronica Mitsuk as Jess), Women Filmmaker
Virginia Romero (Spain), The Interrogation, Film Short
Xaque Gruber (USA), SALLYWOOD, Film Feature (Xaque Gruber, SNEAK PREVIEW ENTERTAINMENT)
Zhenxi Feng and Junting Hua, Leyu Jiang (China), A Life and Alive, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger

Anand Ramesh Deodeshmukh (India), PRARABDHA, Film Feature, Direction, Actor: Leading (Anand Chauhan as Bhima)
Anurag Srijit and Arman Shaikh (India), Chhava, Documentary Short (Student), Asian Filmmaker (Student)
Beth Cohen (USA), Girl with Dandelions, Web Series
Birgitta Liljedahl (Sweden), Potato, Film Short
Bret McKee (USA), Cecilia’s Ship, Film Short, Women Filmmaker, Women Theme, Direction, Script / Writer (Jackie Letkowski)
Christopher Sheffield (USA), Parallel Partners, Film Short, Actress: Leading (Meredith Vivian as Anya), Cinematography (Bryan Ricke)
Connor Qinmengtai Gong, Yijia Ma and Yifei Zhang (China), Sunk Town 2024, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Daniel R. Stevens (USA), Creation Club, Script / Writer
Debbie Sutcliffe (USA), Run Away Bride, Original Score (Garrett Gunter)

Elionor Buholzer (Switzerland), Aleksandre- A Thievish Life, Documentary Feature, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, History / Biographical
Estelle Kohen and James Carman (USA), Set Me Free, Jewish Theme
Fabian Van Dongen (Netherlands), The Truth, Film Short
HariKumaran (India), Kinaru – The WELL, Cinematography, Direction, Film Feature
Harrison Shook (USA), Together We Are One, You and I, Music Video
Holger Klussmann (Germany), The Joy of Jesus, Christian Theme, Religion / Ethics, Documentary Short
Indy Singh and Conor Norrington (United Kingdom), Wade vs Reality, Actor: Leading (Student) (Indy Singh as Wade), Film Short (Student), Script / Writer (Student) (Indy Singh), Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising (Student)
Jeremy Shinder (USA), Theo’s Tears, Actress: Supporting (Student) (Colby Kipnes as Tess)
Jingjing Wu (USA), Jiangxue, Animation (Student)

Jonathan Sawyer (USA), I Am This Dark World’s Light, Documentary Short, Christian Theme, Editing
Jorge Yanes (USA), Suit Casing, Actor: Leading (Ciro Dapagio as Capo)
Leonard Eckhaus (USA), The Leprechaun and the Rainbow, Children / Family Programming, Animation, Music Video
Mandeep Sehrawat (India), Shoulder Of Men, Film Short
Maxime Bultot (Belgium), Bahamas, Film Short
Mayedurimi Andrea Larotonda (USA), Chosen, Film Short, Women Filmmaker
Michael McBride (USA), Mike Is, Web Series
Michael Panico and Matt Hobart Miller (USA), ROOM SIX, Cinematography, Film Feature, Original Score
Mike Burdick (USA), Chew, Film Short

Mila Perkins (USA), The Rising, Direction, Women Filmmakers
Mohammad Abedi (Iran), All The Eyes, Documentary Feature
Neshell Noelle (USA), Freak Like Me, Actress: Leading (Olivia Dantzler as Ramielle)
Peter M. Olsen and Natalie Christine Rodriguez/Extraordinary Pictures LLC (USA), Merry Christmas, Matty Cat, Animation, Children / Family Programming, Narration / Voice-Over Talent (acting) (Alexandra Almendarez), Women Filmmakers (Natalie Rodriguez/Extraordinary Pictures LLC)
Peter Strupp (USA), Better from Within, Women Theme
Pierre Mathiote (France), THE RIVER’S SONG, Experimental
Prashant Naik (India), MAHALAKSHMI PATH – THE EVOLUTION, Women Theme, Experimental
Richard Culver (USA), The Unfinished Work of Heroes, Film Feature

Rob Mor (USA), Echoes of Loss: Eight Days in Israel, Jewish Filmmaker
Robert Hicks (USA), There Is A Moose, Children / Family Programming
Saman Abaee (Iran), SOIL, Nature / Environment / Wildlife
Shyla Nibbe (USA), Truth Saves the World, Actor: Leading (Faith Nibbe as Truth Monroe)
Takashi Miwa (Japan), A  LITTLE  PRAYER, Animation
Taysha McFarland (Australia), Hear Me, Film Short, Television – Pilot Program
Uriah Herr (USA), Party Panda – The Birth of a Serial Killer, Film Short, Actor: Leading (Danny McDermott as Miron), Direction
Vayav Sharma Gidwaney (USA), A Search for Light, Young Filmmaker – 17 and younger
Xaque Gruber (USA), SALLYWOOD, Direction (Xaque Gruber), Actor: Leading (Tyler Steelman as Zack)
Yu Zhang (USA), Free, Asian Filmmaker (Student), LGBTQ+ Theme (Student)
Yuval Shrem (USA), Invisible Lines, Film Short

Award of Recognition winners click below:

Award of Excellence and Best of Show winners click below: