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

Alessandra Carlino (USA), Spam Risk, Film Short, Actress: Leading (Amy Rutledge as Petula), Direction
Amir Hossein Bahmani (Iran), The Ceiling of Wishes, Film Short, Children / Family Programming
Andrew Ragan (USA), The Cadenza, Original Score (Student)
Bob Scott (USA), Life Begins In Wonder. Let Life End In Wonder., Documentary Short, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, Religion / Ethics
Brachi Haisherik (Israel), Floortime, Film Short
Chris Mugford (United Kingdom), Hood, Actor: Leading (Keith Richards as Robin Hood), Original Score (Matthew Slater)
Craig Leon, Future History Films (Ecuador), Crystal Frog, Research
Dakota Truscott and Trinity Korunic (New Zealand), The Line Between, Film Short (Student), Animation (Student)
Darrin Scott Mckean (Australia), Their American Dream, Original Score
Emily Anderson and Elizabeth Usher (USA/Australia), Summer Wonderland, Original Song
Eric D’Agostino (USA), Daddy?, Editing (Zak Bryd), LGBTQ+ Filmmaker, LGBTQ+ Theme
Heyi Ma (USA), CRAZY TAKEOUT, Asian Filmmaker (Student), Asian Theme (Student), Film Short (Student)

Karen Pearlman, The Physical TV Company (Australia), Breaking Plates, Women Theme, Women Filmmakers
Lola Rocknrolla (USA), The Big Johnson, LGBTQ+ Filmmaker
Michael Gould (United Kingdom), VOODOO VALENTINOS, Script / Writer
Paul Sadowski (USA), Let Me Fix You Baby, Television – Pilot Program
Ramin Hosseinpour (Iran), Sculpture (Video Art Of Sculpture), Music Video, Original Song
Rudy Strukoff (USA), Katie May, Cinematography (Al Calli), Editing
Ryan Scott (USA), The Good in the Garbage, Documentary Short, Nature / Environment / Wildlife, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Sean Patrick O’Reilly (USA), Pigasus: The Lost Paradise – Battle for Evermore, Animation
T.M. Glass and Bob Ezrin (Canada), Plantasia, Experimental
The Education Resource Fund (USA), Before You Were Born, Editing
Tim Schauer (USA), Fetch, AI Film
Valerio Zanoli (USA), NOT TO FORGET, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising, Direction
Wang Wang (China), Cutting Edge, Film Short, Direction

A.D.A.M. Music Project, Astonish Entertainment, LLC (USA), Punch Out, Music Video
A.P. Gonzalez (USA), George & Dorothy, Film Short, Actress: Leading (Tina D’Marco as Dorothy), Viewer Impact: Motivational / Inspirational
Amanda Richards (USA), Whiskey Dixie & The Big Wet Country, Film Feature, Women Filmmakers, Women Theme
Amel Tresnjic (Australia), Unlocking The Potential: The Vital Role of Specialist Education, Documentary Feature, Direction, Editing
Arshia Rahaee (Iran), Cold Turkey, Editing (Mohammadmahdi Foroughi)
Ashley Beroukhim (USA), Class Has Begun (Freedom Is Coming), Women Theme
Bin He (USA), The Last President, AI Film, Experimental
Bob Conrad (USA), A City in Crisis, Documentary Feature
Broderick Russell Jr. (USA), The Opaque, Film Short
Cengiz Dervis (United Kingdom), The Studio, Actress: Supporting (Silvia Busuioc as Chloe)
Chad Brown (USA), Resilience Rising – Echoes of Owhyee Canyonlands, African American Filmmaker

Chris Mugford (United Kingdom), Hood, Film Short
Christian Schu (Malaysia), Seconds in Eternity, Film Short
Christian Yoder (USA), Running with the Lions, Christian Theme (Student), Documentary Short (Student)
Conner McFall and Houston Sasselli (USA), Dead Man’s Hand, Film Short (Student), Actor: Leading (Student) (Logan Martin as Lorenzo Corvelo)
Craig Leon, Future History Films (Ecuador), Crystal Frog, Documentary Short, Nature / Environment / Wildlife
Darrin Scott Mckean (Australia), Their American Dream, Film Short, Direction
Donald L. Lorincz (USA), Stuffed, Script / Writer
Donald L. Lorincz (USA), Addendum 13, Script / Writer
Duffy King (USA), Danza Del Sol, Music Video, Cinematography
Duncan B. Putney (USA), Solipsism, Script / Writer

Eric D’Agostino (USA), Daddy?, Actor: Leading (Eric D’Agostino as The Stripper), Direction (Eric D’Agostino)
Eric Isaac Haldezos (Israel), Face To Faith… The Third Temple, Jewish Theme
Erica Xia-Hou (Canada), Banr, Actress: Supporting (Erica XiaHou as YunYun Liu)
Fariba Farjam (Canada), Redacted Dreams, Documentary Short, Liberation / Social Justice / Protest, Women Filmmakers
Geraldo J. Uscategui (USA), FLUX, Film Feature, Latin / Hispanic Filmmaker
Giancarlo Mici (Italy), S. PER. AN. ZE. – Un futuro a 5G, Christian Theme, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
Jeff LeForce (USA), Welcome to the Neighborhood, Actor: Supporting (Jeff LeForce as James)
Jody Mortara (USA), Cocoa, Women Filmmakers
Joe Garcia (USA), The Disorder of Tenebris, Original Score
Joy Shannon (USA), Rock Island Prison 1864, African American Theme
Maggie Peña (USA), Save Face, Film Short (Student)

Marci Lynne Krown (USA), The Power of Sports For Amputees, Disability Issues, Documentary Feature, Cinematography (Viken Kazandjian)
Matt Dooley (USA), Across The Border, Film Short
Megan Channell, Emily Nicole Cameron, Ashley Van Ergeren, Shivangi Jain and Keisha Bissram (USA), Conversations in Apartment 3A, Web Series
Naser Doushin Shahrivar (USA), The Persian Lover / Creed and Greed Mar. 2023, Script / Writer
Navid Ghiasi (Turkey), In an Impasse, Film Short
Nick Maltby (United Kingdom), Adam’s Big Choice, Original Score
Nikolay Kouleshov (Israel), Blowing in the Wind, Jewish Filmmaker
Olivia Martinez-Prado (USA), Reach for Me, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising (Student)
Pedram Banaha (Iran), A Report in Two Act, Actor: Leading (Mobin Baharvand as Vivayden Goldes)
Peter Babakitis (USA), The Journeyman, Actor: Leading (Peter Babakitis as Lawrence)
Ramin Hosseinpour (Iran), Sculpture (Video Art Of Sculpture), Direction

Rick Miller (USA), Mom, I Have Something To Tell You, LGBTQ+ Theme
Roman Gerodimos (United Kingdom), Stepped in Blood, Public Service Programming / PSA
Rudy Strukoff (USA), Katie May, Music Video
Sadie Duarte (Spain), The Lights of Dawn, Women Filmmakers, Cinematography (Merrick Wells)
Sean Patrick O’Reilly (USA), Pigasus: The Lost Paradise – Battle for Evermore, Children / Family Programming
Shaily Sanghvi (USA), Pandaal, Original Score (Ramesh Kumar Kannan), Direction
Simon Stockdale (USA), What Really Happened, Film Feature
Stephen Janis and Taya Graham (USA), I Am But The Mirror: The Story of American Copwatching, Documentary Feature (Student)

Suhyeon Scholastica Jin and Aria Suhyun Kim (Korea), 胡蝶之夢: The Butterfly Dream, AI Film
Suresh Eriyat (India), Desi Oon, Contemporary Issues / Awareness Raising
The Education Resource Fund (USA), Before You Were Born, Documentary Short, Direction
Thomas S. Biebers (USA), Eating Pebble Soup, Jewish Theme, Original Score
Veronica Small (USA), Siphon – Episode 1, So Much Hate, African American Filmmaker, Television – Program / Series, Women Filmmakers, African American Theme
Xie Jing (Hong Kong), Disposables, Asian Theme
Yuanhao Zhang (USA), Desert Inn, Film Short

Award of Recognition winners click below:

Award of Excellence and Best of Show winners click below: